Apeejay College of Fine Arts celebrates art, artwork and artists

A three-day Art exhibition, “Contemplation: A Journey Within Rebooting Punjab” was successfully organised to mark the upcoming golden jubilee celebration of Apeejay Education. The exhibition was a collaborative effort of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Apeejay Education, and Dr. Stya Paul Art Gallery, Virsa Vihar.

The event was inaugurated by Sh. Arun Sekhri, IAS, Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Welcoming him, Dr. Sucharita Sharma, Director, Apeejay Education, Jalandhar, expressed gratitude for his presence, describing him as an art connoisseur and a dynamic leader whose support is truly inspiring.

On this occasion, Dr. Sucharita Sharma felicitated Mr. Swaranjit Singh Savi, President of Punjab Arts Council, Chandigarh, for his invaluable contributions to the promotion of arts. She also honoured Mr. Gurdeep Dhimaan, President of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, for his dedicated efforts in fostering artistic talent. Mr. Sumit Dua, Vice President of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, was appreciated for his continuous support in organising such cultural events. Dr. Neerja Dhingra, Principal of Apeejay College of Fine Arts, was acknowledged for her leadership in encouraging students towards artistic endeavors. Mr. Basudev Biswas, Executive Member of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, was recognised for his significant role in supporting artistic initiatives. Mr. Sangat Ram, Vice President of Virsa Vihar, Jalandhar, and Mr. Gurmeet Singh, Secretary of Virsa Vihar, Jalandhar, were lauded for their contributions to the cultural landscape of the city. Mr. Jaspal Kamna, Secretary of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi, was commended for his dedicated service to the arts community.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sucharita Sharma highlighted that the vision of Dr. Stya Paul, the founder of Apeejay Education, was to make fine arts accessible to all. She reaffirmed that under the leadership of Mrs Sushma Berlia, Chairman, Apeejay Stya & Svran Group, Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University, the Apeejay family remains committed to fulfilling this vision with dedication.

The exhibition featured 44 artworks by 22 distinguished artists of Punjab, including paintings, sculptures, photography, drawings, and digital art. The artists showcased both realistic and abstract interpretations, beautifully capturing nature’s beauty, human expressions, and emotions. Among the featured artists were Anil Gupta, Anuradha Thakur, Dr. Rimpy Aggarwal, Shailendra, Dr. Gagan Gambhir, Guranjanpal, Gurdish Pannu, Harinder Singh Bhatti, Dr. Jeevan Kumari, Karmveer Sandhu, Kavita Hastir, Dr. Mahendra Mastana, Manoj Kumar, Paramveer Singh, Pawan Kumar, Rohit Kumar, Sonali, Sushil Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh, Sunil Kapoor, Suruchi, and Vikram Singh.

As part of the event, an inter-college painting competition was held, judged by  Guranjanpal and Rajesh Kalsi. The first prize of ₹3100 was awarded to Jasneet Dhananjan from HMV. The second prize of ₹2100 was given to Jaskirat from Apeejay College. The third prize of ₹1500 was won by Sahil from Apeejay College. Consolation prizes of ₹1000 each were awarded to Jasmeet Kaur from DAV University, Chahat from HMV, Sumit Bhardwaj from DAV University, Riva Sharma from HMV, and Nandini from Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women.

Expressing his thoughts on the occasion, Sh. Arun Sekhri, IAS, appreciated the artists for their remarkable contributions and emphasised the importance of such exhibitions in promoting art and culture. He highlighted how art serves as a powerful medium of expression and fosters a deeper connection between individuals and society. Also, Mr. Dua emphasized that along with art our mother tongue language must also be promoted and proudly used for the purpose of communication.

Dr. Sucharita Sharma expressed her heartfelt gratitude to Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi and all participating artists for their support in making the event a grand success. She emphasised the need for continued collaboration and encouraged the organisation of future exhibitions at Dr. Stya Paul Art Gallery to further the mission of fostering artistic expression. The exhibition successfully celebrated creativity, heritage, and the spirit of artistic contemplation.