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Lalit Kala Akademi awards: President Murmu honours artists of 65th National Exhibition of Art

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President Droupadi Murmu presented the Lalit Kala Akademi awards to selected artists of the 65th National Exhibition of Art in New Delhi on 21 October 2026, Rashtrapati Bhavan said through PIB. She also felicitated the Grand Prize winners and Honourable Mentions of the 3rd Print Biennale India 2026.

Lalit Kala Akademi: President Droupadi Murmu presents an award to an artist at the ceremony
President Droupadi Murmu presents an award to an artist at the ceremony Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

What Droupadi Murmu said about art

The President called the ceremony a celebration of India’s artistic heritage, cultural diversity and contemporary creativity. Art is not limited to paintings on canvas or sculptures carved from stone, she said; it is a reflection of culture that carries memories, present experience and hopes for the future, and helps people see their times and society from a fresh angle. She said traditional artists in remote areas should be trained in new technologies and contemporary techniques so they can compete on a wider stage. Artists today need not only creative opportunities but also financial support, access to a broader market and links with art collectors, she added, welcoming efforts by the Akademi and the Ministry of Culture to encourage the sale of artworks.

Key Facts

  • Event: 65th National Exhibition of Art awards and 3rd Print Biennale India 2026
  • Date: 21 October 2026
  • Venue: Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi
  • Organiser: Lalit Kala Akademi, Ministry of Culture
  • National Exhibition of Art held since 1955

“Art should not be confined to art galleries.”

— President Droupadi Murmu (via PIB)

Lalit Kala Akademi ceremony for the National Exhibition of Art and Print Biennale

The ceremony was held at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre and was organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi under the Ministry of Culture, the ministry said. Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat welcomed the President and gave her a Gond painting. A film on the journey of the Akademi and the National Exhibition of Art since its start in 1955 was screened. Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal traced the Akademi’s history since it was set up in 1954. The President also called printmaking a significant tradition of artistic expression and said exhibitions and biennales encourage dialogue and the exchange of ideas among artists, the Ministry of Culture said.

The President with award winners of the 3rd Print Biennale India 2026
The President with award winners of the 3rd Print Biennale India 2026 Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on printmaking and the creative economy

Shekhawat said the Akademi gives artists a national platform and that every artwork reflects the artist’s own vision. Recalling printmaking demonstrations he saw at the Print Biennale’s opening, he called printmaking a medium that combines technical skill with artistic innovation. He said platforms such as the National Exhibition of Art and the Print Biennale support exchange between artists, build international links and raise the global profile of Indian art. He linked cultural growth with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision and said adding artwork sales to the programme would widen opportunities and support artists’ livelihoods. The President urged that art should not stay inside galleries but reach schools, universities and public spaces, and asked all stakeholders to give young and emerging artists room to explore new mediums.

Why It Matters: The National Exhibition of Art is one of India's oldest state art awards, and the President's call to link artists with markets and collectors points to a push to make art a source of livelihood.

Also on TrendDesh: Pondicherry University opens Tiruppur Kumaran Student Service Centre, inaugurated by Attorney General · Kartavya Bhawan-3 opens workplace creche for 30-35 children as Jitendra Singh launches blood camp

Source: PIB (President's Secretariat), 21 Oct 2026 · PIB (Ministry of Culture), 21 Oct 2026 · Lalit Kala Akademi

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