Sultan Festival in Narail

SM Sultan(Left). Rafiqun Nabi drawing a cartoon at the opening of the festival. Photo: STAR

The three-day 'Sultan Utshob' (festival), to mark the 86th birth anniversary of the noted painter SM Sultan, began in Narail town last Sunday. The inaugural programme, held at the Sultan Mancho (stage), attracted hundreds of enthusiastic people and cultural activists.
The SM Sultan Charu-O-Karukala Foundation has organised the festival, sponsored by Banglalink.
The festival includes a painting exhibition featuring renowned painters of the country as well as artworks of amateur and child artists, boat race on the river Chitra and cultural programmes. Cultural organisations from various districts of Khulna division are performing at the event.
At the inaugural programme, a discussion on Sultan's life and works was held. The first day's programme also featured live performances.
Noted artist Rafiqun Nabi; Deputy Commissioner of Narail, Anwar Hossain; educationist Ashok Sheel and Banglalink's Khulna Regional Commercial Chief Mohammad Babul Haque, among others, spoke at the discussion.
Hundreds of enthusiastic locals thronged the exhibition and cultural programmes on Sunday and yesterday.
SM Sultan was born in Narail in 1924. Born to a mason, Sultan's love for art grew out of drawing the buildings his father would work on. With the help of benevolent patrons, Sultan was able to receive an art education, but he wandered off before completing his education and travelled to various places working as a freelance artist.
He moved back home to Narail after the Partition (1947) and in the following years took part in various group and solo exhibitions both at home and abroad, including New York, Washington, Chicago, Boston and London with top painters of the world. He established an art school in Narail, on the bank of the River Chitra. During his lifetime he was awarded both the Ekushey Padak and Swadhinota Padak, highest national honours.
He passed away on October 10, 1994.