YOUNGSTERS from Britain and India have achieved a Guinness World Record by creating the “world’s largest bubble wrap painting” in London.
The painting, prominently featuring Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, measures 16.01 square metres (172.33 square feet). It aims to inspire the “next generation” to help the Covid-affected families in India through registered charities.
The team also wishes to donate to the PM Cares Funds in India.
Nachiket Joshi, a youth leader and social worker, came up with the idea of the artwork. The team of artists from Creative Art Campus is led by Jignesh Patel, Akshay Pandya and Yash Patel. Khushboo Shah managed the coordination.
The team worked with 45 volunteers in London to complete the painting which they inaugurated in June last year. It took the team four months to complete the artwork - it concluded on October 27.
“We are overwhelmed to have achieved the world record,” Joshi said.
He praised Modi, saying he is a global leader who helped almost 100 countries with vaccines.
“He is the most popular leader across the globe. He has been successfully running the world’s largest and fastest vaccination campaign in India and has achieved the 150-crore (1.5 billion) plus milestone. This is our way of showing him respect for what he has done for the world”.
(From left) Jignesh Patel, Akshay Pandya, Yash Patel and Nachiket Joshi.
The other personalities featured in the artwork are industrialists Ratan Tata and Bill Gates and writer JK Rowling, who are all known for philanthropy.
Tata donated nearly $220 million (£162.3m) to address the pandemic in India, while the Bill Gates Foundation donated more than $1m (£740,000) and committed $4m (£2.95m) for R&D in India during Covid.
Rowling donated almost £1m (£740,000) through various Indian charities to help the Covid-struck families in India.
“We have chosen these heroes to inspire the younger generation so they can become like them... We plan to meet these notable personalities featured in our artwork personally,” Joshi said.
The team seeks to gift the painting to Modi.
The painting has been worked on in different venues in London and many members of the public joined in and injected a few bubbles. Each participant had a separate area to practise in before injecting the main pieces of artwork.
“All participants may receive a Guinness World Record certificate. It took me 300 bubbles per hour, and I have practised significantly! There were around 200,000 bubbles to fill so teamwork played a crucial role,” Jignesh Patel said.
He was a part of a 15-member group who cycled 123 kilometres from London to Brighton and raised funds for charity in May this year. The group bought oxygen concentrators and donated them in India. He has earlier broken four world records, performing different forms of painting.
Vijay Goel, a senior partner at Singhania & Co and chairman of the Indo-European Business Forum, has been supporting the art project in the UK.
Volunteers working on the painting.
He said he is “excited” about the project which promotes Modi’s achievement.
“The team led by Nachiket and Jignesh has been working voluntarily and doing a great job for a noble cause and I fully support them,” Goel said.
According to Yash Patel, the work, which was completed in separate pieces and assembled, will be put up for display.
Pandya said the personalities featured in the artwork “inspire us to have and pursue our passion in life”.
“My guru, His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, lived by his life motto ‘In the joy of others, lies our own’. This spirit and these values motivated us to embark on this project,” Pandya said.
Kulsuma Aktergetty images
Wintour also became synonymous with the Met GalaGetty Images