Today (Aug 10) is the 100th birthday of legendary artist Sheikh Mohammed Sultan, popularly known as SM Sultan. 

SM Sultan was born into a poor family at Masumdia in Narail town on August 10, 1924. 

He died in Jashore Combined Military Hospital on October 10 in 1994 and was buried at the yard of his own house in Masumdia-Kurigram area of Narail municipality.

Different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes on the occasion.    

Narail district administration, SM Sultan Foundation, and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Narail have jointly arranged various programmes, including, art camp, discussion, screening documentary and boat race, to pay tribute to the great artist.    

SM Sultan was a Bengali artist who worked in painting and drawing. His fame rests on his striking depictions of muscular Bangladeshi peasants engaged in the activities of their everyday lives. Sultan’s early works were influenced by Western art techniques and forms, particularly impressionism. 

His artworks were shown in Shimla of India in 1946 while in Lahore and Karachi in 1948 and 1949 respectively. His paintings were exhibited in New York, Boston, London and Michigan University in 1959, long before the exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1976.

He joined an international conference of painters in America in 1950 as the representative of the then Pakistan government.

The renowned artist won Ekushey Padak in 1982, Bangladesh Charu Shilpi Sangsad Award in 1986 and Swadhinata Padak in 1993.

He was entitled the ‘Man of Asia’ in 1982 by Cambridge University and ‘A Resident of Artist’ by Bangladesh government in 1984.

BDST: 1058 HRS, AUGUST 10, 2023
SMS