my uttarakhand news Bureau
Almora, 15 Mar: Professor Shekhar Chandra Joshi, Dean, Faculty of Visual Arts at Soban Singh Jeena University (SSJ University), Almora, served as a judge for the Fine Arts events titled “Kalai Saaral” during the 39th Inter-University National Youth Festival 2025–26 (UNIFESTS). The national festival was organised by the Association of Indian Universities and hosted by Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, from 10 to 14 March 2026. Other jury members were Dr Avinash Kate, Pune, and Dr Awadhesh Misra from Lucknow.
“Kalai Saaral,” a Tamil phrase meaning Artistic Drizzle or Spray of Art, symbolises the gentle flow of creativity and artistic inspiration. The festival brought together talented youth artists from universities across India and served as a vibrant platform for cultural exchange and artistic expression.
The Inter-University Youth Festivals (UNIFESTS), organised annually by the Association of Indian Universities since 1985, attract participation from universities and nearly 45,000 affiliated colleges nationwide. Through events in music, dance, theatre, literature, and visual arts, the festival promotes creativity, cultural understanding, and national integration among young participants.
Founded in 1988 by visionary educationist Dr Jeppiaar, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology has gained strong national and international recognition for excellence in education and research. The institution is currently led by Dr Mariazeena Johnson, Chancellor, and Dr Marie Johnson, President.
Presented several awards including ‘BharatShri’, Professor Shekhar Chandra Joshi (b. 1961) is a distinguished artist and academician. He received the International Fellowship (1992) from the Korea Foundation, Seoul, and holds the D.Litt. degree from Kumaun University, conferred by former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam. He has authored 14 books and several scholarly articles and has presented his work at leading universities and international forums worldwide.
Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, established on 14 August 2020 after being carved out of Kumaun University, Nainital, is a residential-cum-affiliating university covering colleges in the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, and Pithoragarh. The university is named after renowned lawyer and social reformer Soban Singh Jeena.
The Vice Chancellor of SSJ University, Prof Satpal Singh Bisht, along with other faculty members including Director Prof PS Bisht and Head of the Department of Drawing and Painting, Prof. Sanjeev Arya, congratulated Professor Joshi for his contribution as a jury member at this prestigious national cultural festival.
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