Paropakar 2026: Master Artworks on Sale in Jubilee Hills to Fund Nachiketa Tapovan's Schools

HYDERABAD: An art collector taking home a Raza, Padamsee or a Vaikuntam from Paropakar 2026 this weekend is also paying towards a child’s education. The two-day Art for Education exhibition opened at Spirit Connect in Jubilee Hills on Saturday, the proceeds from artwork sale going to Nachiketa Tapovan and part of this year’s funds set aside for its expanding Kodgal campus.

Curated by Sushma Thota in association with Art Connect, the exhibition includes artist-approved prints, serigraphs, etchings, ceramics and select sculptures by S.H. Raza, Akbar Padamsee, Krishen Khanna, Himmat Shah, Thota Vaikuntam and Seema Kohli.

The cause is closely tied to Sushma Thota’s own history. Her association with Nachiketa Tapovan began nearly 15 years ago, when she volunteered there, taught science and mentored students towards higher education. “When you take home a work from Paropakar, you are sending a child to school,” she said. “Art has the power to enrich our lives and also to create opportunities for others. That’s what Paropakar has always been about.”

The money raised this year will also support plans for vocational training centres, science laboratories and a library at Kodgal. The proposed expansion is expected to benefit 300 children currently studying there and, in the coming years, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 children from surrounding villages.

Nachiketa Tapovan says it began in 2001, when Vasundhara Reddy, known as Vasu Amma, began teaching neighbourhood children and speaking to their families about education. A school followed in 2005 on land she donated.

The organisation now works across Hyderabad and Kodgal and says more than 650 children are enrolled, 90 % of them first-generation learners. It also reports a 100 % SSC pass rate since 2018. According to the organisation, `18,000 pays for one child’s schooling for a year. Paropakar continues on Sunday and is open to the public free of charge.