Apart from being a painter and a sculptor, 4th generation artist of the RKCS family, RK Budhimanta also makes topiaries, creating animals and birds shaped structures from bushes and plants. His works can be seen at their garden and also along the bank of the Nambul River. The artist was also once a flora devotee, collecting varieties of flowers and winning a few prizes in flower exhibitions. Along with recreating paintings that were previously done by his father, Rajkumar Chandrajit Sana, Mr. Budhimanta also creates his own paintings to express his thoughts and send messages though the paintings. One such painting is a portrayal of skulls depicting the devastating consequences of war; another is a painting illustrating the gruesome nature of starvation in Somalia; and another is a crafty portrait of Irom Sharmila that also reveals a map of Manipur when closely examined.

Most of the paintings done by RKCS are collected and in more demand among the non-Manipuris than the people of Manipur themselves. Mr. Budhimanta says that he actually appreciates this trend and feels proud about the fact that more and more people outside of Manipur are interested in collecting and studying about the culture of Manipur. Although, he wishes that the people of Manipur would also follow this trend of collecting paintings and become a little more passionate about art. He says that there are many talented artists in Manipur but lack exposure. He wishes to bring all these artists together under one roof and establish a hub for displaying and selling their beautiful paintings for the tourists and art lovers. The artist also stresses about the difficulties they face whenever they participate in exhibitions held outside Manipur because of the lack of sponsorships from both Government and private bodies.

RK Budhimanta, a 4th generation artist of the RKCS family and one of the most prominent artists of the state, has been carrying on the longest tradition of painting in Manipur. He has been taking the lead in showcasing and exhibiting the beautiful portrayals of history, culture and traditions of Manipur in various parts of India. Mr. Budhimanta has plans to extend their presence at the international level although he says that lately he has been fairly occupied with delivering the numerous orders they have been receiving. He says that there has been quite a demand for their paintings even by the Manipuris settled abroad. The RKCS Museum of Arts and Crafts is a place of attraction both for the locals and tourists alike. Many dignitaries of the state and nation have already visited the museum and is one of the most acclaimed tourist attractions in Manipur. The curator says that they have been able to maintain the museum because of the generous donations made by the visitors at the museum.

Besides paintings, the RKCS family also organizes other activities like painting competitions for children and has also published a few books about art and collection of literatures by the legendary artist, Rajkumar Chandrajitsana. Our guest also talks about his miniature paintings of famous personalities of the world. He started making the 1cmx1cm sized paintings in 2001 and so far he has created about 270 of such. The first miniature paintings he ever made were of Osama Bin Laden and George W. Bush!

Established in 1947, the RKCS Art Gallery showcases the beautiful, captivating

and imaginative artworks done by the legendary artist of Manipur, Rajkumar Chandrajitsana Singh. The chain of paintings inside the art studio captures the remarkable genius of the artist himself and each one of his paintings instill

curiosity in our minds and make us wonder what could be the story behind

the portrait. Today, the legacy of the artist is proudly and proficiently carried on by his son, Mr. RK Budhimanta, who is one of the most eminent artists of Manipur.

Mr. RK Budhimanta, the 4th generation artist of the RKCS family, shares stories about the magnificent artist that his father was. From theatre backdrops to movie posters, mythological illustrations to historical accounts, we get to know a lot more in details about the early days of the legendary artist. Mr. RK Budhimanta also shares with us the incident that inspired RKCS to take up the project of depicting the history of Manipur in paintings–the same project that took 10 years of hard work and dedication including vast and in-depth research with the scholars of Manipur.

Apart from these skills, RKCS was also an acrobat and a good wrestler and has even acted in one of the dramas during his early days.