Chitkarauonlinemba at 10:01, 7 April 2026

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{{Infobox officeholder
| name = D. S. Kapoor
| honorific_suffix =
| image = DS Kapoor.jpg
| caption = Kapoor in 2016
| order =
| title = Officer on Special Duty, [[National Institute of Design]], [[Kurukshetra]]
| term_start = 2016
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| title2 = Principal, [[Government College of Arts, Chandigarh]]
| term_start2 = 2009
| term_end2 = 2012
| title3 = Dean, [[Pandit Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts]]
| term_start3 = 2012
| term_end3 = 2016
| order2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1954}}
| birth_place = [[Gurugram]], [[Haryana]], India
| alma_mater = [[Government College of Arts, Chandigarh|Government College of Arts]]
| website = {{URL|http://aestheticvision.in}}
| module =
}}

'''D. S. Kapoor''' (born 1954) is an Indian [[art historian]] and educator. He completed a bachelor of arts degree at [[Government College of Arts, Chandigarh]] (GCA) and began a career as a commercial artist. Later, he moved to art education, teaching at St. John's School. In 1990, he became a faculty member of the GCA, and served as the acting principal of the college from 2009 to 2012. After his retirement, he was appointed the dean of the [[Pandit Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts]], and then as an [[Officer on Special Duty]] at the [[National Institute of Design]], [[Kurukshetra]].

Kapoor designed a replica of the [[Eiffel Tower]] in [[Chandigarh]], to serve as an entrance to the annual Chandigarh Carnival. He authored a [[coffee table book]] on the GCA's 140-year history titled ''History and Heritage, Government College of Art (INDIA)'', which was released in 2018.

==Early life and education==
Kapoor was born in 1954 in [[Gurgaon]], [[Haryana]]. His father, Sujan Singh, was a faculty member at the [[Government College of Arts, Chandigarh|Government College of Arts]] (GCA), [[Chandigarh]]. Kapoor completed his primary education at the Lady Irwin School, Shimla, and his secondary education at the [[Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector-16, Chandigarh|Government Senior Secondary School]]. Though his father wanted him to pursue a career in architecture, Kapoor was interested in the arts. He was accepted into the GCA and graduated from the college with a national diploma degree in 1978. He later pursued a postgraduate diploma in public relations and advertising at the [[Dayanand College of Communication and Management]].<ref name="History & Heritage">{{cite web |title='History & Heritage' – Govt. College of Art, Chandigarh : A Precious History Book on the Prestigious Heritage of GCA |url=http://epaper.earthnews.in/epaperadmin/photos/pdf/6922625488201826582.pdf |website=The Earth News |accessdate=17 March 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190317153336/http://epaper.earthnews.in/epaperadmin/photos/pdf/6922625488201826582.pdf |archivedate=17 March 2019 |format=PDF |date=26 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career==
Kapoor's first job was as an artist at the Central Government's Tractor Training Centre, where he painted signboards. He quit after a month and joined St. John's School as an art teacher. In 1982, he moved to the [[Department of Industries & Commerce, Haryana]], as a commercial artist. He was instrumental in designing the industrial journal, ''Udyog Yog''. In 1988, he designed a postage stamp to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of the [[Bhakra Dam]].<ref name="History & Heritage"/>

[[File:Eiffel Tower Replica in Chandigarh.jpg|upright=1.15|thumb|right|Replica of the [[Eiffel Tower]] in [[Chandigarh]]]]
In 1990, he joined the GCA, as a teacher. His father Sujan Singh, and his grandfather Sunder Singh, also held various positions at the college making him the third generation to teach there. During his years at the college, he introduced computer graphics as a subject and also founded a registered organisation for the college's alumni, ''Kala Maitri''. In 2009, he was nominated to be the principal. During his tenure the college celebrated its diamond jubilee.<ref name="History & Heritage"/> He established a sculpture park on the college campus, which was named after the sculptor [[Dhanraj Bhagat]]. On 15 October 2010, the park was inaugurated by Ram Niwas, then Chief Secretary of Chandigarh.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theindiapost.com/nation/chandigarh/dhanraj-bhagat-sculpture-park-inaugurated/|title=Dhanraj Bhagat Sculpture park Inaugurated|date=15 October 2010|website=Theindiapost.com|accessdate=11 March 2019|archive-date=18 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218081956/https://www.theindiapost.com/nation/chandigarh/dhanraj-bhagat-sculpture-park-inaugurated/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kapoor designed a replica of the [[Eiffel Tower]] in [[Chandigarh]], which was installed in the Leisure Valley to serve as an entrance to the annual Chandigarh Carnival.<ref name="Eiffel Tower in Chandigarh">{{cite web |title=Eiffel Tower in Chandigarh|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20051122/ttlife.htm#13 |website=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune India]] |accessdate=18 March 2019}}</ref> He also designed murals for the Delhi Metro.<ref name="History & Heritage"/> In 2011, he curated an exhibition on the works on Sunirmal Chatterjee, titled ''Retrospective of Sunirmal Chatterjee''.<ref name="Strokes from the Past – Art Exhibition of Sunirmal Chatterjee">{{cite web |author1=Sheveta Bhatia |title=Strokes from the Past |url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/strokes-from-the-past/843716/ |website=[[The Indian Express]] |accessdate=18 March 2019 |date=9 September 2011}}</ref> After his retirement as principal of the GCA in 2012, he was appointed dean of the [[Pandit Lakhmi Chand State University of Performing and Visual Arts]], [[Rohtak]], a position he held until 2016.<ref name="Faculty Institute of Fine Arts SUPVA">{{cite web |title=Faculty Institute of Fine Arts |url=http://supva.ac.in/supva.ac.in/index/2016-02-17-09-15-32.html |website=SUPVA |accessdate=18 March 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516054626/http://supva.ac.in/supva.ac.in/index/2016-02-17-09-15-32.html |archivedate=16 May 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the same year, he assumed the office of Officer on Special Duty at [[National Institute of Design]], [[Kurukshetra]].<ref name="History & Heritage"/>

In 2014, with the slogan, ''[[Jai Jawan Jai Kisan]]'' ({{langx|en|Hail the Soldier, Hail the Farmer}}), Kapoor launched a national campaign called ''Jai Kalakar'' ({{langx|en|Hail the Artist}}).<ref name="City-based artist launches Jai Kalakar campaign">{{cite web |title=City-based artist launches Jai Kalakar campaign |url=http://abhitaknews.com/news/2470-City-based-artist-launches-Jai-Kalakar-campaign.aspx |website=Abhitak News |accessdate=18 March 2019 |date=23 July 2014 |archive-date=2 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221202205857/http://www.abhitaknews.com/news/2470-City-based-artist-launches-Jai-Kalakar-campaign.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> {{As of|March 2019}}, he continues to serve as the president of ''Kala Maitri'', the GCA alumni association, which he founded,<ref name="Old and new come together - DS Kapoor Kala Maitri">{{cite web |title=Old and new come together |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060811/ttlife.htm#1 |website=The Tribune India |accessdate=18 March 2019}}</ref> and is an honorary member of the [[Chandigarh Lalit Kala Academy]].<ref name="History & Heritage"/>

==History and Heritage (book)==
Kapoor authored a coffee table book on the history of GCA, titled ''History and Heritage, Government College of Art (INDIA)''. The book outlines the College's 140 year history from its establishment as the Mayo School of Art in 1875 in [[Lahore]] (now in Pakistan). Kapoor began compiling the book in 2009. It was released in March 2018 at a book launch ceremony attended by the [[Governor of Haryana]], [[Kaptan Singh Solanki]], the Vice Chancellor of Punjab University, Arun Kumar Grover, and the former principal of the GCA, Prem Singh.<ref name="CAN">{{cite web | title=History & Heritage Government Art College – coffee table book released |url=https://cityairnews.com/content/%E2%80%98history-heritage-govt-college-art%E2%80%99-%E2%80%93-coffee-table-book-released |website=City Air News |accessdate=18 March 2019 |date=7 March 2018}}</ref><ref name="Book launched to dedicate 140 years of GCA">{{cite web |author1=Arsh Behal |title=Book launched to dedicate 140 years of GCA |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/book-launched-to-dedicate-140-years-of-gca/articleshow/63209119.cms |website=[[The Times of India]] |publisher=Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. |accessdate=18 March 2019 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318062537/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/book-launched-to-dedicate-140-years-of-gca/articleshow/63209119.cms |archivedate=18 March 2019 |date=8 March 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
*2002, 2005, 2008 – Award by Governor of Punjab-cum-administrators Chandigarh, on Independence Day and Republic Day<ref name="CAN"/>
*2004 – Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi award<ref name="CAN"/>
*2006 – First Friday Forum Prestigious Award for Creative Excellence<ref name="CAN"/>
*2008 – Special Award of Honour by the Vice Chancellor of [[Panjab University]] during World Punjabi Conference<ref name="CAN"/>
*[[Tata Steel]] Selenium Award for Innovative Design<ref name="CAN"/>

==See also==
*[[Mayo School of Arts, Lahore]]
*[[The 1947 Partition Archive]]
*[[National College of Arts]]

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kapoor, D. S.}}
[[Category:Artist authors]]
[[Category:Artists from Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Indian art educators]]
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Gurgaon district]]

D. S. Kapoor - Revision history

Chitkarauonlinemba at 10:01, 7 April 2026