Mysore/Mysuru: The State Government has honoured G.L.N. Simha, a distinguished artist from Mysuru, with the prestigious Varnashilpi K. Venkatappa Award for the year 2022-23. Established in 1993, this annual award recognises a senior artist for significant contributions to the field of visual art.

At the age of 86, Simha stands as an artist par excellence, dedicating his life to the pursuit of creativity with the unwavering focus of a tapaswi. His innate talent for drawing and painting was cultivated at the Chamarajendra Technical Institute, the predecessor of today’s CAVA, where he imbibed the nuances of art from 1954 to 1959 under the guidance of stalwart teachers such as F.M. Soofi, Y. Subramanya Raju and S.N. Swamy.

Simha’s artistic journey spans decades, divided into distinct phases. From 1962 to 1970, he enriched Kannada cultural magazines like Gokula, Kailasa, Sudha and Mayura with his exquisite and sensitive illustrations. 

In the subsequent phase, from 1970 to 1990, he continued his artistic odyssey as a freelance artist. The third phase, commencing in 1990, unleashed his creativity into the realm of fantastical imagery inspired by Indian Epics, Puranas and Vedas.

Since 2001, Simha has given tangible form to the profound thoughts of Vedic Suktas such as Sri Sukta, Purusha Sukta, Vagambhrini Sukta, Rudra Sukta and verses from Puranas like Kalika Purana, Ganesha Purana and Dashamahavidya. His visual interpretation of Jayadeva’s Geeta Govinda’s Dashavatara stotra is particularly noteworthy.

Simha meticulously selects subjects from India’s vast scriptural heritage, aiming to reveal the inner meanings encapsulated in the shlokas, resonating with positive vibrations. His paintings, rooted in the teachings of Vedas and Puranas, bridge the gap between these ancient texts and contemporary observers. 

For instance, his Sri Sukta paintings portray wealth as a conduit connecting the human world with nature, animals and everything therein, imparting a sense of social responsibility.

Simha’s artistic legacy is a lifetime achievement in itself, promising to shape a new genre of visual art for years to come. The conferment of the Venkatappa Award has added lustre to the accolade, underscoring the significance of G.L.N. Simha’s contribution to the world of art.