The Himalaya me engage with is not merely the majestic peaks that leave us awestruck but also the people who are “rooted” as it were in this time-space of the mountains. For me the Himalaya is a living entity, not a remote beauty to be gazed at but an experience to be lived. I love for the Himalaya was perhaps facilitated by my stay in Darjeeling where I am presently the Curator of Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling.

Hence Darjeeling has been a work place for me where my creative energies coalesced into breathtaking paintings. In my work you see the effortless blend of artistic freedom and rigorous discipline. My first degree was in fine art from the Government College of Art, Kolkata under University of Calcutta, which was followed by Master and Research degree (AMA) in Cultural Heritage & Restoration from Italy and UK. I have to my credit several awards which include “Senior Fellowship of Trevor Walden Trust” (UK) and “Senior Scholarship by Ministry of Higher Education” (Italy). An avid visitor of local museums my interest in visual arts and historical research has been a paramount source of inspiration in my life. My fascination with the semiotics of museum display and art conservation has made me the first AMA holder form outside the UK in the field of Museology. My painting is influenced by my exposure to the renowned art galleries of Europe and academic engagements with artists, conservators, art historians and educationalists.

I express my dreams, hopes, thoughts and even fear through my creative work of paintings on Himalaya. Being a deeply creative individual the art is an expression of my nature and inner self vividely expressed through the bold brush strokes. For I believe that paint in itself is replete with a joyous potential waiting to be unravelled, and to be able to use this material to portray a message is an ecstasy for me, more so as it translates into a medium to share that joy with others.

I have held Solo and group shows all over the world since the year 1986. My painting can be seen gracing the walls of Collections- Rasthapati Bhavan, National Library, Kolkata. Himalayan Mountaineering Institute Darjeeling, Max Muller Bhawan, Kolkata. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering Museum, Uttarkashi (UP), NF Railway Office. A significant number of my paintings are in private collections both home and abroad.

I am the author of three books on Mountaineering and the Himalayas namely, Fabulous Collections of Darjeeling and Sikkim , Mountain and Mountaineering and Darjeeling : Down the Ages- Artist live sketches

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