KOLKATA.- Bikash Bhattacharjee, a painter who dominated the Indian art scene for several decades passed away in Kolkata on Monday after a prolonged illness at the age of 66. He was born in Kolkata in 1940 and lost his father at a very early age. The growing years were ones of struggle and strife. From his early childhood, the rooftops and alleyways of north Kolkata where he lived, the crumbling walls of buildings, the variety of people living there, including women, wove a certain magic in his mind.

“In 1964, he became a member of the Society of Contemporary artists and in 1968 he went back to teach at his alma mater - the Indian College of Art and Draftsmanship. “ reported NDTV.com.

Political turmoil and social upheaval always featured strongly in Bikash Bhattacharjee's works. He never flinched from making political statements through his art.

"He was one of the best figurative painters in India. He could handle human anatomy excellently. Nobody else could do that. He was a master in both oil painting and pastel," said painter Wasim Kapoor.