Krishen Khanna b. 1925

Krishen Khanna (b. 1925) is among the foremost figures of modern Indian art, celebrated for a visual language that combines the formal strengths of modernism with a profound engagement with the human condition. Born in Lyallpur, Punjab (now Faisalabad, Pakistan), and raised in Lahore, Khanna studied English literature while receiving artistic training through evening classes at the Mayo School of Art. Following Partition, he relocated to India and later became associated with the influential Progressive Artists’ Group.

Working across painting, drawing, and mural-making, Khanna’s practice is distinguished by its compassionate portrayal of everyday lives and social realities. His works frequently depict labourers, musicians, vendors, migrants, and roadside gatherings, transforming ordinary scenes into powerful reflections on dignity, resilience, and collective experience. Among his most acclaimed bodies of work is the Bandwallah series, in which ceremonial brass-band musicians emerge as enduring symbols of aspiration and survival. His paintings are marked by expressive figuration, dynamic compositions, and a keen narrative sensibility that bridges observation and memory.

In 1961, Khanna left a successful banking career to devote himself entirely to art. Over the decades, his work has been exhibited extensively in India and abroad and has earned numerous honours, including the Padma Shri (1990) and Padma Bhushan (2011). Today, he continues to paint from his Gurugram studio, sustaining a practice that has shaped the course of modern Indian art for over seven decades.