A 100 years of Krishen Khanna

Krishen Khanna, the painter whose brushstrokes helped draw the contours of Indian modern art, is 100. Still painting, still drawing, still sketching. The last of the surviving modernists and one of India’s most influential artists celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, his empathetic brush spanning the history of contemporary India through all its highs and lows. The artist who painted common Indian life on canvas, right from truckwallas, labourers, fisherfolk to fakirs, has been one of the most celebrated artists. He shares his secret, “Art is not just about making faces or drawing this or that. It’s the churning of the spirit inside, which is far more important. Everything else then falls into place.” The artist community and art connoisseurs across India join together to celebrate the milestone year in Khanna’s life—