Vidya Devi Jindal School (VDJS), Hisar (Haryana), an all-girls’ residential school, celebrated the 31st edition of the Jindal Art Festival (JAF) with a vision to celebrate and nurture young artistic talent in India. The festival is organised every year to mark the birth anniversary of Late Shri OP Jindal, the Founder of the OP Jindal Group. The idea behind JAF is to showcase various art forms from across the country and in doing so expose the students to various visual and performing art forms. The basic premise of the festival is to infuse the child’s mind with an appreciation for the arts.
The festival spread over two-days (August 7-8) witnessed participation from approximately 200 students and 50 teachers of leading Indian Public School’s Conference (IPSC) schools across the country such as Pinegrove School, Solan; Mayo College Girls School, Ajmer; SelaQui International School, Dehradun; Scindia Kanya Vidyalaya, Gwalior; The Punjab Public School, Nabha; NC Jindal School, Delhi; The Mann School, Delhi; O.P. Jindal Modern School, Hisar among others.
Madan Lal, a National awardee painter, who has over 150 art exhibitions to his credit, was the Chief Guest of the festival this year. An alumnus from the Government College of Art, Chandigarh, Lal has received the National Award from the Lalit Kala Academy and has also been conferred with the Amrita Shergill Award. His works have found place in prestigious international exhibitions, such as the World Dubai Art Fair in UAE, POSK Gallery in London, Asian Art Gallery in the USA, and exhibitions across Stockholm, Sweden, and Nehru Centre in London.
Being a part of the festival for the first time, Artist, Madan Lal, said, “This event offers a remarkable opportunity for growth, learning, and inspiration. I encourage all attendees to fully immerse themselves in the activities, engage with the art and ideas presented, and take advantage of this rare chance to broaden their perspectives.” The eminent Chief Guest also conducted a workshop for the students.
Former Head & Professor, Punjab Literary Studies, Punjab University, Bhim Inder Singh and Professor, Department of Music, Punjab University, Nivedita Singh also graced the festival.
Commenting about the festival, Chairperson of the Jindal Stainless Foundation, the CSR arm of Jindal Stainless group, Ms Deepika Jindal, said, “Jindal Art Festival is a testament to our commitment to holistic education and nurturing well-rounded individuals. As a collector and curator of art myself, I understand the liberation and expression of perspective that art triggers. I am hopeful that such events broaden the minds of participants and lay the foundation of inclusion and aesthetics in education.”
Principal, VDJS, Naina Dhillon, while extending her welcome to the students and teachers said, “This unique festival is an amalgamation of fun and art. It is more than just a gathering, it is a platform to ignite young minds with creativity. Over the course of these two days, our goal is to expand students’ horizons and foster a deep appreciation for the arts.”
