Ram Shankar Nikumbh, the art teacher of Taare Zameen Par, influenced students with his ideas. Mohan Azad is not far behind. The art teacher of St Xavier’s has found a place in the Limca Book of Records for painting the longest canvas in the shortest span of time.Azad’s his students are as happy as him. He has become an inspiration for them. “Kudos to the Mohan Sir, who made history today,” said one of the students.
After a four-year long wait, there was something for the art teacher to cheer about. He had initially planned to enter the Guinness Book of World Records and for that he had procured a loan of about Rs 3.5 lakh, besides taking help from the then superintendent of Bokaro Anil Palta (presently the DIG of CBI at Calcutta) and other officials.
He wanted them to send his 101m long and 4m wide canvas, which was painted in a record time of 11 hours and 40 minutes in Bokaro in September 2004 to the London Guinness World Records office. But after a long wait, he did not get a positive response from them.
Depressed and finding himself in a financial crisis, a year later Azad sent an application to the Limca Book of Records. And four years later , he has achieved what he wanted. His painting even spread the message of “unity”. With religious symbols, Azad tried to paint a secular picture of India. “I am a true Indian and have tried to represent that in my work. This is what I wanted to do and I have proved myself,” said the painter.
He has surpassed N. Kapuria’s record, who had painted on a canvas of 80m by 3m canvas. A resident of Warangal (Andhra Pradesh), Kapuria had taken 24 hours to finish the painting which was made in Philippines.
Azad said he had tried to get a sponsorship for the effort but is now happy with the results. His art classes are sure to get more exciting for students.
