4-day Sobha Singh art fest in Bathinda from November 30

SOBHA SINGH’S DAUGHTER GURCHARAN KAUR, PUNJAB ARTS COUNCIL HEAD SURJIT PATTAR TO BE PRESENT

To commemorate the 117th birth anniversary of famed artist Sardar Sobha Singh, a four-day Sobha Singh Kala Utsav (art festival) will be organised in Punjab’s Bathinda from November 30.

The festival being organised by Bathinda-based Sardar Sobha Singh Memorial Chittarkar Society at Teachers’ Home will comprise a national-level art exhibition, inter-school and inter-college competitions and felicitation of artists for their contributions in the field of art.

“Due to rampant forging of the original paintings of Sobha Singh, a decision has been taken that no copy work will be displayed in the exhibition,” said Hirday Paul Singh, grandson of the artist and general secretary of Sobha Singh Memorial Art Society at Andretta in Kangra’s Palampur.

“Only original artworks comprising paintings and sculptures will be allowed,” he added.

Sobha Singh’s daughter Bibi Gurcharan Kaur besides wellknown poet Surjit Pattar, who also holds the post of Punjab Arts Council chairperson, will be among prominent artists who will be attending the festival in Bathinda.

“A good number of fans and followers of the late artist and connoisseurs are expected to be present at the four-day art extravaganza,” Hirday said.

Sardar Sobha Singh was born on November 29, 1901 in a Sikh family at Sri Hargobindpur in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. He also served in the army for a brief period. Sobha Singh resigned from the army and opened his own studio in Amritsar in 1923. The artist moved to Lahore, Delhi and Mumbai before finally settling down in Andretta in 1947. He died on August 22, 1986.