| Sawlaram Haldankar. | |
|---|---|
| Born | Sawantwadi in Maharashtra, India. |
| Birth name | Sawlaram Lakshman Haldankar |
Sawlaram Lakshman Haldankar (1882–1968), born in Savantwadi, Maharashtra, India, showed early talent in the arts and enrolled at the Sir J.J. School of Art, Bombay. A student of Dhurandhar and Cecil Burns, he soon distinguished himself by winning prizes and exhibiting in Mumbai, Madras, Simla and the Royal Society of British Artists, London. He also started the Haldankar Art Institute in 1908 in Mumbai. Later, with other friends, he found the Art Society of India in 1918 and became its president. He was accomplished in both watercolors and oils, with a special mastery over portraits. His works were acquired by the Prince of Wales Museum and the National Art Gallery (Mumbai).
His collections can be found at varied places like Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai, National Gallery of Modern Art (New Delhi), Jaganmohan Palace (Mysore), Nagpur Museum (Nagpur), Moscow Academy of Art (USSR) and Delhi Art Gallery.
During his years at the J.J. School of Art, he won many prizes. He won two commendation certificates from the Royal Society of British Artists. In the years 1910, 1927, and 1932, S.L. Haldankar won the Governors Prize in 1964. He was called to New Delhi for the felicitation by the Rashtrapati, Dr Rajendra Prasad. He was felicitated as a fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
Haldankar taught at the J.J. School of Art and the Haldandkar Fine Art Institute. Sawlaram had 4 sons and three daughters of which His eldest son G.S. Haldankar was also a painter of watercolors. After G.S.Haldankar, there was Madhu Haldankar Babanrao Haldankar,and Vijayanand Haldankar. Babanrao is a singer. Many painters were trained by Haldankar. His family refers to an Italian encyclopedia stored in a library in Wai, Maharashtra in the Satara district, wherein he was ranked as one of the three finest watercolorists in the world.