“As a kid, I was always inclined towards drawing and painting. I used to spend my evenings painting the various social issues faced by the people in my village. That created an opportunity for me to take part in annual art festivals organised by the Rural Development Trust (RDT). With their encouragement, I started participating in various art festivals across the state. Even my parents, who are farm labourers, have always supported me to pursue arts not just because I love doing it – but because they wanted me to contribute to the society through my art. That’s how I ended up pursuing Bachelor of Fine Arts. I am in my final year and because of corona virus pandemic, our exams got postponed. During this free time, I thought of doing something productive which could help the villagers by creating awareness about physical distancing and other preventive measures. As everyone in the village does not have access to television and internet to receive information about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, I felt street painting could be seen by everyone. I took permission from the local panchayat and police, so no one stopped me from entering villages even during the lockdown.

When I travel to rural areas, people often come up to me to inquire about my paintings while I am in the process. This way, I try to engage them in a conversation around the safety protocols they should follow. So far, I have managed to paint the streets of 50 villages on my expense. My aim is to create more and more public awareness through my artworks. This way, I can contribute towards a better tomorrow!”

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