Surrounded by the rich symbols in the South-Indian town of Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, Badri Narayan was born on 22 July 1929. In his lengthy 45-year career, he has worked intensely as an artist, illustrator, teacher, and author. 

Hyderabad Art Society organised Narayan’s first public show held at the All India Art Exhibition in 1949. They welcomed his first solo show in 1954. Since then, he has been the subject of over 50 solo shows and group exhibitions held by various organisations. He died on 23 September 2013, aged 84.

Badri Narayan Artist Style

Bombarded with symbols from an early age, Badri Narayan gave serious thought to painting when he turned 19. By 1951, he had learnt the art of storytelling. He borrows heavily from his immediate culture, weaving the fantastical possibilities with reality’s banality. His art utilises these symbols amply. His oeuvre is often seen as an ode to his life and is deeply intimate, almost autobiographical.

Watercolours remained his favourite medium, though he also worked with ink or pastel. He used ceramics and tiles extensively to produce enchanting mosaics. He had also delved into woodcuts and engravings. He has taken primitive mythological tales such as Queen Khemsa, Meeting at Midnight, & Mahabharata and illustrated them with unparalleled ease. Badri Narayan has sparingly used the idol of Lord Ganesha in his work.

He frequently discussed the relationship between the artist and subject via the expressions and form. Several of his artworks are an interpretation of primordial tales. Despite entailing a simple subject matter and depicting the reality of an ancient world, his work is an allegory to the transient nature of life, shifting as quickly as the desert sands. His artwork also functions as a reflection of his inner turmoil.

Badri Narayan has written and illustrated several fictional children’s books – Ramayana, Jataka Tales, the Elephant and the Dog, and many more. Several of these books have been published by the National Book Trust.

Honours and Awards

Badri Narayan is an Indian jewel. Through his pieces, he has captivated global audiences and introduced them to the culture and lives of an average Indian city. As a result, Narayan accumulated glory via these awards and honours.

• He has won the gold medal four times (1949, 1954, 1960, & 1962) by the Hyderabad Art Society.
• Narayan won the National Award in 1965 by the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. 
• He won the Critics’ Award in 1968-69 by the Artists’ Centre, Mumbai.
• In 1987, he was honoured with the Padma Shri, given by the Government of India.
• Maharashtra State Government awarded him Gaurav Puraskar in 1990-91.

Photo Courtesy – The Art of India

Raja Ravi Varma, Mythology and Indian Cinema