Social activist-cum-Pattachitra Artist: Laxmi Meher

JULY 6, ON THIS DAY

Indian artist and social activist, Laxmi Meher was born on this day, 6 July, 1967. She’s popular for her Odisha pattachitra paintings. She has completed 30 years of her career as a painter and is still acclaimed and appreciated by various art lovers and critics.

Laxmi Meher was born in Tarava, a small village in western Odisha, and currently lives in Bolangir. Her inclination towards painting arouse after she got married to renowned artist Padma Shri Kailash Chandra Meher. She gained major experience in the field of pattachitra painting from her husband who is also a UNESCO and Shilp Guru awardee artist. Along with her and her husband, her two sons are also popular artists. As a social activist she has imparted training to institutions like Indian Art and Craft Academy for Women, and Handicrafts Handloom Museum and Service Centre for Women where many poor artisans are trained. She has also trained many young artisans of KBK districts of Odisha through Government of India’s training schemes such as the ’Guru Shishya Parampara’ scheme under HRD and ‘Scheme-C’ etc.

She has been participating in a number of art exhibitions all over India from time to time and her paintings have been highly appreciated by the visitors of these exhibitions. Many of her works have been purchased by museums, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Industries, HRD, Parliament House and private collection of many VVIPs in India and abroad.

Her determination earned her the Master Craftsman National Award from the President of India in 2005 and the State Award from Chief Minister of Odisha in 1990.