Delhi Silpi Chakra : A Living History
Krishan Ahuja presents a brief memoir of Delhi Silpi Chakra, a group that still breathes through the works of the veteran artists produced at that time.
My first visit to Delhi Silpi Chakra gallery was when I was a student of The College of Art, Delhi. I used to accompany my teachers, Mr. Rajesh Mehra and Jagmohan Chopra, who were also the office bearers of Dilli Silpi Chakra, to visit exhibitions in Delhi Silpi Chakra. I also got the opportunity to interact with a few senior artists of Delhi for instance Shri Nand Katyal , Shri Kuldeep Singh Jas and Shri Rameshwar Broota.
In 1967, I got a lectureship in College Of Art and got an opportunity to work with Jagmohan Chopra and Rajesh Mehra. After doing my commercial art diploma in designing I taught advertising at the college and continually updated myself with the technicalities of commercial art. Jagmohan Chopra and Rajesh Mehra were active members of the Chakra group and through them I became involved with the group. Once in a week after college, we used to sit at the premises of Delhi Silpi Chakra and discuss the further activities and plans of the chakra group.
In 1970 Mr. Paul Lingren, the known print maker from U. S., came to Delhi. So, U.S.I.S (United States Information Service) contacted Mr Jagmohan Chopra, who was incharge of the printmaking department in College of Art then, to coordinate and organise a workshop. Even though I was new to print making he let me work in the workshop and that was the first work which I produced. After that I left commercial advertising and started printmaking.