Krishen Khanna, an esteemed Indian artist, was born in 1925 in Lyallpur, which is now known as Faisalabad, Pakistan. He pursued his education at the Imperial Service College in England and is primarily a self-taught artist. His remarkable contributions to the art world have earned him several prestigious accolades, including the Rockefeller Fellowship in 1962, the Padma Shri in 1990, and the Padma Bhushan in 2011.
In 1938, Khanna made the journey from Bombay to Britain aboard the RMS Strathmore. After studying at the Imperial Service College from 1938 to 1942, he continued his academic pursuits at Government College, Lahore, from 1942 to 1944. Following this, he spent 14 years working at Grindlays Bank, before dedicating himself fully to art in 1961.
Recently, the feature documentary “A Far Afternoon — A Painted Saga by Krishen Khanna,” directed by Sruti Harihara Subramanian and produced by the Piramal Art Foundation, garnered two National Awards: one for Best Art/Cultural Film and another for Best Music (Non-Feature). The documentary elegantly captures various elements of Khanna’s journey, from the vibrant city of Bombay, where he became a part of the Progressive Artists Group, to the traditional baraaat, a staple of Indian weddings, and the signature colors he often utilizes, such as yellows, blues, and whites.
The musical score for “A Far Afternoon” was crafted by the Chennai-based duo Aravind-Jai Shankar, who are known for their work on national award-winning films, documentaries, commercials, video games, and a wide array of projects in music, sound design, and audio production.
