By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Apr. 6: Nepal Academy of Fine Arts has decided to award ‘Rastrya Araniko Pragya Samman’ to two artists for their contribution to the nation from their works.

It was announced at a press conference held in connection to the preparations for the National Fine Arts Exhibition-2021 at Fine Arts Academy on Monday.

Veteran artists Batsta Gopal Baidya and Prabin Kumar Shrestha will be presented the honour that carries a purse of Rs. 100,000.

It is said that the National Fine Arts Exhibition will be held in the gallery of the academy at Naxal for a month from April 15.

Similarly, Nabindra Rajbhandari will be awarded the National Fine Arts Writing Award-2021 and Deepak Shrestha of the Gorkhapatra Daily will be awarded the National Fine Arts Journalism Award-2021 for his contribution to the development of the arts through journalism and writing.
Each of the awards carries a purse of Rs. 25,000.

Similarly, the National Fine Arts and Special Prizes to be awarded departmentally on the basis of the evaluation of the works of art received in the National Fine Arts Exhibition-2021 have also been announced.

According to Kanchha Kumar (KK) Karmacharya, Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts and Coordinator of the National Fine Arts Exhibition-2021, altogether 543 artworks by 473 artists were received for the exhibition. Out of them, 496 works by 444 artists were selected for the exhibition.

Based on the evaluation of the selected works of art, six people will be awarded the National Fine Arts Award.

They include Anukumar KC (handicrafts), Bhajuratna Shakya (traditional sculpture), Tambahadur Pun (modern sculpture), Rajkumar Ranamagar (traditional painting), Krishna Prakash Shah (modern painting), Hareram Yadav (folk art) and Prakash Pun Magar (architecture). Each prize carries a purse of Rs. 60,000.

Other artists will also present awards.

Speaking on the occasion, Karmacharya said that the paintings would be exhibited abiding by all the standards of health protocols of the Nepal government.

The exhibition will be inaugurated by President Bidyadevi Bhandari on April 15.