Celebrated art historian, painter, and educator Shri Ratan Kumar Parimoo has been conferred with the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors, in recognition of his pioneering work in the field of Indian art and cultural heritage.
A towering figure in Indian art scholarship, Shri Parimoo is known for his extensive research, curatorial excellence, and paintings that bridge traditional and modernist expressions. Based in Gujarat, he has played a major role in enriching India’s art education and historical documentation for over five decades.
Ratan Kumar Parimoo served as a professor and later as the Head of the Department of Art History and Aesthetics at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, shaping generations of artists, curators, and historians.
His published works, including studies on Raja Ravi Varma, Amrita Sher-Gil, and Indian modernism, are widely considered foundational texts in Indian art history. As a painter, his work reflects deep intellectual engagement with form, symbolism, and Indian identity.
“Understanding our past through art is not nostalgia—it’s a necessity,” Shri Parimoo once wrote, emphasizing the need to preserve cultural memory.
Shri Parimoo has curated major exhibitions, contributed to museum collections, and advised several national and international cultural bodies. His contribution has been crucial in archiving Indian visual traditions and integrating academic rigour with creative practice.
The Padma Shri acknowledges not only his scholarship but also his visionary efforts to protect and promote India’s visual heritage.
At a time when art is increasingly digital and commercial, Shri Ratan Kumar Parimoo’s work reminds us of the depth, scholarship, and cultural continuity that true art brings. His recognition with the Padma Shri is a tribute to a lifetime devoted to India’s artistic and academic legacy.
