Art School Owner Dipa Karmakar's Determination Painted Away The Black From Her Life

Today we are travelling to Kolkata in West Bengal to meet 45-year-old Dipa Karmakar. She is one of the choicest artists who have brightened up SHEROES Arts Community with her brilliant work... To start with, just take a look at this captivating art-work done by her...

Dipa is not just an artist. She, in fact, runs an Art school registered since 2014 in South Kolkata which has more than 100 students on the roll!

It's been a long journey for Dipa, she says. She informs that the baby steps were taken when her son was just three years old. Now her son is 20-years-old and goes to college. Both husband and son, as well as in-laws, are quite supportive of her work. She has begun hosting exhibitions of her various works, students numbers are rising and she is getting fame in the region.

But through this entire journey, Dipa says that it was her hope that held her strong, her hope that one day she will also be known by her name, be self-dependent, the strong hope that made her become a winner through each and every struggle. We both smile because I can sense some different colours flowing from behind her voice.

Seemed like our ride to Kolkata and her Art World will be a very colourful one. But then Dipa reminds us that black is also a colour in life! And when she begins unfolding her story, that's when I realise what she means.

"I had never thought that one day I would run an art school! As a child I was good at studies; I learnt classical music. Art was just a hobby. But since I had a bent towards arts and music, my father always wanted me to be self-dependent. I was young and clueless about the future. I never paid heed to his advice. While he was aiming for a better future for me, I was hell-bent on getting married to my boyfriend of eight years. Against my father's advice, I didn't even finish my higher studies. He told me to at-least do B-Ed (to which I am highly thankful to him today) before I get married.

Post-wedding, life took a drastic turn. Let alone my future, even my likes and dislikes didn't matter to anyone. The rosy glasses on my eyes were off. I became a mother within one year of our marriage. My in-laws were against me working professionally; moreover, my child was too small to be left alone. But we were struggling financially now. That's when my little education and B.Ed came handy. I began taking tuition for children at home," Dipa opens up the dark chapter of her life, in a jiffy. I am amazed at her faith in me as a journalist, though on the first call she had told me she is a shy person. But when it came to discussing her life, she became an open book!

As I commend her father's judgement in my heart, 45-year-old Dipa goes on, "Later besides taking normal tuition, I also began teaching art and drawing to children. The number of children began growing after the addition of the art classes.

Seeing this my father-in-law suggested me to open an art school because one of his relatives was also running the same. But since I had no formal education in this field, I decided to study further. Yes, after 5 years of my wedding, I was back to studies. I completed a five-year Diploma in Arts. And opened my own Art School, which runs by the same name in Kolkata now." Her son and husband help her out, balance work-life, she says.

In 2014 her Art School was formally registered in South Kolkata. And Dipa says since then there has been no looking back, "Now I have above 100 students in my Art School. And by God's grace, the number is increasing every month. I am happy that my 91-year-old father and 80-year-old mother are alive to see this moment. I am glad I could make my father happy in this life." And we both push back some tears when she informs that her mother has recently been detected with an advanced stage of breast cancer.

"You know ma’am, singing was a tradition at my house. Ma sings well, but I initially learnt singing from Baba. Then I went to singing school and took a diploma in classical singing and Rabindra Sangeet. You may laugh to hear the story as to why I didn't take singing as a profession. I used to be a very shy and introvert girl. I didn't feel comfortable to practice singing loudly in my in-law's house. But love for my music was always there. I bought a synthesizer from my savings and even learnt it for 3 years at home under the guidance of a music teacher. This year I even decided to join singing class again but suddenly 6 months ago I got to know that my mother has been detected with an advanced stage of breast cancer."

She takes a much-needed pause, perhaps to fight back a few more tears...composes herself and continues, "Also, as I said, my father is 91 years old and my parents they live alone. My brothers aren't based in Kolkata. So rather than taking out time for my singing classes, I will devote that to my parents and take care of them. They have made me who I am today. Also, my mom-in-law is getting older. So I have to balance both parts. By God's grace, the Art School is running well, so I guess that's my destiny!" I am amazed at the ease she shows in expressing such an intricate aspect of her life. Perhaps she has transformed into steel, and my transition is still underway...

I am lost in these thoughts and more, as her voice rings into my ears again," Mam you there? You know, I joined SHEROES just very recently. And it has opened up my world. Because many women like me and I are accepted here as who they are. No one judges us, no one passes any wrong comments. We are free to be WE! There is so much talent here and each one appreciates you, holds you up when you feel low. They share so much from which I educate myself sitting at home."

Dipa's timeline at SHEROES isn't just full of her artwork, rather it is a balanced mix of her art-work as well as posts where she uplifts and motivates other women as well. She says, "Women sacrifice everything for their family and forget about their passion or dreams. They make everyone happy, take care of everything but are they really happy for themselves? Whenever I find someone depressed, I motivate them. I only try to make them positive and hopeful. Because that's the real me. Hope brought me where I am today. And I have to share the same hope with others."

At this juncture, I ask Dipa about her aspirations and future goals. She smiles, " Future goals are many. I wish to expand my Art School to a national level. In the coming years, I wish to introduce multiple art forms in the school, as well as organise exhibitions, workshops, summer camps, etc. My aim is that every month at the art school must be better than the previous one." Isn't this belief of Dipa a great inspiration!?

So what's your message to the women at SHEROES who look up to you as an inspiration Dipa...

Dipa laughs and asserts, "All I will say is that no matter what goes wrong in your life, NEVER LOSE HOPE. Stay positive. NO ONE CAN HELP YOU, TILL YOU HELP YOURSELF. Give time to a situation to change it through your determination. Hold onto the rope of patience, it will never let you fall. Remove the word "I can't" from your life. Every person is talented in some ways. Your only aim should be to discover it and work to excel in it. "

Wow! So that was Dipa Karmakar in a highly charged interview to me in the ongoing #MeetTheShereos Series. Till I come back to you with another such power-packed story, don't forget to share Dipa's story in your circle and also pour lots of love in the comments column for her. You can also follow her on SHEROES.