A. R. Poduval facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ambadi Rama Poduval
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| Born | 27 January 1884 Thrissur, British India
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| Died | 1940 (aged 55–56) |
| Occupation | Physician, surgeon and painter |
Ambadi Rama Poduval (1884–1940) was a talented surgeon and artist. He was born in Thrissur, British India, on January 27, 1884. He finished high school in Thrissur in 1899. Later, he studied at Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, and graduated from Presidency College, Madras, in 1903.
He earned his medical degrees (Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Surgery) in 1912 from Madras Medical College. After that, he started working for the Cochin Government. He later traveled to England to study medicine further. During World War I, Dr. Poduval served as an army doctor in places like Mesopotamia and Burma. For his service, he was made a Captain and returned to his job in Cochin.
In 1928, he went to Germany to get his MD degree from the University of Hamburg. When he came back, he continued working as a Civil Surgeon, mainly in Thrissur and Ernakulam. He retired in 1939 as the Director of Public Health. Sadly, he passed away shortly after retirement at age 56, after a short illness. His house in Thrissur was named "Umaramam" by the famous poet Vallathole. Dr. Poduval was also the first president of the Indian Medical Association in Thrissur.
A Talented Artist
Even as a young boy, Dr. Poduval showed amazing talent in art. He really wanted to become a professional artist. While he was a student in Madras, he became good friends with the famous Indian artist, Raja Ravi Varma.
In 1904, Raja Ravi Varma wrote a letter recommending Dr. Poduval for a special scholarship to study art in Europe. Varma was very impressed with Poduval's art. He wrote that Poduval had made great progress, even though he only drew in his free time while studying. Varma believed that with his education and natural talent, Poduval would become a famous artist if he trained in Europe. This handwritten letter from Varma is still kept in the Poduval family collection.
However, his family wanted him to become a doctor, so he chose medicine as his career. While in England, he still found time to take evening art classes. His teachers told him not to change his unique art style with too much formal training.
His travels abroad allowed him to visit famous art galleries in Europe. Wherever he went, Dr. Poduval always had his sketch-book or easel. He was skilled with both a surgeon's scalpel and a painter's brush. His experiences as a military doctor during World War I influenced his art. He used pencil, charcoal, oil, tempera, and water colors. Water color was his favorite medium, and he was especially good at it.
Because he was a busy surgeon, he had little time for art. This meant many of his pictures were left unfinished. Still, he left behind a wonderful collection of paintings and sketches. His first solo art show was held in 1955 in Madras. V K Krishna Menon opened the exhibition and said that Poduval's paintings spoke directly to ordinary people. In 1966, the Kerala Lalithakala Academy honored Dr. Poduval by celebrating his birthday and showing his portrait. Another exhibition of his paintings took place in Thrissur in 1996.
Dr. Poduval was a very hardworking person. Even with his busy life as a top surgeon, he found time for art. He also wrote articles and gave lectures in both English and Malayalam. These talks were about medicine, art, and other interesting topics.
One of his articles, "The Creative Delight", was so well-liked by Mahatma Gandhi that he had it reprinted in his newspaper, Young India. The article, with Gandhi's introduction, was published again in The Hindu newspaper in August 1929.
About His Family
Dr. Poduval came from the well-known Ambadi family in Thrissur. His father was T Sesha Iyer. His mother passed away when he was very young. A relative, whom he called 'Ammini Amma', took care of him.
He married Thekke Kuruppath Parukutty Amma. She was a great help and support to him in both his medical and artistic life. They had three daughters:
- Leela Mannadi Nair: She was married to Ankarath Achuthanunni Mannadi Nair. Leela was an active social worker. She also served as an MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for Thrissur from 1954 to 1956.
- Kamala Dasgupta: She married the famous Indian sculptor, Pradosh Dasgupta. Kamala is known as the first modern woman sculptor in India. She received a lifetime achievement award from the West Bengal Government in 2001. Her son, Prabuddha Dasgupta, became a well-known fashion and fine-art photographer.
- Vimala Nayar: She was a retired professor at Calicut Medical College. She was married to Manakampat Kesavan Unni Nayar. He died in 1950 while serving as a delegate for India in Korea.
Some of His Artworks
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Study of Indian Fakir (1935)
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Artist's wife/Charcoal and Crayons (1935)
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Head of a woman (1918)
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Baghdad (1919)
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Bethan -N,Wales (1917)
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An Arab Woman (1915)
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Woman at the door (1919)
