By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 19: The Thoh Shun Art Camp 2023, a ten-day camp, was held in dedication to the memory of the Poet Laureate of Meghalaya, Soso Tham’s 83rd death anniversary at ICSSR premises, NEHU. Inaugurated by Commissioner and Secretary, Art and Culture department, Frederick Roy Kharkongor, it saw the participation of 12 artists each from Santiniketan Kala Bhavan Praktoni and Riti Academy of Visual Arts.
The chief guest, FR Kharkongor, reminded the gathering of Soso Tham’s vernacular language in a time when tremendous challenges were encountered and difficult to overcome. According to him, the identity of the Khasi community is based on the three ‘Ls’ that means Land, language and Lineage as professed by Soso Tham. The main organiser of the Art Camp, Raphael Warjri, expressed the need for setting up of formal art education in the State to inspire and encourage local aspirants to take up fine arts as the viable career option.
The society of alumni of fine arts of Viswa Bharati University, the Santiniketan Kala Bhavan Praktoni has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Riti Academy of Visual Arts, Shillong for an exchange programme on art for the first phase, which will be continued in future.
To cherish Soso Tham’s contribution to Khasi literature, glorious tributes were paid by the dignitaries and all artists. As part of the art camp, deliberations and interaction will be conducted and presented by various resource persons, including Prof Janak Jhankar Narzari, Soumitra Chatterji, Rathin Kanji, Prof. Niaz Majumdar, Falguni Mukherji, Shamita Goswami, Ketaki Choudhury, Mario Pathaw and Raphael Warjri, on various aspects of personal encounter and social development in the region and in the country.