A contemporary artwork depicting Mahatma Gandhi's encounter with young Sri Lankan architect Minnette de Silva has been presented to the Sri Lankan diplomatic mission in New Delhi, celebrating the historical and cultural connection between the two nations.
A painting created by Sri Lankan artist Raja Segar has been gifted to the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi on August 7, commemorating a largely forgotten moment from Mahatma Gandhi's 1927 visit to Ceylon. The artwork, titled "Gandhi and Minnette de Silva (2023)," was presented alongside Namita Swamy, Founder-Director of Tapobhumi – Oko Centre for the Arts in Bengaluru.
The painting draws from historical accounts documented by historian and feminist scholar Kumari Jayawardena, which describe how the nine-year-old Minnette de Silva, who would later become a pioneering Sri Lankan architect, was tasked with locating goat's milk for Gandhi during his time on the island. Segar reimagined this episode through his distinctive "Refractive" artistic style, incorporating geometric forms and vibrant colors to portray Gandhi, the young de Silva, and a goat within a rural landscape setting.
The artist noted that his interpretation elevates the goat from a minor detail in the original account to a symbolic element within the composition, creating a visual link between Gandhi's philosophy of simplicity and Sri Lanka's countryside. Segar's personal connection to the subject—having resided in a house designed by Minnette de Silva—informed his artistic approach to the work.
Officals at the High Commission received the donation with appreciation, indicating that the painting will be incorporated into the Mission's permanent collection. Both the artwork and the gifting ceremony underscore the shared cultural and historical bonds between Sri Lanka and India, and the role of people-to-people connections in strengthening diplomatic relations.
