Patna: The seventh edition of the ‘Bapu Samvad’ series was held at Bapu Tower, Patna, on August 20, focusing on Mahatma Gandhi’s enduring influence on art, design and cultural expression.
Eminent art critic and poet Vinod Bhardwaj delivered a solo lecture on ‘Gandhi, Art, and Design’ at the Bapu Tower auditorium. The programme was presided over by Colonel Rahul Sharma, Director of NIFT Patna, while Pranav Kumar, Secretary of the Building Construction Department, attended as the chief guest.
Gandhi’s influence on art
Introducing the theme, Vinay Kumar, Director of Bapu Tower, said Mahatma Gandhi shared a deep connection with art and influenced an entire generation of artists.
In his keynote lecture, Bhardwaj discussed Gandhi’s influence on the works of artist A. Ramachandran, drawing connections between Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore and the values reflected in modern art. He highlighted how Gandhian ideals found significant expression in Ramachandran’s artistic work.
Bhardwaj also spoke about Gandhi’s influence beyond conventional art forms, particularly in costume design, Khadi and handloom production processes. He recalled that Bhanu Athaiya later received an Oscar for her costume design for the film Gandhi.
Khadi and simplicity highlighted
Chief guest Pranav Kumar stressed the continued relevance of Gandhi’s ideas and encouraged greater adoption of Khadi over modern attire. He said Gandhi’s principles would remain relevant across generations.
Padma Shri Shyam Sharma observed that Gandhian values have contributed to the incorporation of simplicity and local identity into contemporary art practices.
The programme was conducted by Pratyush Chandra Mishra, Section Officer at Bapu Tower. A large number of students from NIFT, DPS, Patna High School, Kamala Nehru Girls’ School and the College of Arts attended the lecture along with several distinguished personalities from Patna.
