An Artist & A Crusader

He is as much an artist as he is an activist. Women and nature are his pet subjects and preserving their dignity his mainstay—whether it is through his artistic work or his staunch activism. Say hello to Paris Mohan Kumar…

- Nandini R Penna

“Art imitates nature and (is) obviously connected. And the connection lies in the absorption of the nature by the soul; it creates art, and never copies nature as it is. I see it with my consciousness and recreate the nature for its better existence,” declares well-known artist and activist Mohan Kumar, who is also known as Paris Mohan Kumar because of his connection to Paris. Way back in 1988, Mohan Kumar was listed by UNESCO as one of the 40 greatest artists in the world.

About the birth of this title, he explains that it is not just because of his 24-year stay in Paris. “I love Paris and I am a native of a small ex-French establishment (like Pondicherry).” He feels his stay in Paris taught him to appreciate and stand up against the wrong. “Paris showed and taught me, and the experience gave me a lot of courage to do the right thing. I am aware that destruction is inevitable, but I still have hope that nature will survive, even if it has to destroy the negative part of mankind.”

His active interest in environmental causes started 33 years ago when he returned from Paris. He explains, “The Nilgiri biosphere is one of the last surviving tropical rainforests in the world, spread across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and specifically Kerala. I found that these areas were neglected, especially the Nilgiris, Wayanad, Bandipur and Coorg.”

A vociferous environmentalist, he does not care much about support from the government and talks about his beliefs. “I am not a part of any politics or creed. I’m a pure vegetarian and believe in God and his kindness, and that’s the reason with all the suffering, mentally and physically from the wood mafia and poachers, I am still alive and strive with the practical ideology,” he says.