entertainment reporter/

Ekushey medalist painter Samarjit Roychowdhury is no more. He died today Sunday (October 9) in a hospital in the capital. Professor Nisar Hossain, Dean of Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University, confirmed the matter.

This talented painter was born in Comilla district in 1937. In 1960, Samarjit Roychowdhury completed his graduation in graphic design from the then Government Art Institute (now Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Arts). His teachers in this institute were Zainul Abedin, Kamrul Hasan and many famous artists.

He joined the Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University in 1960 and retired as a professor in 2003 after 43 years of service there. He later served as Dean of Fine and Performing Arts Department at Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology till 2010. He then joined Dhaka University as a supernumerary professor.

This talented artist had his first solo exhibition in 1983. It featured 60 of his artworks, including 30 oil paintings, 16 gouache, 5 pastels, 3 etchings and 6 drawings. In September 2014, he held an exhibition titled ‘Drisyantar’ or ‘Mantaj’. It exhibits 71 paintings including works in acrylics, watercolours, etchings, drawings, woodcuts, pastels.

Samarjit Roy Chowdhury was a painter who earned a bachelor’s degree in graphic design but practiced creative art from the very beginning and was involved in experimental art practice. He was awarded Ekushey Padak by the Government of Bangladesh in 2014 for his contribution to painting.