While the coronavirus is spreading throughout the world, so is kindness. Even though they are physically restricted in their movement, people find ways to reach out, express appreciation to and care for one another. 

On May 15th, ISKCON News announced a contest for young devotee artists between the ages of 3-18, asking them to recognize and capture these little acts of kindness around them and turn them into artwork. Dozens of pieces were submitted to the ‘Kindness Pandemic’ Art Contest, and the jury voted anonymously, evaluating how closely connected the pieces were to the requested topic, and the thoughts and skills that were invested in them, while taking the contestants’ ages into consideration.

ISKCON News is happy to announce the winners listed by each artistic category: 

Drawing

3rd place:  “Kindness Is Part of the Cure’ by Nithya Krishnasamy, age 17, from San Diego, USA. “I wanted to show and share my appreciation for the essential workers risking their lives during the pandemic. I chose to focus on those working on the medical front lines who consistently serve our community with courage, kindness, and care,” the young artist states. As the prize, Nitya will receive a $100 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

2nd place: “A United World” by Sia-Nishtha Mistry, age 10, from Leicester, UK. Nishtha will receive a $125 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

1st place (shared): “Stay at Home” by Aditya Halder and “Care, Compassion and Community” by Rishabha Halder, 5-year-old twins, from Vancouver, Canada. Together they will receive a $150 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

Poster/Mixed Media Art 

3rd place: “Kindness Always Matters” by Disha Ranpura. She is a 9 years old student at the Krishna Avanti School in Leicester, UK. As her prize,  Disha will receive a $100 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

2nd place: Name: “COVID19 – Social Distancing” by Rishay Pankhania, age 9,  from Leicester, UK.  Rishay’s artistic intention was to express that under these circumstances, staying away from each other is a form of kindness and care. Rishay will receive a $125 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

1st place: #SPREADKINDNESS by Shanaya Kotecha, age 9 from Leicester, UK. Shanaya states: “I spread kindness during the pandemic by calling and reading a chapter from my book to my grandma everyday because she lives on her own, that is why I did the design.” As the prize, Shanaya will receive a $150 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

Short films

2nd place: “Free Little Pantry” by Paarth Krishna Dewlaul, 11 years old, from Toronto, Canada. Drawing on his real-life experience in Toronto, Paarth’s Minecraft character builds a pantry, which he fills up with food to help those in need. Establishing free pantries are a way people help one another while maintaining social distancing.  Parts will will receive a $125 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.   (https://youtu.be/R1zdzjvOw4U)

1st place: “A True Warrior on the Front Lines” by Sugopi Radha Palakala, age 15, from Boise, ID, USA. Sugopi’s film presents how, out of the kindness of his heart Hanumatpresaka Swami goes through a lot of hardship and difficulties just to help the Boise devotees in their time of intense emotional and spiritual difficulties. Sugopi will will receive a $150 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News. (https://youtu.be/Po7VgUxohBw)

Painting

3rd place: “The Hero”,  a watercolor painting acknowledging and celebrating the selflessness of the healthcare workers during the pandemic by Aurora Vrindavan (15) from High Springs, Florida. She will receive a $100 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

2nd place: “Lockdown Cheer-Up” by Liliana Danka-DeGasperi, age 9, from Gainesville, Florida. Liliana chose to use the traditional artistic style of the nature-loving Warli tribe to depict people singing on balconies to keep one another’s spirit high during lockdown, while observing wild animals taking over the empty city parks and streets, with amusement. In this moment of hardship, ironically, people and nature seem to be in perfect peace and harmony. To imitate the Warlis’ original technique using rice paste to paint on cow dung, or clay walls Liliana painted with white chalk markers on a brown cardboard sheet. As her prize she will receive a $125 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

1st place: “Spreading Strength Through Sidewalks”, a canvas painting by Chandramukhi Zaldivar, age 15, from the Bhaktivedanta Academy, Alachua, Florida. Chandramukhi’s artistic intention was “to acknowledge the kind messages people are writing on sidewalks to inspire and uplift strangers. In these hard times we need to be especially kind to remind our friends and neighbors that we care, no matter how far we may seem. We must remember that the entire world is suffering, and that we should do our part to spread love and compassion.” Chandramukhi will receive a $150 Amazon gift card from ISKCON News.

Congratulations to all these wonderful young artists!