Kiran Soni Gupta is an artist, prolific writer, keen photographer and an activist administrator. She served as the Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports. She retired from the position of Director General of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur in June 2020. 

 

Seeing her contribution in enriching art, the Government of India gave her a new responsbility in January 2021 as she was made the Director of Western Zone Cultural, Udaipur under the ministry of Cultural Affairs.

 

Ms. Gupta has worked in different assignments in Government of India, Government of Kerala and Rajasthan. She has been District Collector of two districts and Divisional Commissioner of Jaipur and Jodhpur. The National Productivity Council NPC and NABARD have recognized her with National awards for her administrative and developmental initiatives.

 

Harvard University selected her in 2005 for the prestigious Mason Fellowship to study for a Master's in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Government. She was also awarded a scholarship in 2004 for a Master’s in Public Policy at the Maxwell School, Syracuse.

 

In addition to her professional responsibilities, she has kept up her interest in painting as an artist for more than three decades. It has been a journey of exploring her soul and the environment through her varied administrative experiences. Her works can be accessed on website www.kiransoniarts.in

 

Kiran's artwork 'Shelter', 'Three Generations' and 'Poojatimes' was selected and exhibited at the most famous and most visited Le Louvre Museum in Paris France in Dec 2017, 2013 and 2012.

 

Kiran has been recently honored with Literary Excellence Award at 4th Asiad Litfest 'Unnat Bharat Sewashri Award 2013', Swasti Samman 2013', Special Award at the International Vaish Sammelan 2013',' Rajasthan Gaurav Award 2012' the "Nari Prathibha Samman" in 2012 and was conferred with the" Kala Samridhi Award in 2010, " Artist of the Year 2009" and “Special Achiever Award 2009".

 

The artist has held more than three dozen solo art shows in major cities in India and in foreign countries including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, Tehran, Kandy, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Her also held her solo exhibition “Desert Symphony" at the National Museum New Delhi was inaugurated by Dr. Karan Singh in April 2011. Dr. Swaraj Paul in 2010 had presided over her exhibit at Nehru Centre London. 

 

Kiran has also promoted art through events in many places, including 'Kala Kumb' in Bikaner, a congregation of 150 artists from across India organized through community support. She was also a visiting artist at the East West Centre, Hawaii. Her artworks auctions in Cambridge in 2007 for raising charity for children’s food and education have helped her in realizing her vision of art for social cause. She also won the Valparaiso Foundation Fellowship, Mojacar, Spain for 2010 and Centrum Residency 2009.

 

Kiran also conceptualized, curated and organized Jaipur's First International Art Festival in March 2013 with 130 artists drawn from all over the world. The Festival met with a huge success. She also did the 2nd edition of the Arts Festival in 2014 with 240 artists drawn from 24 countries. She organized Gita Kala Parv at Kurukshetra in Dec 2016 and Vigyan Prasar Kala Parv at Indian National Science Academy 2017. Her artwork” Shelter’ was selected for the exhibition at the Louvre Museum Paris in 2017.

 

She believes that man’s soul is the architect of history and that art is the manifestation of man’s soul & reflection of human identity. Art is unbounded and recognizes no constraints. Her artworks auctions in Cambridge for raising charity for children’s food and education have helped her in realizing her vision of art for social cause.