Pitta Lokanatham :Forgotten Icon of Warangal

Born on 6th September 1938 to Shri P. Narsaiah and Shri Kanakamma in Warangal. He is an Arts graduate from the famous Osmania University. He joined in service as a Government teacher on 1st of August1958. He served as a teacher for 37 years and retired on 30th September 1996.

He has served as an S.G.T, Telugu pandit for 37 years in Primary, Upper primary and High schools and earned good name and fame by securing 100% results in his subjects. As a result he was awarded and felicitated as the best teacher in Warangal district in the year 1985 and was presented a certificate of merit by the D.E.O Warangal.

Besides being a good teacher, he is a well known artist and taught the art of painting and portraiting to many artists who are interested without charging any kind of remuneration from them.

In his 30 years of lengthy service in the field of art, many students have learnt the art from him and settled as professional painters in their life, thus he showed them a way of life.

He established an art society "The Warangal Art Society" (Regd no:576) and served as the first secretary of it. Apart from that he along with other artists established an other art society "Kakatiya Art Society" (Regd no:820) and through which he encouraged many young artists. On the occasion of World Telugu Conference he acted as the Vice President of Kakatiya Art Society and show cased the arts of various artists from the state. Many of his disciples have participated in various art competitions conducted at various district, state and national levels and got many prizes for their exhibits.

He also designed the cover photos of various Telugu Text books for various classes and applauded by the officials of the department.

He was the only person selected and sent for the Orientation course at Centre for Cultural Resources and Training at Delhi for a period of 45 days in 1985.

He was honored as a Judge for many many painting competitions by many organizations.Centre for Cultural Resources and Training Delhi sent him to Bangalore as one of the judges. He was also one of the judges in competitions conducted by the Balala Academy of the state(A.P).

Exhibitions:

State Level

1970-1981Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Academia, Hyderabad Kala Bhavan

1975 1st World Telugu Conference Andhra Pradesh Artist exhibition.

1980 Lalit Kala Samiti, Siddipet

1980 Kakatiya Art Society, Warangal

1988 First Annual Art exhibition 1988 Telugu University Kala Bhavan

1993 Akshara Ujjuala Samiti poster design competition Karimnagar

NATIONAL EXHIBITIONS

1970-1981 All India Art exhibition, organized by The Hyderabad Art Society

1979 Delhi Kala Mela

1980 All India Fine Arts exhibition organized by Bharatha Kala Parish ad Hyderabad.

1980 1st Regional Exhibition of Art organization by Navarang ChitraKala niketan, Vellatur

1980 Regional Centre Lalita Kala Academy Madras

1982 Academy of Fine Arts galaxy Calcutta.

1982 All India Poster Design competition by Blood Bank Society Chandigarh

REVIEWS BY VARIOUS JOURNALS

March 1978 "Janadharma" weekly

March 1978 "Eenadu Daily"

June 1978 "Ikya Upadyaya" monthly

December 1978 Andhra Prabha daily

April 1980 Warangal Vani daily

June 1980 Warangal Vani daily

November 1993 Andhrabhoomi Sunday

March 1991 Daily Orugallu Kalalokam

AWARDS

1978 Andhra Pradesh Lalitakala Academy Hyderabad

1978 "Jagruti" Diwali cartoon competition

1980 Best Award Andhra Pradesh State Art Exhibition the Lalitakala Samiti Siddipet

1980 7th All India Art Exhibition, 1st Regional Exhibition of Art Navarang Chitra Kala Nike tan Vallatur

1980 Andhra Pradesh State Art exhibition kakatiya art society Warangal

1982 All India poster design "Blood Bank Society, Chandigarh

1982 Artist Refresher camp, Warangal

1984 Cartoon Competition Vijayawada

1985 Rotary Club Warangal on 5th September.

1988 Telugu University Rs.3000 cash award Kala Bhavan Hyderabad

1993 A.P State poster design competition organised" AKSHARA UJJVALA SAMITI" Karim Nagar.

COLLECTIONS OF PAINTINGS BY

1.Andhra Pradesh Lalitakala academy Kala bhavan Hyderabad

2.Telugu University, Kala Bhavan Hyderabad

3. Prime Minister Shri P.V. Narsimha Rao garu

4.Shri T.Hayagriva Charyulu Minister for education A.P

5. Dr. S.Mahesh Algeria

6.Shri K. Jagdishwar Rao Head Master Government High Masumalli

7.Head Master UPS Narendranagar

8.Many other public and private collections in India and abroad.

FELICITATIONS BY

1.Best Teacher Award Warangal

2.Potana Bhagavata Panchasati Mahautsavala Samiti

3.Telugu University Hyderabad

4.Vivekananda Nilayam, Hanamkonda

5. A.P Lalitakala Academy Hyderabad

6. Konda Surekha and Konda Murali, the MLA's of Warangal.

SERVICE OF ART

Critical essays on paintings published by many journals.

Broadcasted speech on paintings on All India Radio, Warangal.