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An artist in his own league

S M SULTAN'S 90th birth anniversary observed in Narail

PONUEL S BOSE, Narail
The 90th birth anniversary of world famous artist SM Sultan was observed at Sultan Complex premises in Masimdia village under Narail Sadar upazila of Narail district with great enthusiasm on August 10. The event was jointly organised by Sultan Foundation and District administration.
Sultan Foundation undertook several programmes including placing wreaths on the grave of the artist, reciting the Holy Quran, and discussion. Presided over by Hawlader Mohammad Rokibul Bari ADC, the programme was attended by Ashiqur Rahman Miku, member secretary of Sultan Foundation; Adv. Iqbal Hossain Sikder, exmember secretary; Asok Kumar Shil, Principal, Bengal Sultan Art College and journalists.
Due to Eid-ul-Fitr, the four-day celebrations were rescheduled for August 29.
SM Sultan was bom on August 10 in 1923 at Masimdia village of the district. Widely known as SM Sultan, his real name was Sheikh Mohammad Sultan. His father, Sheikh Messer was a mason by profession.
Sultan's formal schooling started at the Narail Victoria Collegiate School in 1928 where he studied for only five years. Being greatly influenced by his father's works in building houses, he started drawing and painting during his leisure time. Sultan drew a pencil sketch of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, illustrious son of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, renowned Bengali scholar and thinker, at the age of ten while Dr. Mukherjee was visiting Narail Victoria Collegiate School. This pencil sketch impressed Dr. Mukherjee and others.
Sultan wanted to go to Kolkata to study art, but his family was not able to afford it. Finally, Dhirendra Nath Roy, an art-aficionado zamindar, became the patron of Sultan's works and brought him to Kolkata in 1938. Sultan stayed at his residence for three years.
Soon, he began his career as a freelance painter of portraits and landscapes in Kolkata. He also joined the Khaksar Movement in 1943. It was a voluntary organisation to help people who called themselves 'Khedmat-e-khalk' (serving the people). He was highly influenced by the movement and developed his life-long sympathy and affection for all living beings from this place.
In 1950 Sultan went to USA - exhibiting his work in New York, Washington, Chicago, and Boston, and later in London.
The noted artist joined the international conference of painters in USA in 1950 as the representative of the erstwhile Pakistan government. In 1951, he left for Karachi, where he taught as an art teacher in the Parsee School for two years. Painters Nagi, Chugtai, Shaker Ali, Shaikh Ahmad and others were his friends during the time.
In 1953 he returned to Narail. A confirmed bachelor, Sultan settled down in an abandoned building in Narail overlooking the river Chitra, where he lived ever since with an adopted family and pets of his own — including dogs, mongoose and monkeys. Sultan would later build a mini-zoo near his home. There he built a school for children and a menagerie.
SM Sultan was conferred with the Ekushey Padak, and the Cambridge University declared him as the "Man of Asia” in the same year in 1984. The Bangladesh government accepted him as the resident artist. He was honoured with "Charushilpi Sangshad Sanmanana" in 1986 and "Swadhinata Padak” in 1993.
SM Sultan died on October 10, 1994, at Jessore Combined Military Hospital (CMH) after suffering from prolonged illness.