Union Minister of Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today visited the exhibition of 115 oil paintings of Shivaji Maharaj organized by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in New Delhi. This exhibition was organized to mark the 350th anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s coronation.
During the visit, Mr. Shekhawat said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is a great icon of our country and has been a source of inspiration for all of us for centuries. He added, this historical exhibition, is based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s life, which allows us to learn and understand a lot. The Culture Minister also mentioned that this collection is a priceless heritage of the Nation.
The paintings displayed at the Arts gallery were created by Shrikant Choughule and his son Gautam Choughule under the guidance of Padma Vibhushan Babasaheb Purandare. Recently, the collector of these paintings, Deepak Gore, inspired by the Prime Minister’s vision, has handed over this collection to IGNCA as a heritage asset. Our Correspondent reports that the Culture Ministry is planning to create a permanent gallery and take this exhibition to other locations across the country. The Member Secretary of IGNCA, Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, and the Director General of NGMA, Sanjeev Kumar Gautam, were also present with the Minister of Culture.
