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Indian painter makes it to Guinness Book

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Another Indian has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records.

Lucknow-based Professor Sanat Kumar Chatterjee's claim to fame is a painting. To be more precise, the longest scroll-painting on silk in the world.

"I received the certificate from the Guinness Book of Records on Wednesday," Professor Chatterjee told Rediff On The NeT.

His painting measures 100 x 11 feet, and weighs about 2.5 kg.

The 63-year-old professor, who retired as the head of the Himachal university's fine arts department, already figures in the Limca Book of Records for his three previous paintings, measuring 92 ft x 9 ft, 90 ft x 10 ft and 75 ft x 5 ft. 'Synchronisation of nuclear physics and Indian mythology' was the theme.

Professor Chatterjee proposes to put up his entire work at an exhibition in New Delhi. "I would like President K R Narayanan to inaugurate the exhibition," he said.

In all, he has about 10,000 paintings to his credit.

Professor Chatterjee received his training under renowned artist Ashit Kumar Haldar, who was a close disciple of Rabindra Nath Tagore.

His first scroll-painting, measuring 75 ft x 5 ft, was unveiled by the then president V V Giri in 1969. It was followed by another effort, 90ft x 9 ft, in 1980, which was unveiled by then president Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. His third painting, too, saw the light by presidential hands, by those of R Venkataraman in 1988.

His latest, which got him into the Guinness, was unveiled in Lucknow by a select group of art critics.

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