K. Syamalakumari aka Syamala Kumari is an Indian temple painter. This was an occupation traditionally carried out by men. Her work includes painting at the
Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala. She has been awarded the
Nari Shakti Puraskar
The Nari Shakti Puraskar () is an annual award given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India to individual women or to institutions that work towards the cause of women empowerment. It is presented by the presi ...
.
Life
She was the first woman known to have been a Mural Artist in temples in Kerala. She gained an interest in mural paintings at the turn of the millennium.
[ She has not just painted in the temples but she has helped to restore and preserve the traditional mural art present on the temple walls in Kerala. Syamalakumari has created documentaries. She has created paintings at Navarathri Mandapam and at Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple aided by her husband G. Azhicode.][
]
She has sold her work outside of her work in the temples. People who want her murals specify a subject and a size. Given the height and width, Syamalakumari would sketch the design and then the colours are applied which gradually build up the completed mural. The work is carried out by not just herself and her husband but their son is involved too. In addition to the murals she sells her art applied to pottery and to bamboo.
On International Women's Day
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March, commemorating women's fight for equality and liberation along with the women's rights movement. International Women's Day gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive righ ...
in 2018 she was given the Nari Shakti Puraskar
The Nari Shakti Puraskar () is an annual award given by the Ministry of Women and Child Development of the Government of India to individual women or to institutions that work towards the cause of women empowerment. It is presented by the presi ...
. Other award winners from Kerala were scientist Lizymol Philipose and zoologist M.S. Sunil. The award was made at the Presidential Palace ( Rastrapati Bhavan) in New Delhi
New Delhi (; ) is the Capital city, capital of India and a part of the Delhi, National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the Government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Parliament ...
by the President of India
The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...
Ram Nath Kovind
Ram Nath Kovind ( ; born 1 October 1945) is an Indian politician and lawyer who served as the president of India from 2017 to 2022. He is the first person from Uttar Pradesh to serve as the president. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Pa ...
witnessed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi
Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...
and the Minister for Women & Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi. About 30 people and nine organisations were recognised that day, receiving the award and a prize of 100,000 rand.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Syamala Kumari
Living people
Indian painters
Nari Shakti Puraskar winners
People from Kerala
Year of birth missing (living people)