Bangladesh’s Shahabuddin Ahmed becomes first foreign ‘Artist-In-Residence’ in India's Rashtrapati Bhavan

Bangladesh’s preeminent artist and freedom fighter Shahabuddin Ahmed has become the first foreign ‘Artist-In-Residence’ in India’s Rashtrapati Bhavan or presidential palace.

President Pranab Mukherjee accorded the honour to Shahabuddin who stayed at Rashtrapati Bhavan from Feb 18 to Feb 22 as a presidential guest.

“He is the first foreign artist to live in Rashtrapati Bhavan as a guest of President Pranab Mukherjee,” according to a statement posted at President of India website.

He stayed at the Guest Wing of Rashtrapati Bhavan, where Bangladesh President Md. Abdul Hamid and his delegation had stayed during his visit in December last year.

A solo exhibition of his works titled ‘Shanti’ also took place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Art Gallery during his stay.

Born in 1950, Shahabuddin graduated from the then Bangladesh College of Arts and Crafts before going to Paris for higher studies with a French government scholarship.

Since then, he lives in Paris where he was also awarded the France’s highest title in arts and literature ‘Chevalier de I’Ordre des Arts at des Lettres’.

His distinctive style, depicting a blend of Oriental and Occidental art forms, made him a prominent name among European art lovers.

His mastery led him to receive the honour of being one of the “50 Master Painters of Contemporary Arts” at the Olympiad of Arts, Barcelona, in 1992.

His works have been extensively exhibited around the world.