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Hello, I am Rohini Namdeo Bhadarge. I am an Ambedkarite Buddhist fine artist having just completed my master’s degree at JJ School of Art. I have been offered admission to the Post-Baccalaureate program in Studio Art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), one of the top art schools in the world.
I am a first-generation learner and a committed community artist whose work speaks from the margins and for the oppressed sections. I am also a grassroot level activist in the Ambedkarite movement and vice-president of Maharashtra chapter of All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association (AIISCA) from last two years.
SAIC has recognized my work and awarded me a 70% merit-based scholarship for my bold artistic vision and social engagement. Now, I need your support to raise the remaining fees & additional expenses to make this life-changing opportunity possible.
The Total Expenses including fees and other expenses would be $80,065 - approx ₹6,853,616, of which i have been awarded a total scholarship of $40000, and i have to arrange the rest $40065 - approximately ₹3,429,590.
Cost Breakdown :
As a professional fine artist over the past seven years, I have been building an art practice rooted in resistance, healing, and social justice. My work documents the lives, dreams, and struggles of Bahujan, Dalit, and working-class communities, such as the 12 Balutedar communities of Maharashtra. I have created paintings and murals that celebrate figures like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Ramabai, and Savitribai Phule, not as icons, but as real people whose vision I carry forward in color and form. My painting Pangat, for example, challenges caste-based exclusion in village spaces, while my community mural at the Savitribai Resource Centre is a tribute to the people's history and resilience. These experiences have strengthened my resolve to use art as a medium to challenge societal norms, document untold histories, and advocate for equality.
I am also the Vice President of Maharashtra for AIISCA, through which I have worked closely with grassroots organizations, youth movements, and education campaigns. My art is not separate from my activism, it is my tool for collective memory and transformation.
My purpose in undertaking this postgraduate study is to further refine my artistic skills, deepen my understanding of the socio-political landscape in South Asia, and create meaningful art that inspires change and fosters equality.
I come from a family that has no land, no home of our own, we have always lived in rented spaces. My father, despite all odds and limited income (₹5000 monthly), struggled and worked relentlessly to provide me with an education he could barely afford. He believed in me and my art, even when society didn’t. I carry that belief with deep responsibility, not just for myself, but for my entire community.
Being selected by SAIC is a historic moment, not just for me, but for every first-generation artist who has been told their stories, their bodies, and their communities don’t belong in global institutions. This program will help me sharpen my craft, deepen my research, and build bridges between global art spaces and the people’s movements in India.
But I cannot take this step alone. I have no family wealth, no property to fall back on. I only have my people, my purpose, and my art. That is why I am reaching out for support, solidarity, and belief.
If you believe that artists from the margins deserve a global stage, that caste-oppressed and working-class women should lead from the front, and that art can be a weapon of truth, then please support this journey. Every contribution, big or small is a step toward reclaiming the future we all deserve.
My Instagram Profile : https://www.instagram.com/nili_chimani/
Artstation Portfolio : https://www.artstation.com/rohinibhadarge6
Expenses reference: https://www.saic.edu/sites/default/files/2025-03/graduate-budget-sheet-sufa-2025.pdf
I am a first-generation learner and a committed community artist whose work speaks from the margins and for the oppressed sections. I am also a grassroot level activist in the Ambedkarite movement and vice-president of Maharashtra chapter of All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association (AIISCA) from last two years.
SAIC has recognized my work and awarded me a 70% merit-based scholarship for my bold artistic vision and social engagement. Now, I need your support to raise the remaining fees & additional expenses to make this life-changing opportunity possible.
The Total Expenses including fees and other expenses would be $80,065 - approx ₹6,853,616, of which i have been awarded a total scholarship of $40000, and i have to arrange the rest $40065 - approximately ₹3,429,590.
Cost Breakdown :
As a professional fine artist over the past seven years, I have been building an art practice rooted in resistance, healing, and social justice. My work documents the lives, dreams, and struggles of Bahujan, Dalit, and working-class communities, such as the 12 Balutedar communities of Maharashtra. I have created paintings and murals that celebrate figures like Babasaheb Ambedkar, Ramabai, and Savitribai Phule, not as icons, but as real people whose vision I carry forward in color and form. My painting Pangat, for example, challenges caste-based exclusion in village spaces, while my community mural at the Savitribai Resource Centre is a tribute to the people's history and resilience. These experiences have strengthened my resolve to use art as a medium to challenge societal norms, document untold histories, and advocate for equality.
I am also the Vice President of Maharashtra for AIISCA, through which I have worked closely with grassroots organizations, youth movements, and education campaigns. My art is not separate from my activism, it is my tool for collective memory and transformation.
My purpose in undertaking this postgraduate study is to further refine my artistic skills, deepen my understanding of the socio-political landscape in South Asia, and create meaningful art that inspires change and fosters equality.
I come from a family that has no land, no home of our own, we have always lived in rented spaces. My father, despite all odds and limited income (₹5000 monthly), struggled and worked relentlessly to provide me with an education he could barely afford. He believed in me and my art, even when society didn’t. I carry that belief with deep responsibility, not just for myself, but for my entire community.
Being selected by SAIC is a historic moment, not just for me, but for every first-generation artist who has been told their stories, their bodies, and their communities don’t belong in global institutions. This program will help me sharpen my craft, deepen my research, and build bridges between global art spaces and the people’s movements in India.
But I cannot take this step alone. I have no family wealth, no property to fall back on. I only have my people, my purpose, and my art. That is why I am reaching out for support, solidarity, and belief.
If you believe that artists from the margins deserve a global stage, that caste-oppressed and working-class women should lead from the front, and that art can be a weapon of truth, then please support this journey. Every contribution, big or small is a step toward reclaiming the future we all deserve.
My Instagram Profile : https://www.instagram.com/nili_chimani/
Artstation Portfolio : https://www.artstation.com/rohinibhadarge6
Expenses reference: https://www.saic.edu/sites/default/files/2025-03/graduate-budget-sheet-sufa-2025.pdf
