Prafulla Dahanukar

Prafulla Dahanukar (1934 – 2014) was an Indian painter and a pioneer of modern Indian art, who also supported and inspired numerous young artists in India.

Born as Prafulla Joshi in Bandora, Goa, she was the daughter of Subrai Anant Joshi and singer Kesarbai Bandodkar. She grew up in Mumbai and pursued her Fine Art studies at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai, graduating with a Gold Medal in 1955. The Institute was home to luminaries who reshaped the art and culture landscape in India. In 1961, she was awarded a scholarship by the Government of France to study fine art in Paris.

Dahanukar dedicated her life to the promotion of art and painting. She was a committee member of the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi from 1974 to 1979, and served as the President of the Bombay Art Society for 11 years, from 1993 to 1998 and from 2010 until her passing in 2014. She was a trustee of the Jehangir Art Gallery for over 40 years and a committee member of the Kala Academy in Goa for over 30 years. Additionally, she was the President of the Art Society of India and the Chairperson of The Artists' Centre in Mumbai. She also founded the India Art Festival, the only art fair in Mumbai at the time, which began in 2010-11. Prafulla Dahanukar was among the founding members of Sangit Kala Kendra alongside Aditya Birla, serving as its President for 3 years, and remained on its committee for over 30 years.

Prafulla Dahanukar created abstract landscapes using predominantly one vivid color, enhanced with various shades and nuances. She referred to her works as "Eternal Space," reflecting her belief in the infinite and indestructible nature of space. Beginning in 1956, she consistently held solo exhibitions. During her time in Paris, she showcased her paintings in 1961 and subsequently participated in numerous international exhibitions in countries such as England, Hungary, Switzerland, Germany, Australia, Japan, Portugal, Iceland, and France. She held three solo exhibitions in London, with the first in 1978 being sponsored by the High Commission of India. In 2006, Citibank sponsored her exhibition at the Ardean Gallery on Cork Street, London. In India, she held numerous solo shows in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta, and Chennai. Barclays Bank recently sponsored her exhibition in Dubai in November 2008, which was inaugurated by the renowned painter M.F. Husain.