Lalit Kala Akademi Names 20 Artists for Awards at 65th National Exhibition of Art
By Suman Munshi | IBG NEWS
New Delhi, September 27, 2026: The Lalit Kala Akademi, National Academy of Art, has announced 20 award recipients at the 65th National Exhibition of Art (NEA), bringing together a broad representation of contemporary visual art from across India.
The annual exhibition serves as a national platform for artists working across different disciplines, offering audiences an opportunity to experience the changing landscape of Indian visual art.
This year’s exhibition drew a substantial response, with the Akademi receiving 6,175 artworks from 2,495 artists representing 27 States and Union Territories. After the initial evaluation, a First-Tier Jury selected 270 works for inclusion in the exhibition.
The selected works span diverse artistic approaches and materials, covering painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking and mixed media, among other forms. The range reflects the variety of techniques and ideas being explored by contemporary Indian artists.
20 Artists Selected for Lalit Kala Akademi Awards
A Second-Tier Jury subsequently evaluated the exhibited works and selected 20 artworks created by 20 artists for the Lalit Kala Akademi Awards.
| No. | Artist | Awarded Work | Medium | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chandra Shekhar Sain | My Entire World – I | Terracotta | Sculpture |
| 2 | Gopal Chandra Naskar | The Tune of The Srimad Bhagavad Gita | Acrylic on Canvas | Painting |
| 3 | Kishor Kumar Narkhadiwala | Paryavaran | Oil on Canvas | Painting |
| 4 | Mrinal Dey | Hopeless Settlement | Acrylic on Canvas | Painting |
| 5 | Nidhi Chopra | Tangible Dreams | Ceramic | Sculpture |
| 6 | Nimai Singh Sarungbam | Mudra – I | Teak Wood | Sculpture |
| 7 | Pankaj Kumar Sharma | Haloed Traveler – II | Panel Works | Drawing |
| 8 | Pooja Rajpoot | Prakriti Shoshan | White Marble | Sculpture |
| 9 | Praveen Kumar | Where The Walls Remember | Mix Medium | Painting |
| 10 | Pritam Madhukar Deuskar | Of Time and The City | Etching | Printmaking |
| 11 | Rajendra Prasad | Sujata With Buddha | Water Color (Wash) | Painting |
| 12 | Ramesh Vithal Thorat | Untitled – II | Oil on Canvas | Painting |
| 13 | Raviram Ramakrishnan | Fisherwoman | Copper, Oxidised, Welded | Sculpture |
| 14 | Sanjay Kumar | When Memories Come Back – 7 | Mix Media | Painting |
| 15 | Sanjay Kumar Sahani | Youth | Oil on Canvas | Painting |
| 16 | Sanjib Kumar Gogoi | Aakar Nirankar – II | Acrylic & Oil on Canvas | Painting |
| 17 | Santa Deb | Attraction of Simplicity | Ceramic | Sculpture |
| 18 | Siddharth Shahjirao Shingade | Trees | Mix Media | Painting |
| 19 | Usharanjan Mandal | Wheel of A Crowded City | Mix Media | Any Other Medium |
| 20 | Vijendra Sharma | Life 2025 | Oil on Canvas | Painting |
Diverse Artistic Practices Take Centre Stage
The works selected for the exhibition demonstrate the breadth of contemporary Indian visual practice. Artists have employed materials ranging from terracotta, ceramic, teak wood and white marble to oil, acrylic, watercolour, etching and mixed media.
The exhibition’s geographic reach is equally significant, with artists from 27 States and Union Territories contributing to the national showcase.
Connecting Art, Artists and the Creative Economy
Beyond recognising artistic achievement, the National Exhibition of Art also provides a platform for artists to connect with audiences, collectors and cultural institutions.
The exhibition and the display and sale of artworks can create opportunities for artists to gain greater visibility and generate income from their creative work. In this way, the event contributes to the broader ecosystem supporting India’s visual-arts community.
The Lalit Kala Akademi has also positioned the National Exhibition as a platform for both established and emerging artists, encouraging experimentation and giving diverse artistic practices a national audience.
The Akademi has congratulated the 20 award recipients as well as the other participating artists, while acknowledging the contribution of the two jury panels involved in the selection process.
By Suman Munshi | IBG NEWS
