03.10.2025

Art exhibition by the students of Green Field Sr. Sec School (Kangra)

On 3 October, the International Roerich Memorial Trust's exhibition hall hosted the opening of an exhibition by students from Green Field Sr. Sec. School in Nagrota Bagwan, Kangra District, Himachal Pradesh. Guests of honour Tamara Merges and Vasily Tkachev, organisers of the International Festival of Children's and Youth Creativity ‘Russia-India: From Heart to Heart, as well as a group of volunteers from the International Centre of the Roerichs (Moscow). 

Larisa Surgina, a Russian Curator and employee of the ICR, was the first to light a traditional lamp on behalf of the IRMT curators. She warmly welcomed the young participants, noting that their exhibition was opening the traditional October cultural festival at the Estate this year, which was dedicated to the 90th  anniversary of the Roerich Pact and the Banner of Peace. 

This time, the exhibition featured works by 16 young artists, students in grades 8-11: Yadvi, Akshita, Shanvi, Angel, Kusha Rana, Navya, Lakshya Thakur, Suryanash, Shradhul Dogra, Vanshika Rana, Shreya, Devanshu Rana, Sanshika Dhiman, Divij Shandilya, Pallavi and Akshita Dixit. 

The young participants were enthusiastic in their discussion of their work, which reflected the artists' love of Indian culture, philosophy, and traditional art from various regions of India. The exhibition opened to coincide with the start of the famous Dashera festival. It was fitting, then, that the young artists paid special attention to paintings depicting Hindu deities. Alongside urban, mountain and abstract landscapes, the exhibition featured decorative and applied art from the state of Gujarat; works created using traditional varli and madhubani techniques; miniature paintings from the Kangra art school; and pictorial interpretations of Buddhist mandalas. Some of the works were also devoted to contemporary art and abstract painting. 

After an entertaining tour, the young artists chatted with the volunteers and received small gifts from Russia. Tamara Merges then invited them to visit an exhibition of paintings by participants in the international festival, ‘Russia-India: From Heart to Heart, which the ICR volunteers had brought with them from Russia. This exhibition will also open at the IRMT as part of the October celebrations. Mrs Merges emphasised that young Russian artists are always inspired by the works of their Indian counterparts and love painting the Himalayas, Indian cultural heroes and gods. The sincere exchange between guests and exhibition participants ended with mutual assurances of friendship and deep respect.