Noted scholar and art critic Uma Nair first saw my paintings on a brief visit to ITC Sheraton in Delhi: a meeting of chance and luck. She asked me to visit a show of Jamini Roy paintings that she had curated and, return to her with a feedback.

The next day, after I visited the–art gallery and spoke with her, she said- “I have been thinking about your works too, book a space at Lalit kala academy, Delhi, and I will curate your show!”

And just as spontaneously, a few months later, she visited me at my studio in Indore to see my works. With her decades of experience as an art critic and a curator, she volunteered to curate my very first solo, which in turn became a string of solos!!!

Umaji, as I fondly call her, has been a pillar of strength and inspiration in my artistic odyssey, preferring to call my paintings “meditation on the banyan tree.” In her words, “your paintings done both in monochromes and colours resonate with a meditative quality; it is like poetry on the palette, an elegant spectacle of immense creativity.”

Her profound observation, her experienced eye gave me a richer perspective to view my own works with. Her blessings gave me a new confidence in the art I was creating.

Though the Lalit Kala, with its busy calendar, could not commit any of its galleries to me, but I succeeded in reserving dates at other three galleries I had applied to- Sridharani at Triveni Kal Sangam (Delhi), Roopankar at Bharat Bhavan(Bhopal), Hirji at Jehangir Art Gallery(Mumbai) for holding a solo show in 2017. I was perplexed and unsure which one to finalize, but Umaji advised me to not turn any of them down, as all the galleries were prestigious and have a waiting period of more than two years. She suggested that I have a travelling show instead.

So, in the year 2017, as promised, she curated and named my travelling solo show-‘Time and Being’.

Shri Adwaitaji Gadanayak, the Director General of NGMA- NewDelhi agreed to be the chief guest for the show at Shridaharani Art gallery only at her behest.

Words are not enough to express my gratitude to Umaji. She not only guided me singularly through all the shows at these galleries but was with me for the openings at Bharat Bhavan and Jehangir art gallery, speaking with the guests and the media on my behalf.

She recognized the artist within me. She understood the language of my brush strokes when I was struggling to understand it myself. She will always be a mentor to me.