Page 8 - NIS English 01-15 December, 2025

PERSONALITY | Nandalal Bose

Infused Indian

Identity on the

Pages of the

Constitution

The nationalist painter Nandalal Bose, regarded as the
father of modern Indian art, elevated Indian painting
to its greatest heights. A magician with the brush, he
portrayed India’s essence in the illustrations of the
Constitution’s pages and designed the sketches for the
country’s highest civilian honours – the Bharat Ratna and
the Padma Shri. On the birth anniversary of such a
legendary artist, a grateful nation pays its tribute... Born: December 3, 1882, Died: April 16, 1966

andalal Bose, a pioneer of modern Indian dra Bose and Kshemani. His ancestral village was in
art and an internationally renowned artist, Hooghly, Bengal.
Nenriched the original handwritten pages of Recognizing his keen interest in sculpture and
the Indian Constitution with Indian identity. It was not painting from childhood, his parents enrolled him
possible to paint on all the pages of this 221-page doc- in an art school in Kolkata. Nandalal Bose, a pioneer
ument. Therefore, he created 8x13-inch illustrations of modern Indian art, wrote three books: Rupavali,
at the beginning of each section of the Constitution. Shilpakala, and Shilpa Charcha, in addition to his work
There are 22 parts in total. This allowed him to adorn on painting and teaching. In 1930, when Mahatma
this original copy of the Indian Constitution with 22 of Gandhi was arrested during the Dandi March, Nan-
his paintings. These 22 paintings took four years to dalal Bose made a painting depicting Gandhi walking
complete. His work not only keeps alive the historic- with his walking stick. This marked the beginning of
ity of the Constitution but also makes us realise the Nandalal Bose’s involvement in the freedom struggle.
Indian culture, rich history, religion, tradition, high Nandalal Bose was awarded the Padma Vibhushan
human values and unity. for his contributions to the arts. A disciple of Abanin-
The Constitution also features images of Lord dranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose also made significant
Rama, Buddha, Mahavira, Guru Govind Singh, contributions to India’s independence movement.
Gurukul, the message of the Bhagavad Gita, Shivaji, Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Nan-
Lakshmibai, Nalanda University, and Nataraja. dalal Bose during his Mann Ki Baat address on August
Through these paintings, he taught patriotism to his 25, 2019. He mentioned that before the Congress
countrymen. His famous paintings include “Dandi session in Haripura, Gujarat (1937–38), Mahatma
March”, “Santhali Kanya”, and “Sati’s Sacrifice”. During Gandhi had invited Nandalal Bose,
the Salt Satyagraha in 1930, he created a black portrait who was then the Prin-
of Gandhiji on a white linocut print, which was highly cipal of Kala Bhavana at
acclaimed. Nandalal Bose was born Shantiniketan. Gandhi
on December 3, 1882, in wanted him to depict the
Munger district, Bihar, lifestyle of the people of
to architect Purnachan- India through art and to

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