Born into a distinguished lineage of Kalamkari masters, artist J Niranjan is one of the finest Kalamkari artists living in India today. His family has pursued this intricate art form across four generations, passing down the craft from father to son and producing such high calibre paintings that dozens have been collected by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. At a young age, Niranjan decided to follow in these footsteps and began to learn Kalamkari from his father, who was a Padma Shri award winner himself.

Although he is established as an expert in traditional Kalamkari techniques, Niranjan has also developed a unique style that brings a contemporary flair to this six-thousand-year-old practice. He has become particularly known for his paintings of the Tree of Life, a universal symbol of the interconnectedness of the heavens, earth and underworld. Art by J Niranjan revisits and reinvents this popular Kalamkari theme, merging complex traditional designs with gradient backgrounds, fluorescent hues and modern materials like acrylic paint.

He holds a Doctorate from Delhi University, and he has traveled extensively in India and around the world, participating in festivals and residencies in order to create awareness about Kalamkari art. He has also trained many women from tribal areas to earn a living from Kalamkari painting as well as preserve it for the next generation. Niranjan has been recognized for his achievements with the Shilp Jan Award (Young Master Craftsman) in 2002, the Bronze Award in the Nantong International Contemporary Craft Competition in 2014 and an honor by the All India Handicrafts Board (AIHB) to celebrate its 50 year anniversary.