Laxman Pai has always had a deep devotion and passion for his native state of Goa and his homeland, India. This is evident in his works which portrayed the Goan way of life, culture and landscapes, replete with its resplendent churches, coconut palms, placid paid fields as well as Indian figurative forms. The recurrent motifs of eyes, women and birds show the influences of Indian miniature paintings. Many view Pai as a forerunner in documenting the life and landscapes of his beloved Goa. His 10-year stint in Paris and Europe also influenced Pai’s works. This is especially visible in the contorted and distorted figures, especially of women, that filled many of his canvases, reminiscent of the works of Picasso. Other European artists such as Joan Miro, Paul Klee and Marc Chagall also left an impression on Pai’s works. Often, one sees a juxtaposition of all these influences, Eastern and Western, in many of the magnificent works that Pai produced. Pai is also inspired by ancient Egyptians sculptures. At 94, Laxman Pai, born on 21 January 1926 in Margao in the Indian coastal State of Goa (then under Portuguese occupation), must be one of India’s most senior living artists today. Pai’s first encounter with art was at his uncle’s Mauzo Photo Studio in Margao, where he used to touch up black and white photographs with paint. As early as the 1940s, he was actively involved in the Goa liberation struggle against Portuguese colonial rule. He was arrested three times and even beaten by the Portuguese colonial authorities. For this reason, his parents sent him to Bombay (now Mumbai) where he continued his art studies at the Sir J.J. School of Art from 1943 to I947. Soon after completing his studies, Pai started teaching in the Sir J.J. School of Art. At the same time, he participated in the activities of the Bombay Progressive Artists’ Group although he did not become its member. In 1951, together with another artist friend, Sadanand Bakre, Pai moved to Paris which by then had become a haven for many Indian artists who had settled there earlier. He met with Syed Haider Raza, Francis Newton Souza and Akbar Padamsee, all of whom later became prominent Indian artists. Pai’s sojourn in Paris lasted 10 years, from 1951 to 1961. Upon arrival in Paris, Pai immediately enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He studied fresco and etching and also experimented with new printing techniques. He also studied Rosenthal porcelain painting in Germany. During the 10 years that he lived in Paris, Pai held 10 solo exhibitions in the city and also other exhibitions elsewhere, showcasing his artworks also in Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, London and New York. Pai returned to Goa after its liberation from Portuguese Occupation (19 December 1961). From 1977-1987, Pai served as the Principal of the Goa College of Art. During his art career, Pai received many awards and honours. As early as his days as a student in the Sir J. J.School of Art, he received the prestigious Mayo Medal. Since then, Pai won a number of other awards and honours, the culmination of which was the award of the title Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award that the Government of India bestowed on him. Pai is credited with 110 one- man shows across the world. His solo exhibitions had been held in London, Munich, Hanover, Stuttgart, New York, Bremen, San Francisco, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata (formerly, Calcutta), Goa and São Paulo. He has also participated in numerous Biennales in Paris, Tokyo and São Paulo. His works has been auctioned in international auction houses such as Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Bonhams, Pundole’s Mumbai, Waddington’s, Toronto, Bentley‘s Fine Art Auctioneers, Kent, UK, Chiswick Auctions, London and Doyle, New York. Pai’s works are included in numerous public and private collections, including Musee d’Art Moderne, Paris, The New York Public Library, Berlin Museum, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, Madras Museum, Punjab University Museum and Nagpur Museum, etc.