GANGTOK: Khandu Wangchuk Bhutia’s name stands out when one talks about the art of Thankpa painting. And likely so, Bhutia is now being conferred with India’s fourth highest civilian award the Padma Shri for his contribution to the art form.
Khandu Wangchuk Bhutia was born to Late Jigme Wangchuk Lama, the Dungzin Rimpoche, who built the Sangdopalri structure at Pemayangtse Monastery. He is nephew to Late Khacheod Rimpoche, former Dorje Lopen of Pemayangtse Monastery. He is also the son-in-law of Yap Kunga, Dorji Lopen of Sanga Choling Monastery, Pelling.
Hailing from Sakyong in West Sikkim, the 65-year-old had his formal education from Government Senior Secondary School in Pelling and at Namchi Senior Secondary School till the 7th grade. After his formal education, he was ordained into monastic life at the Pemayangtse monastery. Once in the monastery, he took up Thangka painting as a profession.
He mastered the art of Thangka painting under Dungzin Rimpoche, Late Jigme Wangchuk Lama along with renowned Thangka artist Late Phuntsok Sangpo and Late Zapa Acho.
Khandu Wangchuk has a won a series of awards for his art, beginning with the 1981 National Award (Handicrafts) in Thangka painting, the Bharat Excellence as part of the Friendship Forum of India in 2001 and Kala Nidhi at the Surajkund fair in Haryana in 2006.
Bhutia currently resides in Allay Dara, Namchi, South Sikkim, as the proprietor of Khanchenzodnga Handicrafts Centre, which was registered in 1982. Khandu has taken his art to train over 350 students from the Sikkim populace in local handicraft, including Thangka painting, wood carving and carpet weaving.
Among his prominent students, Yeshey Zangpo Bhutia from Pelling, went on to win the National Award in 2008.
He has attended a series of seminars and exhibitions both in India and internationally, some of which include India International Trade Fair, Delhi India (2004), Surajkand Mela in Haryana (2006), Made In NorthEast India Fair, Bangkok Thailand (2010), and Jeddah International Trade Fair, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia (EPCH) in 2014.
Some of Khandu’s notable works include Buddhist wall murals at the Pemayangtse Monastery (Pelling), Boomtar Tamang Gumpa (Namchi), Gnadak Monastery Old (Namchi), Gnadak Monastery New (Namchi), Allay Gumpa (Ravangla), and Tashi Choeling Monastery (Khechupalri).
Khandu expressed his happiness on being selected for the Padma Shri. He said, “I received a phone call today morning about the award and felt extremely happy and humbled.”
Along with Khandu Wangchuk Bhutia, percussionist (Madal) Kajee Singh from Kalimpong, North Bengal, has been shortlisted for the award. Singh has been selected in the field of music; he served as a music teacher in Tashi Namgyal Academy in Gangtok, East Sikkim.
This year nine prominent figures from Northeast India in the field of art, literature and education, social work, trade and industry have been selected for the Padma awards.
T Senka Ao from Nagaland for Literature and education, Shakuntala Choudhary from Assam for Social work, Lourebam Bino Devi from Manipur for Art, Shyamamani Devi from Manipur for Trade and industry, Dhaneswar Engti from Assam for Literature and education, V L Nghaka from Mizoram for Art, Konsam Ibomcha from Manipur for art and Badaplin War from Meghalaya for Literature and education are among the northeastern awardees.
Padma Awards are among the highest civilian awards of the country and are conferred in three categories, namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri.