Veteran Indian painter Jogen Chowdhury, whose evocative works left an indelible mark on the nation’s modern art scene, passed away in Kolkata on Sunday, October 25, 2026. He was 87. His death comes after a prolonged struggle with a myeloproliferative neoplasm, a rare type of blood cancer that he had been fighting for the past 14 months.
According to a statement released by Ruby General Hospital in southeast Kolkata, the artist had been undergoing chemotherapy throughout his illness. He was admitted to the facility on October 16 and breathed his last at 10:15 a.m. Hospital authorities noted that his condition had been complicated by recurring urinary tract infections during his treatment.
Born on February 16, 1939, in Daharpara, Faridpur—a region then part of undivided Bengal—Chowdhury’s artistic journey was deeply rooted in his early experiences. His mother, an expert in 'alpana', the traditional folk art of drawing on floors, was his earliest influence. Following the Partition of India, his family migrated to Kolkata, where he pursued formal training in fine arts. He later served as an art teacher at Howrah Zilla School and as a designer for the Handloom Board in 1962. In the late 1960s, he further honed his craft by studying at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, eventually developing the distinctive visual language that defined his career.
Beyond the canvas, Chowdhury was also a prominent public figure. He served as a member of the Rajya Sabha on a Trinamool Congress (TMC) ticket from 2014 to 2020. His artistic legacy is vast, with his works featuring prominently in major public and government buildings, including the Rashtrapati Bhavan. In recognition of his profound impact on the cultural fabric of the nation, the West Bengal government awarded him the Banga Bibhushan in 2012.
Tributes poured in from political and cultural spheres following the announcement of his death. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari lauded the artist’s stature, stating that Chowdhury’s contributions would remain a treasure for the state and the country for centuries to come. Former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also shared her grief on social media, describing him as the pride of Bengal and India, and noting that his absence would create an irreparable void in the world of art.
The loss was felt deeply within the artistic community. Painter Samir Aich remarked that Chowdhury’s passing signified a significant loss to Indian art and the broader tradition of the Bengal School of Art. Similarly, noted writer Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, who shared a long-standing association with the painter, remembered him as a dear friend and a regular participant in intellectual 'adda' sessions.
Chowdhury often drew inspiration from the landscapes of Santiniketan, where he maintained a residence, and his art frequently engaged with pressing political and social themes. His passing concludes a lifetime of creative exploration that blended Indian sensibilities with international artistic movements, leaving behind a body of work that continues to be regarded as a foundational part of contemporary Indian art.
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