Lalitha Lajmi
Modern
Lalitha Lajmi (October 17, 1932 – February 13, 2023)
Lalitha Lajmi was born in a family that was steeped in the arts. Her father was a poet, her mother was a polylingual writer, and her brother was the famed film maker and actor Guru Dutt. Her interest in painting began when her uncle, who worked in advertising, gifted her box of water colour paints. Initially she did not embark on a career as a painter, her husband was not supportive of her practice, and she had a family to look after. However, she was deep connection to this art form got her a job teaching art in schools in Mumbai. She continued working on her practice through this, making small format works whenever she had the time.
When Lalitha was in her 30’s she began to exhibit her works, at first in group exhibitions, and soon with solo shows to her credit. Her works were largely in water colours, but she was also making prints and later oil painting. Lalitha Lajmi continued to work, and her works delve around the themes of family and relationships between a man and woman. Interestingly enough she undertook one of her most challenging projects, well into 90s, when she painted two 21 feet long paper scrolls during the pandemic!
Lalitha Lajmi passed away on February 13, 2023.
