Manu Munsi

Not to be confused with Manu Parekh.

Manu Munsi
Born	(1924-08-02)2 August 1924 Born Manu Munshi (Manomohan Munshi) Jessore, British India (present day Bangladesh)
Died	20 February 2009(2009-02-20) (aged 84) Bediapara, Dum Dum, Kolkata
Nationality	Indian
Alma mater	Government College of Art and Craft, Calcutta
Known for	Painting and sculpture
Notable work	Gandhiji's Noakhali Expedition Indira Gandhi Nur Jahan
Movement	Mother-of-Pearl art

Manu Munsi, also spelt as Manu Munshi or Monu Munshi (Bengali: মনু মুন্সী), born as Manomohan Munshi (2 August 1924– 20 February 2009), was an Indian painter and sculptor. He played a key role in the upliftment of the Mother-of-pearl art movement in India during the mid-to-end of the 20th century. His most notable works on the Mother-of-pearl platform include Gandhiji's Noakhali Expedition, Indira Gandhi and Nur Jahan. Apart from the Mother-of-pearl artworks and sculptures, Munshi also holds credit to establish wire sculptures in Bengal. Some of his notable wire sculptures are Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh and so on. He was nominated for Padmashri, the fourth highest civilian award in India in 1986 for his contributions in fine and visual arts. Some of his works have been listed within the personal collections of notable personalities like Bidhan Chandra Roy, the former Chief Minister of West Bengal and Satyajit Ray, renowned director. He is also credited with portraying Tagore in various artistic poses beautifully engraved with metal plates.

Birth and family background

Munshi was born in the Chaugachha zamindar family of Jessore on 2 August in 1924 to renowned Mother-of-pearl artist Anukul Charan Munshi who is often regarded as the Father of Indian Mother-of-Pearl artistry in India. His elder brother was notable artist Annada Munshi who is often called the Father of Commercial Art in India according to considerable number of art critics. Pratip Munshi, another acclaimed Mother-of-pearl artist was a cousin to him.

Initial days and education

Munshi, after finishing his matriculation, started his journey as a novice in the studio of renowned painter Prahlad Karmakar in Calcutta. Elder brother Annada's wish led him to take admission in the then Government Art School (present day Government College of Art and Craft) in Calcutta.

Career as an artist

Munshi ventured his career as a commercial artist in the J. Walter Thompson, India, driven by the joint inspiration from Annada Munshi and noted film-director Rajen Tarafdar. During the course of his career, he felt that the commercial art was not for him, hence decided to resign. Later he joined the Government Arts and Craft Board and ended up resigning from there too. But, his most successful career spanned for almost thirty years when he became a permanent part of the All India Handicrafts Board before he retired as a senior artist.

Notable achievements and accolades

• Munshi's most accomplished work on Mother-of-pearl platform is Gandhiji's Noakhali Expedition which was hand-picked by the then Chief Minister of West Bengal Bharat Ratna Bidhan Chandra Roy as the Best representative of Charu and Karu Art of Bengal and was sent to the United States for public exhibition.
• In 1972, Munshi was honoured with the certificate of merit from the Rabindra Bharati University.
• In 1986, Munshi was nominated for Padmashri. But, he was not listed within the final recipients of the distinguished award by the then Government of India for the year. When asked about this, he used to say, "That's when publicity hinders the creation of art."

Intimation letter of Padmashri recommendation from Girija Prasad Roy (the then D.I.O. of Dum Dum) to Munsi

Notable works

Some of his notable Mother-of-Pearl artworks are Gandhiji's Noakhali Expedition, Indira Gandhi (1985) and Nur Jahan. Furthermore, he is acknowledged for his portrayal of Tagore in a variety of creative stances exquisitely etched with metal plates. Among his ample wire sculptures and portraits, some are prominent, i.e., Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Swami Vivekananda. Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh.

Indira Gandhi (Mother of Pearl Artwork) by Munshi

Nur Jahan (Mother of Pearl Artwork) by Manu Munshi

Tagore's portrait (platform: metallic plates) by Munsi

In 1985, Satyajit Ray wrote about Manu Munshi's Mother-of-pearl piece titled Indira Gandhi:

"I have seen the mother-of-pearl portrait of Smt. Gandhi done by Shri Manu Munshi. I find it of excellent quality."

Certificate of appreciation from Ray to Munshi

Patrons

During his entire career as an art activist, Munshi was patronized by many renowned personalities of the same era including his own elder brother Annada Munshi, Satyajit Ray, Barrister Subodh Chandra Roy, Bidhan Chandra Roy, Subho Tagore, Hiranmay Bandopadhyay, Rajen Tarafdar, Humayun Kabir and Jahangir Kabir. His paternal name was 'Manomohan Munshi'. Later, the then Chief Minister of Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy shortened his name to 'Manu'. Later he gained fame at the national and international level with this name.

Munsi (left) with Satyajit Ray (right)

Personal life

Munshi was married to Maya Bose (later Maya Munshi) who belonged to an elite class family from Khannyan of Hooghly of West Bengal. The couple has three sons.

Munshi with his wife Maya

Demise

On 20 February in the year 2009, Munshi died of overloaded old-age conditions in his own residence at Bediapara, Dum Dum in Kolkata.