Indian Painter Opens Contemporary Art Museum

KOLKATA, India—After teaching in Delhi for 36 years, noted painter Dhiraj Choudhury has returned to Kolkata and given it its first art museum, reports the Times of India.

Located in Choudhury's 4,000-square-foot private estate, Arts 91 will display hundreds of works of contemporary art and will also host workshops and seminars. "I want the museum to be a melting pot for the art lover—not necessarily the professional artist, but anyone who wants to express himself through the medium. This place will also be a classroom for the student of art, especially those who want to hone their drawing skills," Choudhury said. Proceeds will go to charity or to sponsor awards and scholarships for artists from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The museum will display works by Choudhury along with those in his collection, representing such artists as KG Subramaniam, K H Ara, Jogen Chowdhury, Somenath Hore, Sunil Das, Anita Roychowdhury, Shuvaprasanna, and Bimal Dasgupta.