Recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award in the visual arts category from Aparajita, "a movement that supports women,” Calcutta based artist and gallerist Katayun Saklat told Parsiana on August 8, 2024 that she was "deeply honored and grateful” to receive the Award from an organization "whose name means unbeatable, indestructible and invincible… This organization is doing amazing work silently and splendidly.” Saklat received the Award on July 28 at an event at the J. W. Marriott Hotel in the eastern city.
The octogenarian has been running Gallery Katayun at Calcutta’s Circus Avenue for over three decades. "We have endeavored to give young unknown artists a platform to show their talent… Today some of them have become leading artists in the country. We have also trained a number of children with special needs from The Oral School For Deaf Children as stained glass artists,” she told us. The 15 panels of stained glass that embellish The Late Dhunjeebhoy Byramjee Mehta’s Zoroastrian Anjuman Atash Adaran are her handiwork (see "Centenary in Calcutta,” Parsiana, December 21, 2012) as are a series of paintings depicting loneliness in the community (see "Community on canvas,” Parsiana, June 21-July 6, 2019).
Top: Ruchika Gupta (l) with Katayun Saklat; above: Saklat’s artistry
The gallerist told Parsiana that "The reason we were able to do all this was because The British Council had generously given me three grants during 1973-75. Also the generosity of the Reyntiens Trust helped to an extent. A renowned medieval stained glass artist Patrick Reyntiens, OBE was my teacher.”
Aparajita founder Ruchika Gupta stated that "Aparajita is a body of learning which has evolved from an award to an institution.” As mentioned on their Facebook page, "Aparajita is an institution celebrating and supporting women who showcase excellence and strength of purpose.” The initiative is supported "by Sanmarg, Eastern India’s premier Hindi daily.” F. J.