Winners of the Tata Trusts Students’ Biennale 2026 Awards Announced

Four student-artists have been adjudged winners of the sixth edition of Tata Trusts Students’ Biennale International Award 2026, held as part of the recently concluded Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB).

The awards, supported by the Tata Trusts since 2016, mark a milestone moment for one of India’s most influential platforms for emerging artists. Serving as a vital bridge between art education and professional practice, it offers young artists the space, resources, and mentorship to develop contemporary, research-led work. It will also shape their artistic journeys and create long-term pathways for a career in the arts.

 This year’s edition, led by a team of seven curators, under the theme ‘Sensing Grounds’, brought together over 200 student-artists from more than 175 art institutions across India, presenting 70 projects across six venues in Fort Kochi.

The four awardees are Aswathy GS (Staged Narratives) from Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts, Mavelikkara, Kerala; Kailash Khanjode (Ginning Justice, 2025) from Government College of Art, Nagpur, Sachin Banne (Ginning Justice, 2025) from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai; and Sai Gitanjali Poluru (Root System Analysis) from Shiv Nadar University. The recognition includes an international trip, offering the students the opportunity to engage first-hand with global contemporary art and international exhibition-making.

Additionally, seven students were chosen for the Tata Trusts Students’ Biennale National Award—Abhishek Kholapudi (Mirage of the Three, 2025) from Suravaram Pratap Reddy Telugu University, Hyderabad; Pratik Khurkutiya (The quiet beneath the rubble) from MSU, Baroda; M. Imran Ahmed (Staged Narratives) from Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai; Reppandee Lepcha (Shifting Landscapes) from Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan; Rohit Athavale (Ginning Justice 2025) from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai; Urgain Zawa (Sacred Scapes) from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda; and Durgesh Prajapati (Expressions of Fragility) from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The National Award provides month-long residencies at reputed art institutions across India, enabling recipients to develop new work under the guidance and mentorship of leading practitioners.

The awardees were selected by a distinguished jury comprising Umah Jacob (Director, External Relations & Outreach, India Art Fair), Shaleen Wadhwana (independent arts educator, researcher and curator), Rajyashri Goody (artist and former Students’ Biennale curator), and Osheen Siva (Multidisciplinary Artist).

The Students’ Biennale is executed by Kochi Biennale Foundation, with the principal support of the Tata Trusts. Since its inception, the Students’ Biennale has benefited over 1,000 young artists, who have gone on to establish significant practices with major residencies, exhibitions, and international recognition.

(Photo Courtesy: KMB)