A Memorable Day with Our Beloved Art Teacher – Subrat Mahala Sir

We are with our beloved art teacher, Subrat Mahala Sir, at KISS.

I, Jyotiranjan Gudia, along with my dear friends Binod Tudu and Kahnu Ranjan Khara, went on a short journey today and reached the KISS campus (Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences). Our purpose was to meet our beloved art teacher, Subrat Mahala Sir, who taught us drawing from our childhood and guided us as we grew into the artists and individuals we are today. After arriving at KISS, we called sir, but he had stepped out for some time. He kindly asked us to wait. Rather than staying idle, we decided to explore the surroundings and enjoy the beauty of the rural outskirts of Bhubaneswar. We roamed through Alasua, Daruthenga, Chandaka and Patharagadia, observing the vibrant life of these villages.

I, Jyotiranjan Gudia, am standing with my beloved art teacher, Subrat Mahala Sir, at KISS on the occasion of Prime Minister Modi's birth anniversary in 2017.

Once we returned to the KISS campus, we visited the Jagannath Temple located there. We had a peaceful darshan (holy view) of Lord Jagannath and soaked in the spiritual atmosphere. While we were at the temple, we unexpectedly met sir’s son. As we were talking to him, Subrat Mahala Sir himself arrived. Seeing him after a long time filled us with joy and emotion. We greeted sir with respect, bowed down to him and then spent about 30 minutes talking and recalling memories. We recorded a short video of our conversation and clicked a few beautiful photos together, thanks to his son who helped us with the camera. Coincidentally, that day was also the foundation day celebration of the temple. One of the teachers came to me and said, “Jyoti, go have prasad at the temple.” Subrat Sir also warmly invited us to join him for the meal. We all sat and had prasad together, sharing a joyful moment that brought back many beautiful memories.

We are with our beloved art teacher, Subrat Mahala Sir, at KISS.

Back when we were students at KISS from +2 till Post-Graduation we practiced art under the guidance of Subrat Mahala Sir. We, along with many others, created countless artworks inside the campus during events like Ganesh Puja, Saraswati Puja, Independence Day, Republic Day and on the arrival of many great guests. We worked with sir to decorate stages, prepare banners and bring creativity to life throughout the campus.

We are having prasad at the KISS Jagannath Temple with our beloved art teacher, Subrat Mahala Sir.

The experiences and skills we gained under sir’s mentorship were not just artistic they shaped our personality, discipline and passion. Today, whatever we are able to do in life, especially in the field of art, is deeply rooted in what we learned from Subrat Mahala Sir. Meeting him again reminded us of the special bond we shared not just as students, but as part of a creative family. His kind words and encouragement still inspire us to pursue our dreams. Before leaving, we promised to stay in touch and always carry forward the artistic spirit that he helped cultivate within us. This day will forever remain a special chapter in our journey three friends reunited with the teacher who lit the spark of creativity in our lives.

I am with my two college friends, Binod Tudu and Kahnu Ranjan Khara, at the KISS Jagannath Temple.