Kalahandi: On World Art Day, students at the Eklavya Model Residential School in Odisha’s tribal heartland gathered around canvases not just to paint, but to connect with a tradition at risk of fading, Saura art. The event, organised by Vedanta as part of its community outreach in Kalahandi district, brought over 120 students face to face with the techniques, symbolism, and stories of the Saura tribe’s visual language.
Led by faculty from the Kalahandi College of Art and Research, the session focused on introducing young learners to the cultural roots and stylistic forms of Saura art, known for its linear patterns and portrayal of everyday tribal life. The workshop aimed to create direct, hands-on exposure to the art form rather than limiting it to textbooks or museum displays.
“By aligning with national development goals, we collaborate with local communities, NGOs, and government bodies to build stronger, self-reliant, and vibrant communities that contribute to India’s economic and social fabric,” said Kaizad Bharucha, Deputy Managing Director of HDFC Bank.
Nusrat Pathan, who heads Corporate Social Responsibility at HDFC Bank, added, “A holistic approach to rural development is not merely desirable, but an absolute necessity, especially in border areas. We ensure that progress in one sector reinforces and amplifies positive outcomes in others, thereby maximising the impact of our interventions.”
Vedanta has stated that this effort is part of its broader CSR work in Kalahandi, where it runs development programmes in 67 villages, reaching over 1.5 lakh people. These interventions span education, healthcare, livelihoods, and infrastructure, areas where community need intersects with corporate outreach.
In areas like Thuamul Rampur, where cultural knowledge is traditionally passed down within families or tribal gatherings, such programmes are helping bridge the generational gap in a fast-modernising landscape. While not a replacement for formal cultural preservation frameworks, they offer a functional entry point for engaging young minds.
As the cultural imprint of many tribal art forms grows faint in the face of shifting socio-economic realities, initiatives like these offer at least one avenue for keeping them in public memory, and in the hands of future creators.
BI Bureau
