Ajay Mandavi

Ajay Kumar Mandavi, chosen from Chhattisgarh for the Padma Shri awards this year, has for more than a decade been teaching Kanker jail inmates, several of them arrested in cases related to the outlawed Maoist movement, wooden calligraphy art.

Chhattisgarh's Ajay Mandavi, who teaches wood calligraphy art to jail inmates, has been honoured with the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri, by the Union government for excellence in art.

Ajay Kumar Mandavi, chosen from Chhattisgarh for the Padma Shri awards this year, has for more than a decade been teaching Kanker jail inmates, several of them arrested in cases related to the outlawed Maoist movement, wooden calligraphy art.

Chhattisgarh's Ajay Mandavi, who teaches wood calligraphy art to jail inmates, has been honoured with the fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri, by the Union government for excellence in art.