Kamala Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship 2017
Shri. Arun Pal
The Kamala Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship instituted by The Crafts Council of India in the year 2000 recognises the high level and proficiency of skill achieved in his/her traditional craft by an artisan, as exhibited in his/her body of work executed over the years. The award carries a cash prize of Rs.10,000/-, medal, ‘angavastram’, citation and certificate.
The recipient of the Kamala Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship 2017 is Shri. Arun Pal from West Bengal.
Shri. Arun Pal was born on 25 August, 1970 into a traditional family of potters based in the potters village of Laxmikantapura in South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. His brilliant flair for creativity found expression early in his career in building kilns incorporating indigenous technologies at Viswa-Bharati, Santiniketan and for Crafts Council of West Bengal’s Pottery unit. He also set up a potter’s wheel which he used for creating objects. Using terracotta technologies taught to him by British potter, Jim Keeling, Pal developed a range of ‘jaali’ work products and other innovative designs and products suitable for the urban market. He has held many terracotta workshops and demonstrations of clay modelling at various Kolkata schools.
Shri. Arun Pal’s ability to adapt to new pottery technologies is remarkable. He has mastered the use of natural glaze with different types of clay to produce subtle colours after being fired at high temperatures. This was a technique used by the Romans 2000 years ago.
Among the many awards with which Shri. Arun Pal has been honoured are the Best India Potters’ Award 2009 at the Ulsan International Onggi Competition and the Best Terracotta Designer in India bestowed by the British Museum, London.
The Crafts Council of India is proud to honour Shri. Arun Pal with the Kamala Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship for the year 2017.
