Today is shilpi diwas

Today is Artist’s Day. The day is celebrated every year on the day of the death of Jyoti Prasad Agarwal of Rupakowar on January 17. Jyotiprasad Agarwal was born on June 17, 1903 at Tamolbari tea garden in Mauzar at Madarkha in Dibrugarh district. Rupakovar died on January 17, 1951. Jyotiprasad Agarwal made the first Assamese film Jayamati in 1935.

In the midst of coronacentric conditions, the sky of the state will be airy in memory of Jyotiprasad Agarwal with the classic song of Rupakovar. Artists’ Day is organized with colourful programmes in different parts of the state in memory of Rupakoon. The Sado Assam Students’ Association will centrally organise Artist’s Day in Dumdum and artists’ day will be celebrated on a state basis in the initiative of the Cultural Affairs Department of the Government of Assam.

It should be noted that this day was celebrated for the first time on January 17, 1953, to commemorate the artist. Initially this day was celebrated as ‘Jyoti Diwas’. Jyoti Diwas was subsequently named As Artist’s Day. The day was first held in 1953 in Guwahati and Barpeta.

Dr° Bhupen Hazarika and Hemang Biswas took the lead in this effort to keep the memory of this artist alive at that time. The event was organised at Naveen Chandra Hall in Guwahati under the initiative of Bharatiya Gana Natya Sangha. 40 people were present in Guwahati on that first year event. Among them were Jayashree Agarwala (Chaliha), daughter of Jyotiprasad Agarwal, Dr° Maheshwar Neog, Professor Bhavanand Dutta etc. Artist Dilip Dutta attended the function held in Barpeta on the same day.