Bulu Imam (born 31 August 1942) is an environmental activist working for the protection of tribal culture and heritage in
Jharkhand
Jharkhand (; ; ) is a state in eastern India. The state shares its border with the states of West Bengal to the east, Chhattisgarh to the west, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Bihar to the north and Odisha to the south. It has an area of . I ...
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
in London. He is also a recipient of the
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
(2019). He is the grandson of
Syed Hasan Imam
Syed Hasan Imam (31 August 1871 – 19 April 1933) was an Indian politician who served as the President of the Indian National Congress and was elected in September 1918.Calcutta High Court (1912–1916), and the
President of the Indian National Congress
The President of the Indian National Congress is the chief executive of the Indian National Congress (INC), one of the principal political parties in India. Constitutionally, the president is elected by an electoral college composed of members ...
(Bombay Session, 1918).
Since 1987, he has been the Convenor of
INTACH
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with Unit ...
Hazaribagh Chapter, and in 1991, discovered the first rock art of Jharkhand at Isco, and subsequently over dozen rock art site in the North Karanpura Valley. In 1993, he brought to light the Khovar (marriage) art, and then the
Sohrai
Sohrai is a harvest festival of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal. It also called cattle festival. It is celebrated after harvest and coincide with Govardhan Puja of Diwali festival. It is celebr ...
(harvest) murals painted on the walls of the mud houses of the Hazaribagh villages. He showed the connection between the region’s rock art and th painted village houses By 1995, he established the
Sanskriti Museum & Art Gallery
Sanskriti Museum & Art Gallery, Hazaribagh was founded by Bulu Imam in 1991, after he discovered the first rockart of Hazaribagh district at Isco, subsequently bringing to light over dozen meso-chalcolithic rockarts, including the prehistoric ar ...
INTACH
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is a non-profit charitable organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a special consultative status with Unit ...
, New Delhi, 1995) Antiquarian Remains of Jharkhand (Aryan Books International, New Delhi, 2014), written monographs on tribes like the
Birhors
Birhor people (Birhul) are a tribal/Adivasi forest people, traditionally nomadic, living primarily in the Indian state of Jharkhand. They speak the Birhor language, which belongs to the Munda group of languages of the Austroasiatic language famil ...
and the
Santhals
The Santal or Santhal are an Austroasiatic speaking
Munda ethnic group in South Asia. Santals are the largest tribe in the Jharkhand and West Bengal state of India in terms of population and are also found in the states of Odisha, Bihar and A ...
. He has made several films on tribal art and culture of Jharkhand. He is a researcher and an authority in fields related to archaeology, tribal and rock art, vernacular folklore and history.
Recent publications
* ''Antiquarian Remains of Jharkhand-'' Documentation of 520 archaeological sites in Jharkhand; INTACH, Aryan Books International, New Delhi, 2014,
* ''The Nomadic Birhors of Hazaribagh: Their Life, Art, Songs, Folklore & Ethnobotany'',
Lambert Academic Publishing
Omniscriptum Publishing Group, formerly known as VDM Verlag Dr. Müller, is a German publishing company, publishing group headquartered in Riga, Riga, Latvia. Founded in 2002 in Düsseldorf, its book production is based on print on demand, prin ...
(LAP), Germany, 2015,
* ''The Manjhi Santals of Hazaribagh: Their Hunt Rules, Songs, Lifestyle, Folklore & Hunting Dogs'', Lambert Academic Publishing (LAP), Germany, 2015
* ''Hazaribagh School of Painting & Decorative Arts,'' Lambert Academic Publishing (LAP), Germany, 2015
* ''Oraon Songs & Stories by Philomina Tirkey- Edited by Bulu Imam,'' Lambert Academic Publishing (LAP), Germany, 2015
* ''The Flowering Branch-'' Songs of the Manjhi Santals of Hazaribagh, Lambert Academic Publishing (LAP), Germany, 2015
Films and documentaries
* ''The One-Eared Elephant from Hazaribagh','' produced by Sanskriti -INTACH with support from
HIVOS
Hivos ( nl, Humanistisch Instituut voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking, Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation) is an international cooperation organization, with its global office in The Hague, The Netherlands. Hivos provides support to civil ...
, Netherlands, directed by Susanne Gupta, Berlin, T.V. Feature Film, 2004
* ''Tribal Women Artists,'' Feature Film (35mm Kodak Colour), with Films Division, Govt. of India, Bombay. Received National Film Award for Best Arts/Cultural Film in the 48th National Film Awards in 2001. ''Citation:'' ''For highlighting the creative abilities of the tribal women of Hazaribagh (Jharkhand) in an effective manner.''
* ''Early Creative Expressions of Man'' (Art of India Series, No.10), and ''The Eternal Dance'' (Art of India Series, No.11) produced for Doordarshan by Benoy K Behl, 2004
* ''Search for the First Dog'' (filmed by Working Dog productions), produced by National Geographic, and shown on Television in USA and India, 2004. Winner: Explorer’s Club Film Festival "Best Documentary".
* ''The Birhor- Study of a Nomadic Tribe in Hazaribagh,'' produced by Zee Telefilms, Bombay, 1999 for Television
* ''The Sohrai Art of Hazaribagh,'' produced by Zee Telefilms, Bombay, 1999 for Television
Awards
*
Padma Shri
Padma Shri ( IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is conf ...
(2019)
* Shri Bulu Imam was given the ''Vijay Rattna award'' on 29 May 2002 in for his work in promoting tribal art of Jharkhand, by India International Friendship Society. The award and Certificate of Excellence was presented by Shri. Bhisham Narain Singh, Former Governor of Tamil Nadu.
* On 31 July 2002 Shri Imam received the ''Rashtriya Gaurav award'' in for his work in environment protection "As Environmentalist of the Millennium" by India Institute of Success Awareness. The award was presented by Dr. C.P. Thakur, Former Union Health Minister.
* Rajkiya Sanskritik Samman: 2006 (State Award for Culture) for contribution to culture in Jharkhand. The award was given by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, Govt.of Jharkhand
* Nominated for the ''Goldman Award, 2006'' (USA) by Mr.
Edward Goldsmith
Edward René David Goldsmith (8 November 1928 – 21 August 2009), widely known as Teddy Goldsmith, was an Anglo-French environmentalist, writer and philosopher.
He was a member the prominent Goldsmith family. The eldest son of Major F ...
, ''
The Ecologist
''The Ecologist'' is a British environmental journal, then magazine, that was published from 1970 to 2009. Founded by Edward Goldsmith, it addressed a wide range of environmental subjects and promoted an ecological systems thinking approach thr ...
'', UK.
* Nominated for ''Padmashri, 2006'' by Dept. of Culture, Govt. of Jharkhand
* Nominated for '' Indira Gandhi National Integration Award 2007,'' by INTACH, New Delhi
* ''Rotary Club Silver Jubilee Award:'' On 30 August Convener Bulu Imam was presented the Rotary Silver Jubilee Award for Lifetime Achievement "For His Outstanding Contribution to Tribal Art, Poetry, Literature, & Nature Conservation".
* ''Doordarshan Golden Jubilee Award:'' The award was presented by His Excellency, K.Sankaranarayanan, Governor of Jharkhand on the evening of 15 September at the Doordarshan in for his contribution to Tribal Arts in Jharkhand.
* Gandhi International Peace Award 2011 by Gandhi Foundation, on 12 June 2012 in the House of Lords, London
Research papers
* Changing Intellectual and Spiritual Expressions of the Nomadic Birhor in Jharkhand ', Expression No.4, April, 2014, Burgos-Spain, p. 11-12
* The historical perspective of Prehistory through a study of Meso-chalcolithic rock art and contemporary tribal mural paintings in Jarkhand, Eastern North India ', XXV Valcamonica Symposium 2013, Italy, p. 243-246
* Comparative traditions in village painting and prehistoric rock art of Jharkhand ', XXIV Valcamonica Symposium 2011, Italy, p. 70-81
* The Temple Sites at Telkupi ("Bhairavasthan") - Jaina Architectural Remains Submerged by Panchet Dam in Jharkhand and West Bengal-'' ''ICOMOS, Heritage at Risk, World report 2006/2007,'' p. 88-90
* Threatened Jaina Heritage Route in Jharkhand and West Bengal '' listing 38, Updates- The stone/sand mining of rivers, Stone mining of megaliths, Destruction of Adivasi Villagers religio-cultural landscapes and archaeological sites in the North Karanpura Valley, for mines, dams, and Super Thermal Power Stations. ''ICOMOS, Heritage at Risk, World report 2004/2005,'' p. 94-103
* Hazaribagh and the North Karanpura Valley '' Traditional vernacular architecture and cultural landscapes; indigenous heritage; the living prehistoric mural traditions of Khovar and Sohrai art of the North Karanpura Valley; cultural lifestyle and the basis for the preservation of cultural heritage tradition- ''ICOMOS, Heritage at Risk, World Report 2002/2003'', p. 109-113
* '' Heritage at Risk from coal mining, pre-historic rock art sites, monuments and archaeological sites including megaliths, Natural and Sacred Sites, Cultural Landscapes, Burial and dancing grounds, nomadic sites- ''ICOMOS, Heritage at Risk, World Report 2001/2002'', p. 107-112
* ''Maluty Temples,'' ''Context'', Vol.4, issue 2, Autumn/Winter 2007, p. 87-90
* ''Traditional Village Architecture in Hazaribagh Today,'' '' Indian Architect & Builder,'' Vol.20, no.3, Nov., 2006, p. 96-100
* ''Development and Tribals in Jharkhand,'' ''Journal of Social Anthropology'', Vol.3, no.2, Dec., 2006, p. 191-196
* ''Painted Houses of Hazaribagh,'' ''Context'', Vol.2, no.1, Spring/Summer, 2005
* ''Some Thoughts on Local Art Forms in Indian Villages''- ''Journal of Social Anthropology'', Vol.1, No.1, p. 41-57 (June 2004)
* ''On Rockart'' – '' Man In India,'' 83 (3&4): 453-461 (July-Dec., 2003)
* ''Tribal Culture in Jharkhand : An Interface between Ecology and Tradition'' - ''Folklore Research Journal'', No.12, Dec., 2003
* ''Tribal Civilization in Jharkhand'' – ''Man In India,'' 82 (1&2): p. 211-222, (January–June, 2002)
* ''Some Thoughts on Rockart'' – ''Man In India,'' 82 (3&4): p. 419-426, (July-Dec., 2002)
* ''Some Thoughts on the Culture of the Past'' –''Man In India,'' 79 (1&2): 161-171, (Jan-June, 1999)
* ''Story of Kamli: A Birhor Medicine Women'', ''Man in India'', 1993, 73 (40), 377-385
* ''Cultural Spatial Concepts Implicit in Tribal Art and Identity in Hazaribagh District'' – ''Man In India,'' 73 (2), p. 163-172, (June 1993)
* ''Cultural Spatial Concepts Implicit in Tribal Art and Identity in Hazaribagh District'' - ''AURA- Newsletter of the Australian Rockart Association'' (AURA) Vol.9.No.2, November, 1992, p. 15-18
* ''Cultural Spatial Concepts Implicit in Tribal Art and Identity in Hazaribagh District'' – ''Indica'', Vol.30 (1993) No.1&2, Heras Institute of Indian History & Culture, St.Xaviers College, Mumbai
* ''Communication- Cultural Ecology'', ''Man in India'', 1992; 72 (1): 121-122
* ''Ecological Background of Chotanagpur- Its Imbalance and Tribal Communities,'' ''Man in India'', Sept. 1990, p. 266-277
* ''Significance of Primitive in the Context of Modern Art'' – ''Roopa Lekha,'' Vol.LV, No.1&2, Jan. 1984 (Ed.Dr M.S.Randhawa), New Delhi, p. 56-64