Art Gallery

M. Balraj

He is yet another producer of masterpieces. Perfectionist though untrained in systematic academics. His noble thoughts reflect in his paintings even if he is not an erudite.

M Balraj was born to Ramalingam and Laxminarasamma couple at Hyderabad in 1962. Balraj is a totally self-taught artist. He used to closely watch the works of renowned artists and painters to grasp the skills and expertise involved in them and to derive meaning out of those paintings.

Awards and rewards galored for his brilliance in presenting the colours of life on the canvas and other mediums. The general and busy wedded life with Varalakshmi and son Srinivas did not deviate his concentration and dedication towards his first love, art and paint.

Besides participating in the group show at Bombay in 1992, he convened all by himself various one-man shows that included, Kalamela 1989, 1997 at new Delhi, Kalamela in Hyderabad 1991, Kalamela at Madras 1993, Bharath Bhavan exhibition in 1989, Graphic Camp in 1991, Graphic working camp at Bangalore in 1992, Camp organised by L A Regional Centre of Madras and a Working Camp by the South Central Zone Cultural Centre at Nagpur in 1995.

Of the numerous awards bagged by Balraj, Lalit Kala Samithi, Siddipet in the years 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1988, Navaranga Chitrakala Niketan, Vellatur in 1981 and 1982. Highly commended certificate from Bharath Kala Parishad, Hyderabad in 1981, 1985, 1988, 1992 and 1996, Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Akademi, Hyde4rabad 1981 and 1984, Hyderabad Art Society, Hyderabad in 1983 and 1997, Group ‘B’ medal, Chandigarh in 1983, Andhra Pradesh Council of Artists, Hyderabad in 1982 and 1985.

Certificate of Merit, Group B (an association of working artists devoted to print making). All India Exhibition of Prints, New Delhi 1982. The Indian Academy of Fine Arts, Amritsar in 1983 and Telugu University in 1988, 1999 and 2001. South Central Zone Culture Centre, Nagpur 1988 and 1990. Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, Honourable Mentional of International of Prints, February 1989 – 1991. Regional Centre, Lalit Kala Akademi Merit Certificate in 1991.

Siddheswar Art Institute, Bijapur 1994 and Honourable Merit Certificate Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi in the year 1998. Second Benala, Rajastan Lalit Kala Akademi, Jaipur, 2000.

The collections of Balraj are, Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Akademi, Regional Centre – Madras, Bharath Kala Parishad – Hyderabad, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology – Hyderabad, Telugu University in 1988 – Hyderabad, Chandigarh Government Museum, New Delhi National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi USIS, Andhra Pradesh Police Academy, New Delhi Lalit Kala Akademi and in private collections of Paul Lingrin, USA, Mr Vidya Bhushan, Mr K Laxma Goud, Smt Sarala Chandra and Usha, Siddheswar Art Institute, Bijapur in 1994. Lalit Kala Akademi – Lucknow and Sri Jagidish Mittal of Hyderabad.

Contact Address

M Balraj,
House Number 6-3-319/2, Erramanzil Colony,
Balapura, Hyderabad – 500 482.
Ph: 3305059.