Ajay Kumar Garg, is a very talented young artist. He lives in Jaipur, India. His childhood was going on well, until he suffered an injury at the age of three. Ajay was treated, but that treatment left him permanently deaf. His parents tried several hospitals to cure his impairment, but it didn’t cure him. His father, once bought him a paint set to play. Ajay started to paint happily. He painted on the walls, floors etc. He looked happy, while using the paint set that was gifted to him. Soon, Ajay’s father realised that Ajay was talented in painting. When Ajay was five years old, a court artist of Dholpur (Rajasthan), Shri Sua Lal saw his painting and was very impressed with his work. He then took Ajay and started training him.
After completing his education, Ajay tried tailoring but, that didn’t make him happy so he went back to painting. He became an apprentice of Asha Devi. She taught Ajay the old and dying technique of ‘Traditional Indian Miniature painting’. He mastered the technique of preparing colors and brushes and gained knowledge of the paintings. Soon he became an accomplished artist in the miniature style. He uses a magnifying glass and a single- haired brush for miniature paintings that depict Indian culture. Ajay is gifted in the practice of creating images on a grain of rice.
Ajay exhibited his work and sold 144 out of the 150 paintings displayed. He continued to show his work throughout India , the United States and United Kingdom. In 2004, Ajay was awarded a national award of accomplishment from the Indian President, Dr. A.P. J. Abdul Kalam.
Apart from painting, Ajay is also very actively involved in the welfare of people with hearing impairment in India and has been the executive member of the’ Deaf & Dumb Association’ in Rajasthan. He also gives free training to hearing impaired children in Jaipur as well as children in an orphanage in Gandhi Nagar, Jaipur. One of Ajay’s current goals is to revitalise the dying art of traditional miniature Indian paintings.
Ajay’s life shows us that we can turn our hobby or passion into a successful career, if we are ready to learn and develop our skills.
