Thursday, Nov 18, 2010
Gulf News
Hobby enables her fulfil dream, abu dhabi girl says
Abu Dhabi The young artist does not want become a professional painter, but says her hobby [painting] gives her the confidence to fulfil her dream to be a doctor.
“It is a medium of expression. If you don’t to want to speak, you can express yourself through the paintings,” Arpita Chakravarty, an 8th grade pupil at Abu Dhabi Indian School, said.
She was one among 1,000 pupils from 18 Indian schools across the UAE who participated in a painting competition organised by the Cultural Wing of the India Embassy in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Indian School in the capital recently.
The pupil said painting helped her to be more confident in life. “It makes you more open, too. You can express your feelings through the painting. It also widens your thoughts.While painting nature, you find a lot new things which you ignore otherwise,” she explained.
Chakravarty was living in the Indian city of Kolkata where she received private training in painting. “After coming to Abu Dhabi in June last year, I feel I have the same opportunities here to improve my talent,’ she said.
Practical approach
She is also aware of the practical use of her artistic talent in fulfilling her dream to be a doctor. “In medical studies you have to draw a lot of diagrams, so it will hep me,” Chakravarty said.
The competition was conducted on the occasion of Children’s Day, which was also the birthday of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, Anuja Chakravarti, Second Secretary (Culture) at the Indian Embassy, said.
The results of the competition will be announced after the Eid holiday, she said. “The painting competition would be conducted every year.
“The opportunities in extracurricular activities may be limited in Indian schools here, compared to the schools in India but the children here are more focused,” the official said. “Their enthusiasm and commitment show that they are ambitious and know what to achieve.”
Chakravarty said many of the pupils said they have been preparing to win the Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance and Sharjah Educational Award for Outstanding Performance.
“All thousand pupils were genuinely interested in painting,” she said.
Four themes
The senior participants were to choose any of the four themes — children of the world, save the girl child, the independence movement and the joys of childhood. Grades 1 to 4 pupils were given the themes of ‘Chacha Nehru’ and ‘my school’.
Most of the girls opted for ‘save the girl child’ theme, proving their concerns about the fate of girls, saidto Jennifer Simon, an Abu Dhabi-based British artist.
Supplied picture
Budding artists
The Cultural Wing of Indian Embassy in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Indian School organised a painting competition ?on the occasion of Children’s Day on November 14.
The opportunities in extra-curricular activities may be limited in Indian schools here, compared to the schools in India but the children here are more focused.”
Anuja Chakravarti
Second Secretary (Culture), Indian Embassy
By Binsal Abdul Kader Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2010. All rights reserved.
