Niranjan Pradhan, born on February 4, 1940, in Midnapore, India, was captivated by the world of art from a young age. Inspired by the clay figures of Goddess Durga crafted by village artisans, he began shaping clay as a boy, which ignited a lifelong passion. As his love for art grew, he excelled in school competitions, and the dream of becoming an artist became his driving force. By the late 1960s, Pradhan emerged as a distinguished sculptor in Calcutta, renowned for his ability to blend graceful lyricism with sharp geometric forms and organic shapes. His works, while grounded in Indian tradition, embraced modernity, merging timeless forms with a contemporary artistic vision. After completing his schooling, Pradhan moved to Kolkata and enrolled at the Government College of Art and Craft. There, he studied painting under the guidance of acclaimed teacher like Kishori Roy, Satyen Ghosal, and Direndranath Brahma. In 1964, he earned a first-class diploma in painting but soon expanded his horizons into sculpture. With guidance from principal Chintamoni Kar and sculptor Sunil Paul, Pradhan’s sculptural journey was set. He graduated in 1967 and returned as an influential teacher, shaping the future of many artists from 1973 to 2000. Pradhan’s early works were deeply influenced by the abstraction movement, drawing inspiration from artists like Kandinsky, Mondrian, and Malevich. His sculptures from this period, such as Black Princess and Repose, explored minimalism, geometric purity, and the essence of form. Using materials like wood and concrete, Pradhan created a balance of positive and negative volumes, offering a fresh visual experience through the interplay of light and shadow. In his later works, he transitioned toward figurative forms, evolving his technique from subtraction in wood to addition in terracotta. This shift marked a deeper exploration of the human form. His terracotta sculptures, like Reclining Mother and Child, introduced new imaginative dimensions, with elongated and distorted shapes evoking emotional depth. His sculptures portrayed monumentality, especially in his later works in bronze. The combination of concave and convex shapes with twisting, sharp lines conveyed movement and tension, while graceful female figures expressed beauty, joy and romance. Throughout his career, Pradhan created numerous busts and life-sized portraits, including those of social reformer Raja Rammohan Roy and filmmaker Satyajit Ray. He was commissioned by Rashtrapati Bhavan to sculpt a bust of President Pranab Mukherjee. In these portraits, Pradhan focused on capturing the essence of his subjects, often emphasizing their character and temperament with intricate anatomical precision. Over the years, Pradhan’s distinctive sculptural style gained widespread recognition, earning him numerous prestigious awards for his significant contributions to the field of sculpture. His legacy as one of India’s foremost sculptors continues to inspire generations.