https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Preserving and Promoting the Folk Paintings of Jharkhand

1992-batch IFS officer Sanjeev Kumar, APCCF, CAMPA, Jharkhand is organizing camps since many years to give recognition to the folk artists of Jharkhand He has also made a documentary on folk art and has received award at the International Film Festival in 2012 The officer himself is an artist and has been a part of many exhibitions in and outside the country
Indian Masterminds Stories

Jharkhand is known for its folk arts that depict different types of rituals of tribal people living in and around the forest areas. Through their paintings, they depict their culture and mythology as well. To preserve these works of art for posterity, IFS officer Sanjeev Kumar started folk art camps in different parts of Jharkhand and is encouraging more and more people to start practicing these traditional arts. 

Speaking with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, IFS who is the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, CAMPA, Jharkhand, shared details about his initiative. 

FOLK ART PAINTINGS 

There are three types of folk art in Jharkhand. First, Paitkar which is present in the area of Jamshedpur, East Singhbhum; second, Sohrai and Kovar, present in the Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand, though it is spread outside Hazaribagh as well. Third is Jadopatiya which is present in Dumka region of Jharkhand. There are very few people who are practicing these folk arts with the advent of commercialization and marketing of contemporary painting. Folk arts are almost on the verge of diminishing as people are now moving towards contemporary painting. 

Folk painting- ‘Paitkar’ from Jamshedpur, made by artist of Amadubi, Jamshedpur

To paint these folk arts, artists here use natural colours, which are made up of natural things like flowers, petals, stones, soils, etc., but these colours are not as much bright as artificial colors. So, somehow their demand in the market is slightly low.  

Folk painting- Sohrai from Hazaribagh, made by folk artist of Hazaribagh

“This is the main reason that I started this initiative in the form of art camps. First, I started the art camp in Dhanbad in 2007 to 2010 as Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), to highlight these paintings and continued there for years. Participants from all over India and from abroad like Australia, Bangladesh were part of the camp. Further, I continued these camps in Jamshedpur in the year 2011 and 2012, and then till 2019, in Hazaribagh. After that, Covid happened and we couldn’t continue. However, during the pandemic, we tried for online painting so that people practice it,” Mr. Kumar informed.  

Art Camp in Hazaribagh in 2018

During the Covid outbreak, the forest department organized an online painting competition on folk art based on the theme of Corona and social distancing. Some of the artists depicted how people are trying to get out of the Corona infection through their paintings.

Recently, the officer has organized an online art camp on the occasion of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS 

Meanwhile, Mr. Kumar made a 40-minutes documentary film named, Vision through Images in the year 2013 to highlight the issues of these three painting forms of Jharkhand. Apart from this, he also included a similar kind of painting from the adjoining area of East Singhbhum, that is the area of Bankura which is called Paitkar. The documentary won a special jury award during the International Film Festival in Kerala in 2012. “People appreciated it and afterwards the documentary not only got screened in different states in India, but also got screened in other countries like Bangladesh and London,” Mr. Kumar said. 

Documentary shooting in villages with folk artists

In another achievement, a picture clicked by the officer in the rural heart of East Singhbhum won an award at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. The photograph was selected as one of the 100 best photographs and was screened during the Glasgow commonwealth games. “They had a competition all around the world, in which people had to upload photographs themed on forest, wildlife and forest livelihood. So, I clicked and uploaded it and luckily won an award for it,” Mr. Kumar said. 

Picture Clicked by IFS Officer Sanjeev Kumar

AN ARTIST HIMSELF

IFS officer Sanjeev Kumar is himself an artist and has been painting since childhood, and has received many awards as well. “I have also been a part of some of the exhibitions in and outside the country, like in London’s Nehru Art Gallery, Bhutan, Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad and Pune. I do contemporary art, though I promote folk arts more because these people deserve recognition,” Mr. Kumar said. 

Paintings by IFS Officer Sanjeev Kumar

Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
coal-India limited
Coal India Leadership Shift: Mukesh Choudhary to Oversee Business Development Post Nanda’s Superannuation - Know More About Him
IRCTC
IRCTC Expands Digital Food Booking to Non-Premium Trains with New 'E-Pantry' Initiative - Know About It & How It Work?
IFS SP yadav IBCA
IBCA DG Dr. SP Yadav (IFS) Honored by Russian Geographical Society for Leadership in Tiger Conservation - Know More!
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-02 at 12.54
OIL Commences Gas Production from Bakhritibba DSF-III Block in Western Rajasthan: A Major Boost to India’s Energy Security
ias-ravi-sihag-biography
Why Is Hindi Medium UPSC CSE-2021 Topper IAS Ravi Sihag Under Investigation Over EWS Certificate? Explained
D Shilpa IPS
Kerala HC Orders IPS Officer D Shilpa’s Inclusion in Karnataka Cadre After Cadre Allocation Error - Know More!
Himachal Pradesh Police1
Himachal DGP Disc Award List Withdrawn Hours After Announcement Amid Leadership Transition
MP Police
MP Police Shake-Up: 10 IPS Officers Transferred, CM Mohan Yadav Acts Swiftly After Public Incidents
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
Modernising Governance: A Digital Transformation in Gangtok
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
ANUBHAV SINGH UPSC IFS 2024
9 Years, 8 Attempts, 7 Failures: How Anubhav Singh Cracked UPSC IFS 2024 with AIR 3 Against All Odds | Exclusive
Anubhav Singh’s inspiring journey to UPSC IFS Rank 3 showcases relentless perseverance, strategic preparation,...
Jogender Sihag
“I Cleared UPSC, But My Grandfather isn’t Here to Hear it,” Jogender Sihag, AIR 521, UPSC CSE 2024
"Life is short; make the most of it, whether in civil service or any other field. Just have a clear vision...
WhatsApp Image 2025-05-28 at 18.56
Didn’t Clear UPSC But Found Something Greater: A Story That Will Change How You See Success
She left a top finance job for UPSC, did not clear but built a thriving wellness brand instead. Veda's...
Social Media
parveen kaswan elephant
Elephant Outsmarts Electric Fence! IFS Parveen Kaswan Shares Incredible Video!
In the now-viral 51-second clip, the intelligent giant approaches a wooden pole supporting high-voltage...
UPSC Latest IAS IPS IFS
UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Tomorrow: ICLS Officer Altap Shaikh Shares Last-Minute Motivation for Aspirants
His five-post thread offers encouragement, practical advice, and emotional support - not just for those...
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
coal-India limited
Coal India Leadership Shift: Mukesh Choudhary to Oversee Business Development Post Nanda’s Superannuation - Know More About Him
IRCTC
IRCTC Expands Digital Food Booking to Non-Premium Trains with New 'E-Pantry' Initiative - Know About It & How It Work?
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Tushar G Nikhare
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT