is a renowned Indian painter, born in 1935 in Attingal, Kerala. In 2005,he was awarded the Padma Bhushan
, India’s third highest civilian honour, for outstanding service to the nation. and in 2002, he was elected a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi
In 1957, he obtained his Master's degree in Malayalam literature, but art had remained a continuing interest since childhood. He joined Kala Bhavan, Santiniketan and completed his education in art in 1961 as student of such world-renowned artists like Beohar Rammanohar Sinha
. Between 1961 and 1964, he did his doctoral thesis on the mural paintings of Kerala. By the mid-60s, he had moved to Delhi and in 1965 he joined Jamia Milia Islamia as a lecturer in art education. Later, he became a professor in the same department and was attached to the university until his voluntary retirement in 1992. In 1991, he was appointed honorary chairman of Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi, and in 2005 became Professor Emeritus at Jamia Millia Islamia University.
Initially, in an expressionist style which poignantly reflected the angst of urban life. The paintings were large, akin to murals, and comprised powerful figuration. By the 1980s however, Ramachandran's work underwent a sea-change. Urban reality was no longer a preoccupation. A tribal community in Rajasthan with its vibrant ethos gripped his imagination. Simultaneously, the colours and forms of the murals in the Kerala temples began to influence... Read More