6th Chandrasekhar Rao Memorial Lecture 2026

16 September 2026
Gita Govinda Sadan, Bhubaneswar

The Sixth Chandrasekhar Rao Memorial Lecture, organised by the Ketaki Foundation Trust, was held on 16 September 2026 at Gita Govinda Sadan, Bhubaneswar, bringing together artists, scholars, students and art enthusiasts to remember the life and artistic legacy of one of Odisha’s important modern painters, Chandrasekhar Rao.

The evening began with a brief introduction to the Trust and its memorial lecture series, which also includes the Dinanath Pathy Memorial Lecture and the Jayanta Mahapatra Memorial Lecture. A profile of Chandrasekhar Rao and his artistic journey was also presented. Belonging to the third generation of modern Odia painters, Rao developed a distinctive visual language that brought together traditional Odishan elements with influences from different Indian artistic traditions.

The Sixth Chandrasekhar Rao Memorial Lecture was delivered by Prof. Kirtana Thangavelu, Associate Professor, Department of Fine Arts, S.N. School, University of Hyderabad. Her lecture, “Pre-Modern Rituals in Post-Modern Contexts: Perspectives from Art History, Challenges from Anthropology,” offered a wide-ranging exploration of ritual, death and the human desire to transcend mortality. Drawing upon funerary traditions, visual narratives and cultural practices across different societies, Prof. Thangavelu examined the ways in which communities have understood death, remembered the departed and sought forms of continuity beyond mortality. Her research on Cheriyal painted scrolls and South Indian picture-storytelling traditions further informed her reflections on the close relationship between art, performance, oral traditions and ritual.

The session was chaired by Prof. (Dr.) Pradosh Kumar Mishra, Professor, Department of History of Art, Faculty of Arts, Banaras Hindu University. An art historian, curator and educator, Prof. Mishra has worked extensively on modern and contemporary Indian art, visual culture, museum studies and traditional artistic practices, with particular interest in Odisha’s stone sculpture traditions.

The lecture was also streamed live on YouTube, extending the programme beyond the venue and allowing art lovers and enthusiasts from across India and abroad to participate in the evening’s discussion.

Through the Chandrasekhar Rao Memorial Lecture, the Ketaki Foundation Trust continues to create a space for reflection and dialogue around Odisha’s art, culture and intellectual heritage, while keeping alive the memory and artistic contribution of Chandrasekhar Rao. The Trust remains committed to its wider work in research, documentation, exhibitions, publications, heritage and support for emerging artistic practices.

Prof. Kirtana Thangavelu exploring the enduring relationship between pre-modern rituals, death, memory and contemporary contexts.

A glimpse of the audience at the 6th Chandrasekhar Rao Memorial Lecture.