How to crack NIFT? There’s a way

By PRABEER SIKDAR
DEHRADUN, 30 July: Alongside coaching for CAT, MAT, AIEEE, IIT-JEE, Law, PMT, Sainik schools, et al, now, a new trend has caught up with youngsters to be mentored in art to get entry into the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, National Institute of Design, Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA), etc.
Welcome to the new breed of potential professional artists, who, in some cases are as young as eight-year-old, who come for art coaching straight after school. “I want to become a professional artist,” says Nandini Gupta, a fifth grader in Ann Mary School.
“I come only on Sundays,” says Parul Dang, an eighth-standard student of The Asian School, who aspires to join NIFT after Plus Two.
Interestingly, most of the dozen odd budding artists, who are still in schools, have parents backing them in their cherished goals. “I admitted my daughter for to learn after I spotted her talent as early as when she was a four-year-old,” points out Parag Kumar Mittal, father of eight-year-old Aditi Mittal, a III standard student of Ann Mary School, who is being groomed by renowned artist Chandra Mohan Misra.
According to Mittal, he began to take his daughter seriously when she won a drawing competition at the age of four. “It was during the launch of Wagon R at Rohan Motors, Yamuna Colony, where in the Junior Category, she was adjudged the winner.”
Misra, who is a retired ONGC scientist, has many solo art exhibitions and awards to his credit since 1962. Recently, he had organised two National Level painting workshops in Dhanaulti and at the Graphic Era University.
“Though reputed schools have art departments, the old concepts of art teaching are still followed there,” rued CM Misra, who has guided many aspiring artists into creative careers. “Asking children to colour mangos or bananas, or asking them to draw the scenic image of a mountain, the sun and a boat are passé.”
Interestingly, Misra’s first student was his eldest son –Abhinav Misra – an NIFT graduate from Mumbai, who passed out in 1997.
What the budding artists learn from Misra is attaining perfection in line drawings. “In line drawings, where children learn to generate images of figures by randomly making lines on paper, help them in synchronising their eyes and motor muscles,” discloses Misra.
One among the regulars at Misra’s Indira Nagar residence is Priyanka, a class XII student of KV ONGC, who recently won a National Level Painting Competition. “I have been coming here for the last two years,” reveals Priyanka, who aspires to get into a BFA course after Plus Two.
Apart from being a centre for grooming budding professional artists, Misra also trains those who simply choose art as their hobby. “I want to be an Army Officer,” says Ayush Barthwal, a class VII student of St Joseph’s Academy.
Significantly, elated with the results of his students, Misra is planning to mount an exhibition of their works in the city. “This would happen soon, where I would also showcase some of my own works.”
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