BIJON CHOUDHURY
Bijan Choudhary (1931-2012) was a visionary Bengal-born painter who left an indelible mark on India's art scene as a key figure in the Calcutta Painters group. Born in Faridpur, Bengal (now Bangladesh) in 1931, Choudhury's artistic journey began in Calcutta, where he studied at the Government College of Art and Craft. However, his Marxist beliefs led to his expulsion before graduation. Undeterred, he returned to Bengal and earned his degree from the Dacca Art College (now the University of Dhaka). In 1960, Choudhury co-founded the Society of Contemporary Artists, and four years later, he joined forces with Nikhil Biswas, Prakash Karmakar, Rabin Mondal, Jogen Chowdhury, and Dharaj Chowdhury to establish the Calcutta Painters, a bold rebellion against the Bengal School of Art's traditional norms. Choudhury's leadership extended to his role as head of the Indian College of Art and Draftsmanship in the late 1970s. He passed away on March 16, 2012, but his legacy lived on through a commemorative exhibition of his paintings at the Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in May 2012.