Jai Zharotia

Born in Delhi in 1945, Jai Zharotia studied Fine arts from Delhi College of Arts from 1967-71. He became an art teacher at the Bal Bhavan before becoming a lecturer at Alma Mater in 1974. He then became a professor and head of the painting department at the same university in 2005.

Jai Zharotia never held his creativity a captive of logic and reason. His freedom of spirit let him move beyond their confines enabling him to conjure up the powerfully evocative and communicative images we see in his work today. He didn't want to paint only the comprehensible, but instead wanted to discover and explore the world that lies beyond the realms of logic.

Zharotia's ability to leave the commonplace behind and find the unusual is seen in the technique he employs as well. His paper works are mixed media most of the time, combining tempera and pencils with watercolours. His paintings also have almost surreal two-colour backgrounds, and even the play of light and shadow he uses in them is not confined by any physical laws, just like the subject of his works.

Zharotia has received many awards such as the Lalit Kala Academy Award etc. His works have been acquired by institutions and private collections in and outside the country like the Alkazi Collection, KNMA and DAG Collection.

The artist passed away on 27 March 2021 in New Delhi.