Kiran Manandhar
  Profiled by Shailesh Dhoj Joshi


Creations 
According to Kiran Manandhar, his journey into the world of fine art began twenty years ago. The robust artist, who turns forty-three this year, was born in Kathmandu, Nepal. He received his Masters in Fine Arts from Baneras Hindu University in Varanasi, India, in 1981 and at present he is a member of NAFA; he represents artists at the Royal Nepal Academy; he belongs to Artist Society of Nepal, Bombay Art Society, and Association des Arts Plastiques in France.

Though Manandhar is a prominent artist of Nepal today, and among the most vibrant creators, he feels that the art scene is not given the full appreciation that it deserves. "In Nepal, there is very little encouragement for young people who want to pursue the arts. When I decided to take up fine arts, my parents were not happy."

When the artist recollects on his life, he says, "I worked as a judo instructor in Kathmandu to pay for my college fees in India. When I ran out of money in India, I sometimes slept in railway stations because I could not pay my hostel fees."

  

Today, Manandhar is a successful artist and has held over 108 exhibitions in Nepal, India, France, Germany, and Finland. He likes the works of William de Kooning, Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Emil Nolde, and Lain Singh Bangdel. He has a studio in Nepal Association of Fine Arts and he also works at home.