Govt. of India Scheme for Visiting Fellows in Art, Culture & Heritage

Objective:
The Scheme is being introduced in order to invigorate and revitalise the various institutions under the Ministry of Culture. This is sought to be achieved by encouraging scholars/academicians to affiliate themselves with these institutions to work on projects of mutual interest. With a view to infuse fresh knowledge capital into the institutions, the scheme envisages lateral movement of these scholars/academicians into the institutions to take up projects and research work related to the main objectives of these institutions and enrich them with a new creative edge and academic excellence. The Scheme will be open to both Indian nationals and foreign citizens. The proportion of foreigners will not normally exceed one –third of the total Fellowships awarded in a year.
Participating Institutions:

Scholars who have sound academic or professional credentials and who have made significant contribution to knowledge in their respective fields, as reflected in publications in reputed and referred journals and books authored by them, or persons with significant creative work in any field of art or culture, will be eligible to apply. The Fellow selected will have to attend the institution concerned, as the objective of this scheme is to provide such institutions with academic expertise, to induce academic orientation in their activities and to provide interaction with visiting academics from other institutions. Therefore, candidates who are in regular employment cannot avail the Fellowship at their parent institution.

Scholars to be engaged must have both the credentials as laid down in the preceding paragraph, as well as a strong reputation in the field covered by the institution. The Ministry of Culture will allot grant-in-aid as part of their budget allocation if the institution is an autonomous body (and seeks such funding) or make required budget provision if the institution is an attached/subordinate formation of the Ministry, for supporting the scholars thus engaged. The institutions will have the full freedom and flexibility to administer the Scheme (for which the Ministry will provide the grant-in-aid/ budgetary provision, as the case may be), within the broad parameters laid down herein under and as may be advised by the National Selection Committee (NSC) on Visiting Fellowships.

6.1 The institutions as well as scholars may identify areas to be explored, but the subject of research need not be confined/limited to one institution. The Fellow selected will work on a project of mutual benefit to both the researcher and the institution(s). The subject of research should be one that can be usefully pursued with the resources and facilities of the institution awarding the Fellowship, though he/she will be free to draw on the resources and facilities of other institutions as well. If the subject of research extends to more than one institution or the Fellow otherwise needs to draw upon the resources and facilities of other institution(s), the institution awarding the Fellowship would act as the Fellow’s nodal institution and recommend the Fellow to such other institution(s). 6.2 To start with, there may be 15 Fellowships per annum, which number can be revised at a later date. An institution can award a maximum of two Fellowships in a year but the NSC will have the discretion to relax this condition in exceptional cases.

7.1 A Visiting Fellow who is from a University, College or Government set-up in India would be entitled to the same pay, including grade pay, etc, which he/she would have drawn had he/she continued in his/her parent organization. Essential or mandatory contribution of the employer to CPF etc. would also be paid as may have been paid by the employer had he/she continued in his/her parent organization. 7.2 A Fellow from abroad or from set-up other than University, College or Government, or who has since retired from active service and/or is on pension, would be entitled to a fixed honorarium of Rs 80,000/- per month. 7.3 Such top-up amount as may be decided by the NSC would be paid to Fellow receiving funds from other sources, to bring his/her total emoluments upto the level of honorarium. 7.4 No payment of honorarium would be made to a Fellow receiving full funding from other sources upto the level of the honorarium. Such Fellow will, however, receive Contingency Grant and other allowances and facilities, as decided by the NSC.

In case of foreign research scholars and Indian research scholars residing or serving abroad, economy return airfare to/from his/her country of residence will be provided/reimbursed by the sponsoring institution once during the course of the Fellowship. The scholar who takes up the Fellowship under the Scheme will also be reimbursed, on ‘actuals’ basis, contingent expenses for making academic trips, engaging research assistants, etc. up to a ceiling of Rs. 2.50 lakhs per annum, during the tenure of Fellowship.

The duration of the Fellowship will be for a maximum period of two years. In exceptional cases, the institution may recommend to the NSC an extension for a period of upto one more year, supported by its assessment of the quality of the work undertaken. The award of the Fellowship will commence from the date of joining and the ‘years’ would be counted accordingly.

10.1 Ministry of Culture and/or the concerned institution will widely advertise the Fellowship, by way of prominent advertisements in national/ regional newspapers, having wide readership and also on its website (which should give all details) as well as to Indian Embassies in other countries, so that maximum publicity is accorded to the Scheme. However, the selection of candidates need not be confined to those who respond to the advertisement. It is open to the institution to consider, suo moto, names of eminent scholars, who in the opinion of the Director or Head of the institution have expertise in subjects relevant to it, for recommending to the NSC. The final decision will be of the NSC that can also invite any eminent scholar to become a Fellow of one of the participating institutions, in consultation with the concerned institution. 10.2 A Screening Committee will be constituted by each institution and will be headed by the Director or the Head of the institution with at least two academics and two officials nominated by the Governing Body, Board of Trustees, or the Ministry, as the case may be. The selection will be based on the relevance of the study and its requirement for the concerned institution. This will be done in two stages. The first stage would be short listing of candidates, according to the criteria broadly specified as part of the Screening Committee process. At the second stage, applications/names of short-listed candidates will be considered by the NSC separately for each institution. Secretary (Culture) will be the Chairman of the NSC, and the Director or Head of the institutions will be its ex-officio Members. The other members of the NSC will be scholars or artistes of repute, or experts who may be recommended by the participating institutions and appointed by the Ministry of Culture. The NSC will meet at least twice a year, to oversee the selection of Fellows and the administration of the Fellowships.

The number of Fellowships administered by each institution will be decided by the Ministry of Culture from time to time, in consultation with the participating institutions. This will be based on certain criteria such as physical facilities already existing in the institution, capacity of the institution to guide and inspire the Fellows to get the best out of them, its past record in publication and research, need for research/study in a particular area etc. An amount of up to 2% of the total allocation may be set aside for meeting expenses related to the administration of the scheme including monitoring, implementation, inspection, review etc of the research work carried out by the Fellows.

Candidates may submit their application on plain paper along with bio-data, list of publications, other relevant documents including one- page synopsis of the work he/she wishes to do, and names of two referees along with their contact details. The applicant should also enclose a declaration stating that if selected for the Fellowship, he/she will complete the tenure of the Fellowship.

Fellowship amounts may be released on a monthly basis to each Fellow. All Fellows will submit a work plan for the period of research to the Head of the institution. The Fellow would be required to submit six-monthly progress reports to the concerned institution and these will be placed before the NSC by the concerned institution along with its comments thereon. If the review of six-monthly progress report submitted by the Fellow results in a finding that the work done is unsatisfactory and if the NSC is of the opinion that further grants need to be stopped or curtailed, then instruction would be given to the concerned institution accordingly. The fund flow to the Fellows should continue smoothly, otherwise.

14.1 Infrastructural support will be provided by the institutions to the Fellows to enable them conduct their research. This may include provision of a computer with peripherals and connectivity and working space in the institution’s facilities, to provide a congenial atmosphere to carry out research. Other facilities, like appropriate seating arrangements, library facilities, etc, will also be made available. One important advantage of these Fellowships will be the access of Fellows to national institutions for study and research material. In respect of foreign scholars engaged under this scheme, necessary political/security clearances from the concerned Ministries/Departments shall be obtained by Ministry of Culture. Heads of the concerned institutions will function as the nodal officers for all the Fellows working in the institution. In the Ministry of Culture, the Director/Deputy Secretary in-charge of the Scheme will function as nodal officer to monitor implementation of the Scheme. 14.2 Encouragement and financial support may also be given to enable the Fellows present papers at conferences hosted by the concerned institution or other related organizations and institutions, which will be met out /reimbursed, on ‘actuals’ basis, with a ceiling of Rs. 1.00 lakh per annum, provided adequate academic interaction is arranged for.

A Fellow will be entitled to Accommodation Allowance up to 30% of his usual pay, including Grade Pay or the honorarium paid.

A Fellow from outstation will be given a lump sum grant of Rs.1.00 lakh as settling in allowance for packing/transportation etc., of his personal effects from old station to the new station of his stay during the tenure of Fellowship, if he moves station or otherwise transports books and academic effects. Allowance of an equal amount will be given at the conclusion of the Fellowship for moving out of station. In addition, economy airfare from his/her place/country of residence will be provided/reimbursed on joining and on conclusion of the Fellowship.

A Fellow shall be required to:- (a) Deliver one public lecture per annum on the subject of his research under the Fellowship. (b) At the conclusion of his term, the Fellow will have to submit a Report on the work carried out under the Fellowship, indicating the achieved and the expected output. He/she will also have to make a presentation on the outcome of his/her research to the NSC. (c) The concerned institution will publish the research work of each Fellow at the completion of the project. The rights of the research work resulting from the award of the Fellowship will be owned by the institution. Subject to the issues of copyright, the academic output resulting from the work of the Fellow in association with the national cultural institution would be made public also through the internet/web publishing. (d) If the institution does not provide any support for the actual printing of the book, after completion of the Fellowship, it will be open to the Fellow to get the same published through a private publisher duly acknowledging the contribution of the Ministry of Culture and the rights of the concerned institution.

Once awarded a Fellowship, a candidate cannot apply again either at the same or any other institution covered under this scheme.

Source: http://indiaculture.nic.in/indiaculture/sfvf.htm

From the ancient times till today, coffee houses across the globe have been, very often, the cradle of creativity, ideas and even revolutions

From the ancient times till today, coffee houses across the globe have been, very often, the cradle of creativity, ideas and even revolutions. But, it’s an irony that women have seldom been a part of such gatherings. Against such a backdrop, the just conducted women writers’ meet at the Coffee House Creative Corner (CHCC) in the Capital on Sunday was a welcome initiative. CHCC that hosts weekly gatherings on all Sunday evenings at the busy Old Bus Stand across the Market Building with a host of writers, artists, dramatists and even film and media persons decided to celebrate its golden jubilee session with Kabita Kallolini, an assembly of women writers who recited their poems that received rave response from literary circles. Following inauguration by eminent poet Rajendra Kishore Panda who maintained that “each poet is a woman for the ability to create”, 16 poets recited their poems while actress-dancer Prativa Panda anchored the event. Most of the poems were lucid and honest expressions of the woman’s mind – her dreams and dilemma – penned in first person and with an autobiographical undertone. Celebrated poet Banaja Devi’s poem described how the writer looks back at her life at times and ponders if she should calculate all that she has got or lost for that matter. Similarly, Susama Mishra, in her poem penned in a lighter vein, narrated the fast changing habits of women from her mother’s generation down to her daughter’s. Known as an established essayist and critic, Professor Sanghamitra Mishra surprised the audience with her touching poem that inspires the girl to look up straight suggesting women empowerment. However, in style of recitation and content, Runu Mohanty’s poem Sufi geet was a class of its own that eulogized women’s emancipation and left a lasting impression on the audience. Jyotsna Das was the other writer whose poem about a woman writer fondly remembering her beloved man amidst her various roles as a housewife, excelled in craft and content. A pleasant surprise was short story writer Shanti Mohanty who revealed her talent as a lyricist and a singer of high order. And city-based Hindi poet Rashmi Dhawan added a distinct flavour to the recitation session as the lone non-Oriya poet. Among others, Minati Mishra, Sunanda Tripathy, Jayanti Rath, Sunanda Mishra, Rajani Ransingh, Minati Das, Sailabala Mohapatra, Jayanti Padhiary and Purnima Nayak recited their poems. The audience comprised several eminent writers like Sourindra Barik, Adhyapak Biswaranjan, Jyoti Nanda, Adikand Sahoo and Prakash Mohapatra besides noted theatre personality Asim Basu. CHCC conveners Suresh Balabantaray and Akshaya Behera, both writers, addressed the gathering.
Shyamhari Chakra
Source: The New Indian Express

Lalitkala Regional Secretary Ramakrishna Vedala said that two young and acclaimed sculptors of the State – P.Bujinga Rao and Kanta Kishore Moharana

BHUBANESWAR: As part of its annual programme of art awareness, city-based Regional Centre of Lalit Kala Akademi, the national academy for fine art, would host Kaladhara – a series of events – commencing on Thursday (October 15). Regional Secretary Ramakrishna Vedala said that two young and acclaimed sculptors of the State – P.Bujinga Rao and Kanta Kishore Moharana – will speak about their works and experiences on the centre premises in Kharavela Nagar on Thursday evening.

“Besides senior artists, we receive a good number of young artists and students of the art colleges in the Kala Pragati and Kaladhara series of art awareness and art appreciation activities at the centre,” said Mr. Vedala. On Friday evening, Durga Prasad Das, former principal of the prestigious Government College of Art and Craft (GCAC), will deliver a lecture on eminent sculptor Bipra Charan Mohanty who passed away recently. Mohanty was the founder-principal of the half-century-old GCAC and was the recipient of Dharmapada Award.The centre will soon announce details of the events slated for the year; Mr. Vedala stated and added that no entry pass was required for the public.
Source: The Hindu Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009

Our surrounding and social concerns have always motivated us to a new high. Kanta Kishore is no exception

Kanta Kishore has picked the popular slum with a different perspective that essentially deals with the core of the subject


Kanta Kishore Moharana represented by Ashok Art Gallery Delhi

Slums in Neighbourhood

Artists are exploring new media and techniques to convince the viewer in the present day. The range of subjects that the artist deals with today is intriguing and relevant. Indian art seems to have transformed from modesty to market and the journey has been interesting too. The turning points of art here depend heavily on the attitude of the artists and what we have noticed is the increase in the intellectual input with passing time. This has carried us forward from the agreement of the narratives in mythology and epics to negotiating society to human awareness of several factors. Our surrounding and social concerns have always motivated us to a new high. Kanta Kishore is no exception.

Kanta Kishore has picked the popular slum with a different perspective that essentially deals with the core of the subject. The effort by the dwellers to construct the beautiful and magnificent in the city remains in the most neglected part of the earth. Their struggle for existence depend on adversities of life and in the process, they sometimes smile up to their success, which is rare, and rest of the times, lament over their survival. In all these conditions, a pair of sleepers perhaps allows them to retain the honour of human while addressing the rough patches leading to life. The chaos of arrangement also depicts the lifestyle of people inhabit. However high or low they might go individually but collectively they remain intact to the nails that bind them to the ground. The insiders story of constructing a world imagined for the other rightly develop the concept of living.

The composition has deliberately caught our concern for the slum and its dwellers. The symbolic is apparent, expressive and transformed; it suggests the simplest of material in high coordination with installation art. The painting complements to the installation by making it look obvious and illustrative. Kanta Kishore has seemingly taken a defensive position in portraying the subject though several aggressive pointers are available to us. The approach to the subject is worth admiration. The awareness to uplift the downtrodden needs more application both politically and socially. The change is coming at a slow pace and it would appear significantly in future. The makeover through the artistic expression is to the concern is remarkable.
Sculpture Review by Dr. Pradosh Kumar Mishra(Art Historian)
Watch out for this growing talent in Art Expo India: Kantakishore Moharana

AlumniBKCAC organized a sketching workshop in the foothill of Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar on the eve of Odiya Nava Varsha (New Year) celebration

AlumniBKCAC organized a sketching workshop, as its second event in the series of Silver Jubilee celebration of the Bibhuti Kanungo College of Art & Crafts, Bhubaneswar. The workshop was planned in the foothill of Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar on the eve of Odiya Nava Varsha (New Year) celebration in the sculpture studio of Saroj Bhanja, a young and enthusiastic sculptor. This workshop was a gathering of the old students and present young artists to develop harmony and co-ordination amongst each other.

The event began with a congregation by the artists that was formally introduced by the president of the alumniBKCAC Adwaita Gadanayak. Subrat Mullick, the secretary of alumniBKCAC vividly projected the programmes that are scheduled to take place through out the year. Sculptor Anjan Kumar Sahoo, joint secretary AlumniBKCAC, invited constructive suggestions from all members, who were present, to make Silver jubilee celebration an extraordinary and special. AlumniBKCAC Executive member Ashok Nayak, who is director of Delhi based Ashok Art Gallery has updated about construction of organization website which is running as beta test now, the members were informed that it would be back with a new and attractive look with lot more features and interactive options. and it will lunch officially on the month May. Another alumni Durga Patnaik has mentioned about a proper documentation of all alumnus in college register which will provide a right information to all the students and as well as to visitors. Executive member M. Sovan Kumar informed about his Mega Art Exhibition project that is coordinated by him for the silver jubilee project.

The formal discussion was followed by a workshop of drawing and painting, wherein the artists present participated. These events were regularly organized and managed by the local alumni in order to make a meaningful presence in the contemporary art field. The events might just seem usual but they carry the emotion of the former students and their commitment towards the art college that has nurtured them to achieve the present feet. This workshop and interaction turned successful with the presence of Kamalakshya Kanungo, Subhranshu Panda, Meenaketan Patnaik, Shyama Prasad Tali, Lipishree Nayak, Ashok Nayak, Rabinarayan Sahu, Saroj Bhanja, Siba Prasad Patri, Rajiv Pradhan, Debadutta Naik, Niroj Satapathy, Harekrushna Ojha, Lalata Kishore Pradhan, Divya Ranjan Rout, Subhadarshi Swain, Lalit Swain, Gautam Sahoo, Satyajit Das, Manas Moharana, Kanta Kishore Moharana, Biswa Ranjan Kar, Satabhama Majhi, Nilanshu Bala Sasmal, Chanda Kishore, Chandra Sekhar Sethi, Smrutikanta Rout, Somanath Rout, Abakash Martha, Gopal Krushna Rath, Niranjan Mangaraj, Niranjan Ojha and Sukant Moharana.

The event was convened by Veejayant Das, member of the alumni and Pratap Jena, Executive member of alumni. The space was provided courtesy Saroj Bhanja which literally fused the environment with artistic ambience.

Nua Barasha - Nua Katha, an open discussion forum on Oriya New Years Day

Dear All

AlumniBKCAC invites you to celebrate Oriya New Year on 14th April 2009 at Saroj Bhanja (Bhanu) Studio

Address: Kolathia Chowk, Near Andhra Bank Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar. from 3pm to 7pm

Wish you and your family A Happy n prosperus oriya new year 2009

AlumniBKCAC

UTKAL DIVAS CELEBRATION 2009

On the occasion of Utkal Divas the alumni BKCAC decided to begin its Silver Jubilee event with Chitra Murchhana: a workshop for students, teachers and friends of BK College, where the 100 feet canvas was commonly painted by the artists on site at the college premises. This event was formally inaugurated by Shri Bijay Jena, Commissioner, Ministry of Culture, Government of Orissa in the presence of Dr. Alekh Charan Sahu, Principal, B K College and Shri Adwaitya Gadanayak, President and Shri Subrat Mullik, Secretary, alumni BKCAC.

100 ft canvas has been streached in the morning of 1st april, more than 200 orissan artists expressed their feelings on this proud moment, senior artists Siba Panigrahi, Kashinath Jena, Gauranga Bariki were part of the event, B.K. Art college current principal A. C. Sahu, Lecturer Jayanta Das, Gajendra Ku Padhi, Meenaketan Pattnaik were also there, Alumni BKCAC president Adwaita Gadanayak, Secretary Subrat Mullick, Joint Secretary Anjan Ku Sahoo, Treserur Tarakant Parida, Executive member Pradosh Mishra, Pratap Jena, Prabir Dalai, Ashok Nayak, Priyadarshini Mohanty were amongst all other present. Senior AlumniBKCAC Vruguram Sahu, Deba Rath, Rajendra Sahu, D.B. Rao, Kamalakshya Kanungo, Janapriya Debata, Rabi bhai, Manjushree, Rosi, Bidutlata and other alumni were there.

The beginning of the event was marked by a chorus of Vande Utkala Janani by young children that impressed the audience. The first event by the alumni BKCAC on the 1st of April, 2009 the independence day of Orissa thus became meaningful and would keep the artists inspiring for long time to comoe.