New Delhi: Three artists from Maharashtra, Ramesh Vitthal Thorat, Siddharth Shahajirao Shingade and Pritam Madhukar Devaskar, were honoured with the Lalit Kala Akademi National Awards at the 65th National Art Exhibition in New Delhi on October 21.

President Droupadi Murmu presented the awards at a joint ceremony for the 65th National Art Exhibition and the third Print Biennale India, held at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre. Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Culture Ministry Secretary Vivek Agrawal were also present.

Thorat received the award for his oil painting Untitled – II, Shingade for his mixed-media work Trees, and Devaskar for his printmaking work Of Time and the City.

The exhibition received 6,175 artworks from 2,495 artists across 27 states and Union Territories. A selection committee shortlisted 270 works for the exhibition in the first round, before 20 outstanding artworks were chosen for the national awards in the final selection process.

The recognition of the three artists across different mediums brought national attention to Maharashtra’s contemporary art talent.