About

B.1961 in Almora, he is the recipient of the prestigious International Fellowship (IF)- (1992) of Korea Foundation, Seoul. He has the highest D.Litt. degree (2011) from Kumaun University received from the Late Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Gold medalist with the first position in PG and the degree of D. Phill/PhD (1991) conferred from the University of Garhwal in Painting on Ragamala Paintings. He was awarded Art Master (AMT) (1980) from Arts and Crafts College, Lucknow University.

He held twelve solo shows and participated in several groups’ shows worldwide. He is both a practicing artist of high stature and competence and an art connoisseur. His paintings are referred to as “Nakhakshata” famous for his innovative and unique painting style executed on paper and paper on canvas without using tools like pen, pencil, brush, colour, or with colour his fingernails and with the use of paddy coins for colouring. He holds many shows (solo- 12, group and invited shows- more than 50). His works have been exhibited and collected in India and abroad including in France, Australia, Korea, Canada, etc.

He was also honoured by ‘Chaturth Saraswati Sadhana Samman’, ‘Award of Artistry’, ’Global ‘Outstanding Peace Activist Award’’, ‘Agnipath Kala Rattan Samman’, Uttaranchal Kala Samman, awards of ‘Mohan Upreti Lok Sanskriti Kala’ and Snehil, etc. He has also been performing on the radio and on Television.

He published 14 books (authored– 6 edited- 8). The titles of the books are ‘Art and Communication of India’, ‘Historical Fine Arts and Asian Culture..’, ‘Visual Arts and Research Methodology’, ‘Tribal Arts’, ‘Art and Craft of Uttarakhand’, ‘Seva se Srijan’, ‘Adhunik Chitrakala Ka Itihas’, ‘Kala ke Sidhhant avem Chitrakala ke Rang’, ‘Chitrakala avem Lokkala Vividh Ayam’, ‘Korea ki Kala’ etc. along with reviews and monographs on ‘Fantasy of Raga’, Hoard Holy and Heritage, etc. to
his credit.

He is an editor of the International Journal of Visual Arts Studies and Communication (IJVASC). He has completed many research projects (MPR) availing two majors, one minor from the same funding agency UGC and availed other from HRD Ministry, New Delhi. He has been guiding more than two dozen PhD scholars out of which fifteen degrees are awarded.

He has been working as Peer Committee Member NAAC; Advisor NCERT, New Delhi; EC Member, AC Member; Observer UGC Net, NEET, and CBSE, New Delhi; Expert of e-Content- online Courses of UGC; BOS, RDC and Faculty Board Members in different central/ state universities, professional bodies, organizations, educational institutions like IIT, NCTE, UGC, USET, NVS, UPSC, UKPSC,
UPSE, and other statuaries committees and bodies along with life members of Bombay Art Society, Oriental Art Society Kolkata, etc.

He organized several international seminars/ workshops/ exhibitions in India and also presented and participated in universities situated abroad like RMIT University Australia, Vienna University Austria, University Of Toronto Canada, Institute National Polytechnic DE Lorraine, Nancy France, and University of Cape Town South Africa, etc.

He has extensive teaching and research experience for more than 30 years including an overall more the ten years of experience as a Professor and administrative holding the post(s) Dean (Visual Art), Head (Drawing and Painting) Kumaun University, Proctor, Programme Officer NSS, etc. for a decade and more.

He worked as Reader in Fine Arts at Assam (Central) University, Silchar. At present, he is a Professor and Dean of Academic & Coordinator (New Education Policy) at Soban Singh Jeena University, Campus Almora, Uttarakhand, India.