Indian painter awaits appointment with Modi
Saheb has made 12 paintings. depicting his 12–year tenure as CM of Gujarat
Dubai: An Indian artist and resident of Dubai for 22 years, who has made 16 paintings of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi capturing his evolution as a leader, is struggling to get an appointment with him during his visit to the UAE. The painter wants to gift Modi a painting, but despite his best efforts, he has had no confirmation.
“I am not a political person at all and I paint personalities who I adore and that too after my duty hours, sometimes right until the wee hours of morning,” says Akbar Saheb, 51, who works as an illustrator at an advertising agency during the day. He has done 38 paintings of late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, one for each year of his tenure as the President of the UAE and several paintings of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Saheb’s home resembles an art gallery with paintings hanging on every available space, including the kitchen and toilet doors, with some paintings as tall as 10x12 feet. He has spent a fortune on this passion and continues to paint whenever he finds time.
Saheb who hails from Udupi district in Mangalore in India began following Modi after he was projected as the candidate for the Prime Ministerial post by his party. “I just watched his election campaign on television from Dubai and felt that he had true statesmanlike qualities and has a lot of conviction, confidence, sincerity and determination. I feel if he is given enough time, he just might deliver all that he has promised,” says Saheb who is often chided by his friends for painting a right-wing Indian leader with such ardent passion.
Saheb studied Modi’s 12 — year tenure as the chief minister of the Indian state of Gujarat and made 12 paintings — one for each year. In the last two years he made four more paintings depicting situations from his real life.
“I am so excited at the idea of meeting Modi in person. If I do get to meet him, I will give him what I consider the best piece from my collection — ‘Blessings from Mother’ which depicts Modi as a busy man and his mother in the midst of people giving her silent blessings to her son. I will consider myself the luckiest person if I manage to get ten minutes with him,” says the sincere father of three children awaiting news from the Indian Embassy where he has made his plea.
