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About Kiran Soni Gupta

Artist - Kiran Soni Gupta

Kiran Soni Gupta is an artist based in Jaipur, Delhi and Newyork and an officer of the 1985 batch of the Indian Administrative Service from Rajasthan. She was Director of West Zone Cultural Centre under the Ministry of Culture till Jan 2024. She was also Director General of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur a leading visual and performing arts cultural center in India.

Along with being a development practitioner and policy maker she is also known as a prolific artist, writer, curator sculptor and avid photographer. Kiran has showcased her art at more than forty art institutions of which two dozen were international. Her artworks “NREGA” and “Pooja Times’ and ‘Shelters’ were exhibited at the Louvre, Paris in 2012, 2013 and 2017.

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Government of Rajasthan appointed her as Principal Secretary Art and Culture in recognition of her domain accomplishments. As Director General of Jaipur’s leading cultural center she has organized many festivals, workshops, art talk art camps besides initiating the online platform for art learning and establishing international collaborations. She placed JKK on the national and international tourism map.

Kiran conceptualized, curated and organized Jaipur’s 1stInternational Art Festival in March 2013 with 130 artists drawn from across the world. In the 2nd edition of the Art Festival in 2014 she had 240 artists from 24 countries. Recently, she curated an international exhibition at IGNCA celebrating Indian languages that was later exhibited in New Delhi, LBSNAA Mussoorie and Chandigarh. She has exhibited nationally and internationally- Boston, Chicago, Syracuse, London, Iran, Srilanka, Ottawa, Toronto and many places in India. She also exhibited twice in SNBA exhibition at Le Lourve Carousel in Paris.

She was invited to organize the Gita Kala Parv at Kurukshetra in 2016 by Government of Haryana and Vigyan Prasar Kala Parv at Indian National Science Academy 2017 by Department of Science & Technology. She organized International Women’s Art Festival and All India Printmakers Camp in 2020 at Jaipur.

Kiran’s paintings on the ‘Famine’ won her the National Award. She has been honored with ‘Indian Iconic Women’s Award 2019, ‘Literary Excellence Award’ at 4th Asiad LitFest, National Gaurav Award 2017 and Fakhre-e-Hind Award 2018, ‘Swasti Samman 2013′, International Vaish Sammelan Award 2013′, “Unnat Bharat Sewashri Damini Award 2013’, Rajasthan Gaurav Award 2013 ” Nari Pratibha Samman “2012,” ‘Kala Samridhi Award’ in 2010, ‘Artist of the Year 2009’, ‘Special Achiever Award 2009’ and ‘Kala Shiromani Award’ 2008. She was also decorated with the ‘Global Women Achiever’s Award’ in 2019.

Her works can be accessed on website www.kiransoniarts.in and on Instagram–kiransoniart. Her book ‘Range-e-Jahan’ and ‘Empower the Woman Enlighten the World’ has been launched in 2019. The Times of India has brought out a trilogy of books ‘Beyond Strokes’, ‘Kiran’s Art Renderings’ and ‘Women – God’s Finest Creation’ based on her artworks themes.

Her exhibition’ A Tryst with Art’ was held at Jehangir Art Gallery in April 2022 and’ My Conversations with Nature’ was held at Civil Services Officer’s Institute in Mar 2022. Embassy of Bulgaria has invited her to celebrate the Europe week and 70 years of India- Bulgaria diplomatic relations through an art exhibit of her artworks in May 2024. She has been invited to an International art residency in Monte Negro in September 2024. Two of her artworks have been recently selected by a London Gallery. Her forthcoming solo show is at ITC Rajputana Sheraton at Jaipur.

Awards Precious Moments

2023-24

  • Artwork selected by Fabriano for exhibition at Italy

2022

  • National Award for Portrait Painting by AIFACS

2019

  • The Global Women Achiever’s Award
  • Indian Iconic Women Award

2018

  • Fakhr-e-Hind Award

2017

  • National Gaurav Award
  • Excellence Award at 4th Asiad LitFest
  • National Mahila Gaurav Samman

2013

  • National Swasti Award by KalavratNyas
  • Special Women by International Vaish Sammelan

2012

  • Rajasthan Gaurav Award
  • Meritorious Women's Award

2011

  • Valparaiso Fellowship, Spain

2010

  • Kala Samridhi Award

2009

  • Centrum Art Residency, WA, USA
  • Artist of the Year Award
  • Achiever of the Year Award on Women’s Day

2008

  • Kala Shiromani Award, Jodhpur

2006

  • J K Galbraith Fellowship, Harvard University

2005

  • Ray Vernon Fellowship, Harvard University

2004

  • National Award in 63rd All India Art Exhibit Hyderabad

2003

  • National Award in All India Fine Arts &Crafts Society

2002

  • National Award by NABARD in Cooperative Banking

2001

  • Award for Integrity & Public Service by Canadian Cultural Organization

1998

  • National Productivity Award in Agricultural Marketing

Published Work

  • Empower Women Enlighten the World 2019
  • Range-e- Jahaan Book on Art launched by Shri Muzaffar Ali in New Delhi 2018
  • Women in Kiran’s Art – God’s Finest Creation by Times of India
  • Women- God’s Finest Creation 2010
  • Desert Symphony 2009
  • “Foot Prints” by Times of India
  • Kiran’s Art Renderings” by Times of India
  • “Voice of Substance” by Times of India
  • Desert Symphony 2008
  • “Beyond Strokes” Book brought out by Times of India 2008 based on selected artworks of Kiran Soni
  • Maharana Pratap – Great son of Mewar”. 1998

Testimonials

She has creatively used her administrative experiences as expressed through the visual language…..its all powerful, moving and convincing

SM Gavai India's Consul General to Ottawa

I am deeply impressed by her talent……. Her contribution has enriched Indian Civil Service and Indian art equally….

K M Chandrasekhar Ex-Cabinet Secretary Govt of India

Kiran's creativity is admirable more so along with fulfilling the responsibilities of professional life

Ajit Kumar Seth Cabinet Secretary Govt. of India

@kiransoniart