Senior rangoli artist and cultural organiser Chandrakant Gharote, Sanskar Bharti Pashchim Kshetra Pramukh, has been selected for the Kaladan Cultural Award for 2024–25 by the Government of Maharashtra. The Rs 3 lakh award honours him in the Kaladan category as a senior art practitioner, acknowledging his lifelong and selfless contribution to the field of bhu-alankaran (rangoli). A veteran artist from Nagpur, Gharote is also known as a tireless cultural organiser. A dedicated volunteer of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he has served as a pracharak and has been closely associated with Sanskar Bharati almost since its inception.

 

Over the years, he has travelled extensively across India and abroad, spreading the art of rangoli and nurturing hundreds of volunteers, effectively binding households and communities through colour and creativity. As Western Region Pramukh of Sanskar Bharati, Gharote is regarded as a guiding presence for workers across Vidarbha, Devgiri, West Maharashtra, Konkan, Goa and Gujarat. Known for his humility, discipline and inclusive leadership, he has earned deep respect among artists and organisers alike. Leaders of Sanskar Bharati from across the country have congratulated him, calling the honour a moment of pride for Vidarbha’s cultural fraternity.

 

Reacting to the announcement, Gharote said the award belonged to his colleagues and collaborators who helped him realise large-scale rangoli creations. He added that receiving the honour during the centenary year of the RSS and the beginning of the Amrit Mahotsav year of his life made it especially meaningful. The Kaladan Award is widely seen as a fitting tribute to a long, sincere and unwavering journey in art and cultural service.