The historic Gaiety Theatre in Shimla is all set to come alive with colour, creativity and collective memory as ‘Impressions & Expressions: H.C. Rai Memorial ArtFest 2025’ opens its doors from September 23 to 29, daily from 11:00 am to 7:30 pm. This unique celebration of art and legacy is being organised by Abhivyakti — an organisation founded in 1994 by the late Prof. H.C. Rai to nurture artistic expression across Himachal Pradesh.
Now in its third edition, the ArtFest is more than an exhibition — it is a vibrant, living tribute to Prof. Harish Chandra Rai (1923–2018), a visionary artist, educationist and cultural pioneer who laid the foundations for modern visual arts in the state. The event will be inaugurated by Dr. Anurita Saxena, Principal of RKMV, Shimla, as the Chief Guest — a fitting choice, as Prof. Rai was the founding Principal of RKMV, and Dr. Saxena remains an ardent admirer and collector of his work.
This year’s festival brings together works of nine distinguished artists, spanning four generations of artistic lineage — from Prof. Rai himself to his students, their students, and today’s emerging talents. Participating artists include Jagjeet Nishat, Kewal Krishan Kamra, Prof. Him Chatterjee, Dr. Ranjan Kumar Mallik, Danny Balbir Singh, Timsi Gupta, Sayonee Chatterjee and Aditya Singh Thakur. Their collective works create a tapestry of ideas, emotions, and techniques that connect past with present, tradition with experimentation.
What distinguishes ‘Impressions & Expressions’ is its fusion of art with social responsibility. Since its inception, 25% of the ArtFest’s sales income has been donated to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, supporting disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts across the state. In continuing this tradition, all participating artists have pledged their contributions, reinforcing the festival’s theme — art as a force for healing, resilience and nation-building.
Abhivyakti, the cultural organisation behind the event, has been instrumental in promoting the arts in both conventional and unconventional spaces — from galleries and theatres to remote villages and prisons. It has kept alive a vision of art that is inclusive, transformative and rooted in community. This ArtFest reflects that ethos — turning remembrance into movement, memory into momentum.
As the festival opens tomorrow, the public is invited to engage with art not just as spectators, but as participants in a shared legacy — one shaped profoundly by Prof. H. C. Rai.
A Life in Colour: The Artistic Legacy of Prof. H. C. Rai
Born on May 27, 1923 in Bareilly, Prof. Harish Chandra Rai exhibited artistic talent from an early age. He trained at the Government School of Arts, Lucknow and later at the Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai, learning under legendary figures like A.K. Haldar, N. Roychowdhary, L.M. Sen, B. Sen, and Shridhar Mahapatra. After teaching at Bareilly College, Rai moved to Himachal Pradesh, where he became the founding Principal of the Government College of Arts and later RKMV, Shimla.
Prof. Rai’s work was rooted in academic rigour but infused with spiritual and cultural depth. His mastery extended across mediums — watercolours, dry pastels, oil, sculpture and clay — and his subjects ranged from Himalayan landscapes to intricate human portraits. A staunch experimenter, he combined Indian aesthetics with Western techniques, enriched by his deep love for classical music, poetry, Kathak and architecture. He also wrote hundreds of verses in Brij Bhasha and Awadhi, and was the chief architect of Shimla’s famous Ram Mandir.
His sketches once stunned even his mentors. Renowned artist A.K. Haldar, upon seeing Rai’s pencil sketch of Swami Shivanand, remarked, “No artist in India can even comprehend, let alone replicate, the intricacies of this work.” His artwork found homes across the world and even adorned the Summit Hall, where the historic Indira-Bhutto Summit was held. His contribution to Indian art was officially recognised with the dedication of a gallery in his name at the State Museum, Shimla — the Prof. H. C. Rai Gallery of Contemporary Art.
Even after retirement, Rai continued to paint prolifically from his 900 sq. ft. studio in Shimla. After a serious accident at age 89, he moved to Mumbai to live with his daughter, Amala Rai, where he continued creating until the age of 96. He passed away on October 31, 2018, leaving behind a legacy of more than 3,500 artworks.
Among his most notable contributions is the illustrated book The Simla Story – The Glow & After Glow of the Raj: A Sketch Book (1992), co-authored with O.C. Sud. Every sketch in the book was drawn on location with a black ballpoint pen, capturing Shimla’s heritage in striking detail.
As the ArtFest returns to Shimla’s cultural heart for its third season, it invites citizens, artists, students and visitors to witness a story — not just of one artist, but of generations touched by his vision. ‘Impressions & Expressions: H.C. Rai Memorial ArtFest 2025’ stands as a testimony to the timeless power of art to educate, unite and inspire.
