K. S. Kulkarni

Kulkarni died on 7 October 1994. In 1988, K. S. Kulkarni, a monograph on the artist was published by Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. Kulkarni, a film on the life of the artist was produced by Vanessa H. Smith which premiered in 1996. According to his will, K. S. Kulkarni Trust and annual scholarship programs were established to encourage young artists. In 2000, another documentary titled K. S. Kulkarni: Saintly Great Master by Chandramani Kohli was released.

The range of works created by Kulkarni include numerous sketches, oil and acrylic paintings, sculptures in terracotta, wood as well as ceramic. His works were usually experimental and shifted from the expected artistic output of that time. His notable creations are 'Three Sisters', 'Mother and Child' and 'Village Maiden' to name a few. During the year 1979, Kulkarni went partially blind and lost his ability to recognize people for some time. He convinced a doctor in Texas to perform delicate eye surgery in exchange for paintings. Even though the surgery was a success, a cataract continued to hamper his vision, causing difficulty performing his work.

In the same year, Kulkarni decided to teach students and joined the art department of Delhi Polytechnic. Alongside his role as a teacher, he was one of the founders of the Triveni Kala Sangam. He also became the founder-president of Delhi Shilpi Chakra - an artists' group which was established in 1949 to encourage and inspire young progressive thinkers in the Delhi area. This was the time when Kulkarni gained recognition not only as an institution builder but also for his kind nature as a teacher and an artist.

Throughout his lifetime, Kulkarni traveled abroad frequently. In 1949, he became the first Indian artist to participate in the International Arts Program, USA, sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation. Further, he traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Brazil where he learned and studied their art. He was also invited by the governments of the USA, USSR, Germany, Poland, Mexico, South Korea, Netherlands and the UK as a guest artist.

After completing his education, Kulkarni was offered a job as a designer at a textile mill in Delhi. Even though he wasn't formally trained for this job, he decided to accept it due to the financial conditions of the family. Gradually, he acquired the necessary skills in a short period of time which impressed the mill owner. After his year-long probation, he was made a permanent employee with a salary of Rs. 350 per month. However, he was bugged by the transfers in his job and the imposing nature of the mill owner. He thought that this work wasn't useful for him, which is why he left this job in 1945.

Krishna Shamrao Kulkarni (7 April 1916 – 7 October 1994) was an Indian painter and an educator. His work was part of the painting event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics. He was also the founder-president of the avant-garde artist movement, the Delhi Shilpi Chakra.

Kulkarni was born on 7 April 1916 in Belgaum, Karnataka. Being interested in painting since childhood, he wanted to pursue arts at the Bombay school. However, after the death of his father, he struggled to earn a livelihood and pay for school. To make ends meet, Kulkarni worked as a painter of signboards and movie banners in the early 1930s. He then attended Sir J. J. School of Art from 1935 to 1940 in Mumbai and earned a G. D. Art in Painting. Subsequently, in the year 1942 he completed a two-year post-graduate course in murals from the same institute. Shortly after, he received a research scholarship for 1941 to 1943 from Tata Trusts to study Indian painting. Kulkarni was also associated with the Quit India Movement in 1942.