The legendary artist SM Sultan’s 96th birth anniversary is being observed at his residence in Masumdia-Kurigram area of Narail district today.

On the day, SM Sultan Foundation and Narail district administration have chalked out different programmes at Sultan Smriti Sangrahasala.

The programmes include Quran Khwani at Sultan’s grave, Doa-Mahfil, paying tributes to the iconic artist by placing wreaths at Sultan Smriti Sangrahasala.

Narail Deputy Commissioner and Sultan Foundation president Anjuman Ara said all preparations have been taken to observe the legendary artist’s birth anniversary maintaining social distance and following hygiene rules.

Sultan hit the headlines in the art world much before he was known as a painter to the people of his home land. Leading a very simple life far away from the madding crowd at his village, the selfless painter spent most of his life with painting and art brush.His very simple but highly philosophic art, which revelled in nature and the people of Bangladesh, has become the prime source of inspiration for the new generation of painters.

His artworks were shown in Simla of India in 1946, in Lahore and Karachi in 1948-49 and paintings were exhibited in New York, Boston, London and Michigan University in 1959, long before the exhibition at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in 1976.

He joined the International conference of painters in America in 1950 as the representative of the then Pakistan government.

SM Sultan, a legendary artist of Bangladesh, won Ekushey Padak in 1982, Bangladesh Charu Shilpi Sangsad Award in 1986 and Swadhinata Padak in 1993.

He was entitled the “Man of Asia” in 1982 by Cambridge University and Bangladesh government named him “a resident of artist” in 1984.

Sultan was born to a poor family at Masumdia area in Narail town on 10 August, 1924.

He died in Jessore Combined Military Hospital on October 10, 1994. He was buried at the yard of his own house in the Masumdia-Kurigram area of Narail Municipality.