Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow

Lucknow, Oct 12: Did you know that eminent painter Henry Das, an alumni of Arts and Crafts College at Lucknow was equally good in all forms of painting? His classmate and another luminary Naziruddin, however, could not clear the exams for object drawing and outline drawing. One Mohd Agha could draw an object so finely that it was hard to distinguish from the real. Former principal of the same college Lalit Mohan Sen had a penchant for light and shade painting while Karam Beg, NM Bannerjee and Kameshwar Prasad had a set hand in water colour painting in sepia tone.

Faculty members of Art and Crafts College in Lucknow University (LU) turned nostalgic when they discovered a marksheet of quarterly examination for painting class of 1913 batch.

"Holding the marksheet in our hand was a great experience. Some of the students are regarded as a role model by us and we cite their examples during our classes," said Principal, Arts College, P Rajeev Nayan.

The Arts College which is celebrating its centenary in 2011 will preserve the marksheet of 1913 batch which is the oldest record of the student available with the college. It will be shown to the team of Limca Book of Records which will be visiting the campus on Wednesday. "We will preserve this marksheet and its copies will be uploaded on our website. We are also contacting their descendents and pupils so
that they can also get a chance to value this treasure," said P Rajeevnayan.

In 1913, there were just five students in senior class and 10 students in junior class. The examinations were held in water colour painting in sepia tone, light and shade, plant painting, object drawing and outline drawing from cast. Mohd Agha topped the senior section by scoring 44 marks from 50 whjile Mohd Kasim stood first in junior class with 38 marks. Perhaps, Naziruddin Ahmed was the only student who failed with a total of 17 marks. Henry Das had unique scores with seven marks in all five forms of painting. Karam Beg scored a perfect 10 in plant drawing while Shiam Lal was poor in object drawing getting just one marks. "The marks do not undermine their ability. It reflects that despite not performing well in quarterly exams with their sheer perseverence and labour the alumni went on to set a benchmark in art field," said Rajeevnayan.

Arts College was established in 1911 with Nathaniel Heard as its principal after recommendations of the Industrial Conference held at Lucknow in 1907. Heard who was the Headmaster in the City of Bath School of Art took over as the principal.