Anna Molka Ahmed (1917-1994)

Anna Molka Ahmed (1917-1994)Anna Molka Ahmed was born on August 13, 1917 in London. She was the first art teacher in Pakistan to take her students outdoor to paint their surroundings. Her own work, thick impasto impressions often appear to capture the very essence of sunshine. Professor Emeritus, Punjab University Fine Arts Department, her pioneering work in the field of art education is incalculable. Recognition of her work is documented by way of national awards, which include Tamgha-i-Imtiaz in 1963, the President's Award for the Pride of Performance in 1969 and also the Khudeja Tul Kubra Medal.A child of mixed Russian and Polish parentage, she was born in 1917 and was drawn to art at an early age. Defying parental disapproval, Anna achieved first a scholarship to St. Martin's School of Art in London, followed by a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Art. She met and married fellow artist, Sheikh Ahmed, and left her native London to make her home in the Punjab. Anna Molka set fourth to change art education in Pakistan and launched the Fine Arts Department in the Punjab University in 1940, which she continued to head for over three decades. Professor Anna Molka Ahmed's students were instrumental in establishing Fine Arts Departments throughout Pakistan and many have gained recognition in the art world.After her retirement, she took great satisfaction in concentrating on her painting, still vibrant and full of interest despite health problems. Anna is part of the beginning of art developments in Pakistan. I am, once she said, "the Mother of all the artists." The artists are fortunate, she was a gallant matriarch and a great lady. Died in Lahore on April 21, 1994.