Nagpur: In celebration of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) Amrit Mahotsav year, a grand mural art competition titled ‘Rang De Nagpur’ was organized, drawing enthusiastic participation from artists across the state. The winners were felicitated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a special ceremony held at the Ishwar Deshmukh College of Physical Education Ground.
The event was graced by Revenue Minister and Guardian Minister of Nagpur Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Minister Atul Save, Minister of State Adv. Ashish Jaiswal, MP Shyamkumar Barve, MLAs Dr. Parinay Phule, Ashish Deshmukh, Kripal Tumane, Charansingh Thakur, Mohan Mate, and Sanjay Meshram, along with State Safai Karmachari Commission Chairman Sher Singh Dagor, Principal Secretary of Social Justice Department Dr. Harshdeep Kamble, Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari, District Collector Dr. Vipin Itankar, and other senior officials.
Under the guidance of Commissioner Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari and Additional Commissioner Vasumna Pant, the competition was conceived to showcase 75 years of NMC’s glorious journey and its vision for a cleaner, smarter Nagpur through art. The event was open to two categories — students (18 years and above) and professionals. Artists from Nagpur, Mumbai, Thane, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, and Wardha took part. Out of 118 entries received, 92 were selected as per the given themes, with over 300 artists participating in total.
The murals were created around four key themes: ‘Nagpur @ 75’ (the city’s growth and transformation over decades), ‘Clean, Green, and Smart Nagpur’ (focusing on cleanliness and sustainable urban development), ‘Nagpur’s Culture, History, and Heritage’, and ‘Nagpur – The Tiger Capital of India’.
Student and professional artists painted vibrant murals along Sundarlal Rai Marg (near Dikshabhoomi) and the walls of Freedom Park in Sitabuldi. Students from Government College of Art, Nagpur; Natraj Art and Culture College; and Government College of Art, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar played a major role in the event.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis lauded the initiative and congratulated all participating artists, appreciating the creativity that transformed Nagpur’s walls into open-air galleries.
Winners of ‘Rang De Nagpur’
Student Category
• First Prize: Krish Kataria & Group
• Second Prize: Anurag Mankar & Group
• Third Prize: Pratik Khapre & Group
• Encouragement Awards: Nisarg Ganakwar & Group, Kesar Paratkar & Group
Professional Category
• First Prize: Shailesh Nindekar & Group
• Second Prize: Nandkishor Salwatkar & Group
• Third Prize: Shailesh Bondale & Group
• Encouragement Awards: Amit Gonnade & Group, Sagar Bavne & Group
The event reflected Nagpur’s evolving identity — blending its artistic spirit with civic pride and a shared vision for a more vibrant, cleaner, and culturally rich city.