Pragathi to host ‘Art from the Heart’ exhibition for artists with disabilities in Bengaluru on April 4-5

Bengaluru: Pragathi, a Bengaluru-based non-profit focused on promoting artworks created by persons with disabilities, will organise the two-day Art from the Heart exhibition at Devaraj Urs Gallery at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath from April 4.

S. Govindaraj, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (DePwD) at the Government of India, and artist Madhavan Goyal will inaugurate the event, which will showcase the works of about 40 artists. The chief guests will also interact with the participating artists during the exhibition, Pragathi founder Sravani Ramachandran said.

Ramachandran said the Pragathi initiative was inspired by her own experience after a life-altering accident in 2011 that resulted in a spinal cord injury. During her recovery, she turned to art as a way to rebuild confidence and express creativity.


That experience eventually led to the creation of Pragathi and the Art from the Heart exhibition, with the aim of supporting and showcasing the talent of artists with disabilities, said Ramachandran, who works at Infosys.

Art from the Heart is designed as an inclusive exhibition that provides a platform for artists with disabilities from across the country to present their work and connect with a wider audience.

The initiative seeks to celebrate creativity, promote financial independence for artists and build greater awareness about inclusion through art, Ramachandran said.

Over the past few years, the exhibition has brought together artists working across a range of mediums including paintings, crafts and handmade products. Visitors are able to interact directly with the artists and purchase their works, thereby supporting their livelihoods and encouraging artistic expression.

In addition to the annual exhibition, Pragathi has begun collaborating with public venues such as shopping malls and cultural spaces to help artists reach broader audiences.

So far, the non-profit has organised three annual editions and supported about 50 artists from across India, facilitating the sale of nearly 700 artworks. Several participating artists have also received repeat commissions and continued patronage following the exhibitions, Ramachandran added.