Two artworks on Mahatma Gandhi made by a 36-year-old artist, son of an anganwadi worker from neighbouring Navi Mumbai, have found a place at the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial and Museum at Dandi in Gujarat.
The memorial and museum was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday on the 71st death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Ravikiran Parmeshwar, whose mother works as an anganwadi worker at Airoli in Navi Mumbai, said he feels proud that a painting and a mural made by him on the Father of the Nation are put on display at the museum.
The memorial has statues of Mahatma Gandhi and 80 'satyagrahis', who had marched with him during the historic Dandi Salt March (also called Dandi March). It also has 24-narrative murals depicting various events and stories from the march.
Parmeshwar is one of the 16 artists, including one each from Japan and Portugal, whose artworks have been put on on permanent display at the museum.
After completing his primary education from a zilla parishad (ZP) school in Airoli, Parmeshwar got a degree in Fine Arts. After that he shifted his base to Goa, his native place.
He said a 8-ft x 5-ft size painting on Mahatma Gandhi made by him has been put on display at the '241 gallery' in the memorial.
His 25-ft x 15-ft size mural depicting Mahatma Gandhi picking up a handful of salt at Dandi, is placed on the wall near Saifi Villa from where visitors enter the memorial.
"I feel proud as my artworks are a part of the memorial on Mahatma Gandhi, who gave the message of peace and non-violence," Parmeshwar told PTI.
"This is a tribute to the Mahatma from me and senior professors from IIT Bombay, who chose me for the project," he said.
According to Parmeshwar, last month he had made a painting of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama during the latter's visit to IIT Bombay.
"That painting was appreciated by the IITians, following which Setu Das of the IIT-B offered me this project on a voluntary basis," he said.
"All of us were working on the project since the last one-and-a-half months and the memorial was finally dedicated to the nation on Wednesday," he said.
It is expected to open for common public in the first week of February, Parmeshwar said.
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