Mrinal Kanti Bardhan is a well know name in Indian art today. He was born in 1930 in Feni (now in Bangladesh) and he joined Fine Arts at the Government College of Arts Crafts, Calcutta, India to study Painting & Sculpture. He also completed a course in History of Art & Art Appreciation from Ashutosh Muscum, University of Kolkata.
He came to India as a refugee and made it his home and 1953 he came to Delhi where he remained till the end of his life.
Bardhan was recipient of many prestigious awards like National Award of Lalit Kala Academi New Delhi, President of India’s Silver Plaque for outstanding exhibit, All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, New Delhi and Award for the best painting of the year from Academy of Fine Arts Amritsar along with Nehru Gold Medal and An awards for best painting by Chitra Kala Sangam, New Delhi.” His works are part of many known galleries and museum in Indian and abroad like Moscow Art Gallery, Moscow; Sophia An Gallery, Bulgaria; Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi; Punjab Museum, Chandigarh; Ministry of External Affairs, India; National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi.
Dr. Randhawa recognized the talent of young Bardhan and gave him an opportunity to exhibit his works in an exhibition organized by the All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society (AIFACS) in 1963. Randhawa also wrote a column in the art journal Roopa-Lekha, to give recognition to the artist. Besides discussing the theme and stylistic approach of his paintings, Randhawa in this piece also writes, “There are few artists in his age group whose exhibitions of paintings have attracted so much notice in Delhi. This positive review by Randhawa, not only boost the morale of Bardhan but also kindled the curiosity of the reader to view the artist’s works.