Krishen Khanna
Modernist painter known for his bandwallas and the ITC Maurya mural
- Works listed
- 2
- Painting, Mural
- Honours
- 2
- Most recent 2011
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
Krishen Khanna is a modernist painter who left a banking career in 1961 to paint full time. Known for his series of street bandwallas and his monumental mural The Great Procession, he is one of the last links to the generation of Indian artists who emerged after independence.
Biography
Banker and painter
Krishen Khanna was educated in England and Lahore and, after Partition, settled in Bombay, where he worked for Grindlays Bank while painting in his spare time. He exhibited with members of the Progressive Artists’ Group.
Full-time artist
In 1961 he gave up banking to paint full time, a bold decision at the time. He moved to Delhi and became a central figure in the city’s art world.
Themes
His paintings depict ordinary people — truck drivers, labourers and especially the bandwallas who play at Indian weddings — as well as scenes of violence and Christian themes such as the Last Supper. His mural The Great Procession covers the dome of the ITC Maurya hotel in Delhi.
Honours
He received the Padma Shri in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011, and turned 100 in 2025, still painting.
Timeline
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1961
Leaves banking to paint full time
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1990
Padma Shri
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2011
Padma Bhushan
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2025
Turns 100
Notable works
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—
Bandwallas series Painting
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—
The Great Procession Mural
ITC Maurya, Delhi.
Awards and honours
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Padma Shri
1990
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Padma Bhushan
2011
Did you know?
-
1
He worked in a bank before becoming a full-time artist.
-
2
He painted a huge mural inside a hotel dome.
-
3
He turned 100 in 2025.
Connections
Related people
-
M. F. Husain
Art & Design · Painter and member of the Progressive Artists’ Group
Friend and fellow modernist
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S. H. Raza
Art & Design · Painter known for the bindu and a founder of the Progressive Artists’ Group
Fellow modernist
-
Tyeb Mehta
Art & Design · Modernist painter known for his falling figures and diagonals
Fellow modernist
Frequently asked
Who is Krishen Khanna?
Krishen Khanna is a modernist painter who left a banking career in 1961 to paint full time. Known for his series of street bandwallas and his monumental mural The Great Procession, he is one of the last links to the generation of Indian artists who emerged after independence.
Where is Krishen Khanna from?
Krishen Khanna was born in Lyallpur, Punjab, British India (now Faisalabad, Pakistan).
What is Krishen Khanna known for?
Krishen Khanna is best known for The Bandwallas series; The Great Procession mural; association with the Progressive Artists.
What awards has Krishen Khanna received?
Notable honours include Padma Shri (1990), Padma Bhushan (2011).
References
- Krishen Khanna — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Krishen Khanna — Invaluable artist page. Invaluable. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Krishen Khanna (Q6437355) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Krishen Khanna”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Krishen Khanna.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/krishen-khanna
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