Fine Arts Department, Jamia Millia Islamia University:

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Want to paint the whole town red? Or carve a niche for yourself in the world of art? Or, better still, be an art critic and learn the nuances of how lines, colours and shapes merge to produce a Picasso? Head straight for the fine arts department of the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

The department was established in 1951 by Abul Kalam Azad, a disciple of the noted painter, Nandalal Bose. It started as a very small department, with all of four students in the first batch. Two of them went on to become big names and teachers at the same institute. They were Paramjit Singh and Ramchandran Nair. The department has always had a high-profile faculty. Among others, noted painters Jatin Das and Obaid ul Haq were professors in the department.

Now, it is a full-fledged faculty, with six departments — painting, sculpture, applied art, art education, graphic art and art history and appreciation. Students can opt for a masters or a bachelors degree in fine arts. It also offers one-year certificate courses in commercial art, photography and painting.

The first thing that strikes as you walk into the fine arts department of Jamia Millia Islamia is the artistic ambience. A magnificent sculpture of Maharana Pratap Singh, erected by a former dean of the department, stands tall — leading up to sculptures made by students of the department. The department is set in a lush green area of Jamia and provides a quiet and serene atmosphere to artists.

To join the department, applicants should have passed the Senior School Certificate (10+2) of CBSE or an examination recognised as equivalent by the University of Delhi. Three written entrance tests — of drawing, composition and aptitude — are held, followed by a personal interview for each of the courses offered.

The students are given the right kind of guidance by the faculty to help them hone their creative instincts. “The department is almost like my first home,” says Tanvi Jain, a masters student of the applied art course. “It is like a close-knit family and all the students seem to know each other.” Jain is all praise for the help that her professors have been giving her through the course. “It has laid the foundation for my future.”

The fee structure of the course is nominal. And a unique feature is that the three top rankers get their money back! It is, clearly, an incentive for students to do well. The department has a fully functional computer room, a photo studio, a dark room and a canteen.

The centre holds a three-day Kalam festival every year where students exhibit their crafts. Debates, discussions and cultural programmes are held, where artists and other creative people participate.

Work comes to a halt and the fun begins in right earnest when the Talimi Mela — which is the annual festival of the entire university — starts. The students from the department design the posters, brochures, masks, banners and so on for the mela. An exhibition is put up at the end of the year for students who display their paintings, sculptures, photographs, designs etc. Eminent artists, designers, painters and professors are invited to the exhibition.

The USP of the department is simple. It seeks to provide students with a range of courses in the field of art. There is a wide range of job opportunities available to students after they pass out. They can become photographers, join design houses, advertising firms or the media. They can work as freelance artists, do accessory design or become interior designers. And, of course, they can always do their own thing — and become a painter or a sculptor.

“We are very lucky that the department has been converted into a faculty with the entire infrastructure in place,” says Dean Ghazanfar Zaidi. “We intend to raise the department to international standards.”

Vital Statistics:

WHAT IS IT? It is a department of fine arts in Jamia Millia Islamia.

WHO’S THE BOSS? The department is headed by Professor Ghazanfar Zaidi. He can be contacted at 9212036549.

WHere to stay? Both on-campus and off-campus options are available. Hostel accommodation costs Rs 14,000 for the year.

WHere is it? Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar Marg, New Delhi-110025. Phone: 011-26981717 Extn. 2170, 2172 E-mail: hod.fa@jmi.ac.in Website: http://www.jmi.nic.in

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)