Established as Rajeshwari Kala Sangam in 1975, Apeejay College of Fine Arts has evolved and sustained itself for the last 50 years as the hub for promotion of traditional Indian art and culture in the northern region.
The team from the college continues to be an undisputed winner in youth festivals at the zonal level consecutively for the last 23 years.
The campus is abuzz with activity as the golden jubilee celebrations are set to start in two days. A new must-see installation at the campus is ‘Golden Legacy’, a tall, artistic piece in golden colour signifying the 50 years of college. Placed at the entrance of the campus, it has been readied by the college’s sculptor Basudeb Biswas and his team.
Biswas explains, “The core of the installation is a majestic pillar, symbolising the foundation on which the college was built. Adorning the pillar are intricately designed flowers, each petal representing the diverse talents, ideas and aspirations that have blossomed within the Apeejay family. Atop it is the artistic representation of the universe, a swirling cosmos that signified the boundless possibilities that lie ahead. It is not just a piece of art but a narrative of growth, resilience and challenges that the institute overcame as it transformed lives.”
As the history goes, the college was founded by Dr Stya Paul, the founder Chairman of Apeejay Education, an eminent industrialist, educationist, philanthropist and freedom fighter. He passed away in 1991 after which his daughter Sushma Paul Berlia took the charge. Sushma is an industrialist and has also served as president of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The Apeejay group now has 24 other institutes, including schools and colleges in Jalandhar, Haryana and Delhi, besides Apeejay Stya University at Gurugram.
Dr Sucharita, who has been serving the college since 1975 as a fine arts lecturer, principal for 25 years and is now director of Apeejay Education, recalls, “The college has seen an incredible journey of 50 years serving as a hub for education, artistic excellence and creativity. It has nurtured generations of young professionals and artists. At the time when the college was set up, Jalandhar was only known as the industrial hub for sports. It completely lacked cultural vibrancy and had no place dedicated to arts. There was no place where talented artists could realise their dreams and aspirations. There were avenues for main education streams, but no structured platform where young talent could thrive, flourish and flower. At such a juncture, Dr Stya Paul wanted to offer a unique haven of arts to the city where all forms of art could be learnt and practiced.”
The college soon became a cradle of artistic excellence boasting seasoned faculty of renowned ‘gharanedar’ artistes, whose expertise made them masters in their respective fields. Some of the renowned alumni of the campus include comedian Kapil Sharma, singer and TV artiste Sugandha Mishra, singer and composer Jasbir Jassi, standup comedian Balraj Syal, actor Karan Kundra and IAS officer Apneet Riyait.
The college is known for organising festivals, exhibitions, workshops and performances to provide an apt learning experience and also to preserve various arts crafts and folk instruments, which are on the verge of extinction. Dedicated efforts are being made to revive the classical art forms. One of the key initiatives of the college has been its collaborations with apex art bodies to provide a platform artistes from different regions.
The college is also maintaining the Dr Stya Paul Art Gallery at Virsa Vihar, which provides an affordable platform to upcoming artists. It provides a platform to hold exhibitions not only to the artists from Jalandhar, but from the entire state as well. To mark 50 glorious years, Rajeshwari Kala Mahotsav will see workshops, dance and music competitions, performances and a craft mela from April 2 to 5. At the mahotsav, the college authorities will also felicitate noted folk singer Padma Shri Malini Awasthi and visual artist Dr Prem Singh.