"True Tribute To Raja Ravi Varma Is To Build An Ecosystem Where New Creators Can Flourish:" Dr. L. Murugan

* Minister says Creator Labs will come up in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges, as India targets 30 lakh creative economy jobs by 2030

Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, said the best way to honour Raja Ravi Varma is to give young artists the space and support to create with confidence. He was speaking at "Raja Ravi Varma – Chitranjali: Bridging the Divide", held today at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre to mark the painter's 120th death anniversary and 10 years of Chitranjali.

"The true tribute to Raja Ravi Varma is not merely to admire his masterpieces, but to create an ecosystem where countless new creators can flourish with the same confidence and imagination," Dr. Murugan said. "Today we are living in the age of creators."

He said Ravi Varma changed how India saw its own heritage by bringing epics and deities out of palaces and into ordinary homes. Linking this to today's creative economy, he said India will need about 30 lakh jobs in the sector by 2030. He pointed to the Indian Institute of Creative Technology in Mumbai, WaveX for creative startups and Waves Bazaar for connecting creators with global buyers. He also said Creator Labs will be set up in 15,000 schools and 500 colleges, with Rs 250 crore for creator development.

Sushri Vimlesh Brijwall, Secretary, Megh Mandal Sansthan, said the evening was about more than remembering a painter. "Today, we are not just remembering Raja Ravi Varma as a great painter. We are remembering him as an artist who brought Indian life, Indian beauty and Indian stories to the forefront of time," she said. "Art unites time, art unites generations and art unites people."

Shri G. C. Murmu, former Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and former Comptroller and Auditor General of India, was Guest of Honour. Film critic and trade analyst Shri Komal Nahta was Special Guest. Artists, art lovers and researchers from several states attended, including Gujarat-based visual artist Shri Vrindavan Solanki. The evening included the unveiling of a copy of a Raja Ravi Varma painting, presented by the Chief Guest.

About Megh Mandal Sansthan

Megh Mandal Sansthan is a New Delhi-based institution working to research, celebrate and promote India's art and cultural heritage, with a focus on the legacy of Raja Ravi Varma. Through Chitranjali, it has spent 10 years creating a platform for artists, scholars and young audiences under the idea of "Preserving Heritage, Empowering Artists, Inspiring Generations."