Why Laxma deserves a national award

There is no doubt that he deserves to get a Padma award. He's an internationally respected artist and it's unfortunate that no one has proposed his name for the national honour yet.  

— Prshant Lahoti, curator and gallery owner


No artist from Telangana has ever received a Padma honour. If you go to the art fair in Delhi and if there are 500 galleries, at least 300 of them will have Laxma Goud’s or Thota Vaikuntam’s works. I request the government to honour these two artists, who changed the art scenario in Telangana. They shouldn’t have to ask for the honour, they should have received it over 10 years ago. Maybe the government doesn’t understand art. We need to create awareness and make sure that artists like Laxma Goud are given the accolades they deserve.

Kaali Sudheer, gallery owner


I would like to congratulate DC for writing an informative story on Laxma Goud .

These state and central government awards are too small for Laxma Goud. He is the only artist in India who can work in any medium and DC’s story on Laxma Goud opens the eyes of Telangana government. Telangana government is busy giving awards to small and unknown artists of the region because they have political influence... very unfortunate.

— Fawad Tamkanat, Artist


Government doesn’t focus a lot on Indian artists. Yes, they are aware of Indian art but mostly because of people who approach them and, thus, advertise themselves. Laxma doesn’t mingle with bureaucrats and has never promoted himself; his work has always done the talking for him.

— Chippa Sudhakar, Artist and former student of Laxma Goud


I rate him as the No. 1 artist. I have no clue why he hasn’t received a national honour yet. He’s one of the most popular artists and should receive recognition.

Sheetal Bangur, Entrepreneur


Laxma Goud is a big man, an all-rounder and I am certain he doesn’t care whether he has got any awards or recognition. He works from morning to evening and his sole focus is on his work. Moreover, I don’t think an award is an appropriate parameter to judge a person’s talent. He was a professor for over 17 years and some of the best known artists, Fawad Tamkanat, Chippa Sudhakar, A. Rajeshwara Rao and Sajid Bin Amar, are his students. Despite being a senior artist, he attends all the exhibitions he is invited to and even mentors younger talent. So whether he gets an award or not, is not really of any grave importance to him.

— T. Hanumantha Rao, gallery owner