I was born in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1961 to a long lineage of Newar artists. Over the years I have received international acknowledgement as one of the few living masters of traditional Paubha painting. Preserving an ancient practice in painting, I use pigments ground from stone and plant matter. Having been brought up in a city rich in religious festivals and architecture, I would spend hours observing images in the local temples. I completed my first painting at the age of twelve. Soon after leaving school, I continued a rigorous, self-directed study of classical texts and images.
I have been a guest lecturer and instructor at universities and institutes throughout the world, including the Seian University of Arts and Design, Japan, Orivesi Institute, Finland, and the Elmira College, New York, and am visiting faculty member at Kathmandu University. My work has been presented in solo-and group exhibitions in Finland, India, Japan, Nepal, Russia, and the United States, and displayed in museums and private collections throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States.
I have been the recipient of many awards, including the Rastriya Pratibha Puraskar, 2069 (National Talent Award, 2013) from the Ministry of Culture and the Patan Museum Award, Patan, Nepal, 2012. I continue to engage in both local and international art communities. I completed the installation of 108 Avalokitesvara paintings for the Kanzion Mandala Museum, in Tokyo, wall paintings at the Golden Temple and, most recently, on Patan Gate, the entrance gate of Lalitpur.
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