Birth anniversary of SM Sultan observed

Our Correspondent JHENIDAH, Aug 13: The 89th birth anniversary of venerable artist SM Sultan was observed with great enthusiasm on Sultan Complex premises at Masimdia village in Narail sadar upazila on Monday. The function jointly organised by Sultan Foundation and Narail District Administration chalked out a number of programmes including recitation from the Holy Quran, placing floral wreaths on the grave of the late artist and a discussion session. SM Sultan Foundation General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Miku, Principal of SM Sultan Bengal Charukala College Ashok Kumar Sheel, Assistant Professor of Fine Art department of Khulna University Bimanesh Biswas, artist Baladev Adhikari, member secretary of Sultan Foundation Adv. Iqbal Hossain Sikder, local journalists and representatives of different social and cultural organizations, among others, attended the ceremony with Narail ADC Hawlader Md. Rakibul Bari in the chair. This year due to Eid-ul-Fitr, the four-day celebrations were rescheduled for August 29. SM (Sheikh Mohammad) Sultan, who was an artist of the soil and people, was locally known as Lal Mia and SM Sultan to the common mass. This internationally noted artist was born to Maju Bibi at Masumdia in Narail in 1924. Even in the midst of hardships of his mason father Meser Ali's poor family, Sultan started studying in Narail collegiate school where he had been for five years. He used to draw pictures while helping his father during breaks of school. SM Sultan, a student of class five, impressed Dr. Shymaproshad Mukherjee, worthy son of scholar Ashutosh Mukherjee, by drawing a pencil sketch of him. With the recommendation of picture critic Shaheed Shahrawardi, he got himself admitted into Calcutta Art School in 1941 without requisite academic qualification and in 1944 he left the art school completing only three years' courses out of six years' and started to wander about here and there. His solo art exhibition was held at Shimla in India in 1945 while Fatema Jinnah, sister to Mohammad Ali Zinna inaugurated his exhibition in Lahore in 1948. He went to USA in 1950 to attend the conferences of artists as the representative of Pakistan government. After that he attended some solo and group exhibitions in Europe. Sultan was the only Asian person whose portraits were placed beside those of the renowned artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Pall. SM Sultan achieved prestigious awards of 'Man of the Year' from Cambridge University, 'Man of the Achievement' from Biographical Centre in New York and 'Man of Asia' from Asia Week newspaper. Besides, at home he was conferred on 'Ekushey Padak' in 1982 and 'Swadhinata Padak' in 1993. He got recognition of 'Resident Artist' by Bangladesh Government in 1984 and 'Charushilpi Sangsad Sammanana' in 1986'. This world-venerable artist expired at Jessore Combined Military Hospital on October 10, 1994. He was laid for eternal rest at the yard of his own village house.