Shawdesh Desk:

Tuesday was the 98th birth anniversary of legendary artist SM Sultan. SM Sultan Foundation and Narail district administration organised various programmes at Sultan Smriti Sangrahasala to mark the day.

Sheikh Mohammed Sultan popularly known as S M Sultan was a Bengali artist who worked in painting and drawing. His fame rests on his striking depictions of muscular Bangladeshi peasants engaged in the activities of their everyday lives. Sultan’s early works were influenced by western art techniques and forms, particularly impressionism.

His art works were shown in Simla of India in 1946, in Lahore and Karachi in 1948-49. His paintings were exhibited in New York, Boston, London and Michigan University in 1959, long before the exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1976.

He joined the International conference of painters in America in 1950 as the representative of the then Pakistan government.

The renowned artist won Ekushey Padak in 1982, Bangladesh Charu Shilpi Sangsad Award in 1986 and Swadhinata Padak in 1993.

He was entitled the ‘Man of Asia’ in 1982 by Cambridge University and Bangladesh government named him ‘a resident of artist’ in 1984.

Sultan was born to a poor family at Masumdia area in Narail town on August 10, 1923.

He died in Jessore Combined Military Hospital on October 10, 1994. He was buried at the yard of his own house in the Masumdia-Kurigram area of Narail Municipality.