Received the Kalanand 2017 City Award with Fellowship for Bangalore city in the Drawing category. It was awarded by the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation at Chowdiah Memorial Hall. With nearly 4000 contest entries in various art categories the Kalanand competition is one of the biggest national level art contests in India for emerging artists.

Had entered one of my favorite portraits that I've drawn - of my friend 'Megha', which won the award. In this portrait (shown in the background) I had wanted to capture her cheerful and optimistic nature and it came through quite well. A portrait is not just copying features but capturing the essence of the person at the moment that you want to convey.