Jatin graduated from Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai in the early 1960s and after spending a few years in Mumbai, he moved permanently to Delhi at the invitation of Pupul Jayakar, the renowned patron of India’s artistic heritage. This transition coincided with an invitation from a leading art gallery in New Delhi for a solo exhibition.

Jatin’s oeuvre is remarkable. Apart from his thousands of oil-on-canvas paintings, which he desperately tries to keep track of since many of them are lying with friends or stored across the globe, he is also a master portraitist. His catalogue of portraits is like watching pages of history unfold through the persona of almost every figure of importance in the field of creative arts, as also other iconic figures, in India and worldwide. It is work of the highest artistic calibre. Additionally, he has created thousands of pen-and-ink drawings, as he is an unstoppable sketcher, always carrying paper, pens, pencils, paints, and brushes in the leather sling bag that has become an essential part of his sartorial style.

Also Read: Review: Jatin Das; A Retrospective 1963-2023

In the course of his artistic career, Jatin has held over 70 solo exhibitions. As early as 1971, he participated in the Paris Biennale, and in 1978, the Venice Biennale. A muralist and sculptor, he was commissioned to create a mural for Parliament in 2001, titled ‘The Journey of India from Mohenjo-daro to Mahatma Gandhi’. In Odisha, his home state (he was born in Mayurbhanj in 1941), he established the iconic J.D. Centre for Arts in Bhubaneswar, designed by the renowned architect B.V. Doshi. In 2012, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. Most recently, the National Gallery of Modern Art hosted a retrospective of his works, which attracted large crowds and provided a captivating glimpse into his versatility as an artist.

One of Jatin’s great passions is his collection of Pankhas, or hand-held fans, of which he has collected over 6,000 from all over the world. These were displayed at the National Crafts Museum and are now stored, awaiting a permanent home for display and preservation. The collection is likely the only one of its kind, and I would strongly recommend that either the central government or the government of Odisha acquire it for posterity and permanent display.

Also Read: ‘One life is not enough’, says Jatin Das

Once, when I was in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, on holiday with some friends, I received an urgent call from Jatin. The Sahitya Akademi was publishing a book of poems on the Pankha, compiled by Jatin, and he wanted me to contribute a poem within the next hour. I was in a real dilemma, as I was in the middle of a Bridge game and didn’t want to say no to Jatin. So, I wrote the poem while playing Bridge, jotting down verses during the pauses in the game. The short poem read:

Without air

The possibility of breeze

No one to ask

And yet a caress

Fingers entwined

Making love silently:

Limb, leg, arm, strand

Strapped together

To create a surface

Cleaving a void

That grants deliverance.

Go find me a pankha

The fan that gives

Without asking for anything.

By the grace of God, Jatin is keeping well. He has his daily rum and water, finishes a packet of cigarettes, and still works 12 hours a day. Despite his age, his mind remains a kaleidoscope of ideas that he is eager to complete. However, my advice to him has been to be a little less scattered in his creativity, focus on a few priorities, and cultivate greater calmness of mind—an advice that his talented actor and filmmaker daughter, Nandita Das, agrees with.

Incidentally, he is also a good poet, with a published collection of poetry. He wants to publish a second volume and write his memoirs, both projects for which I have promised to help. He also needs to establish a Trust to serve as a safe repository for all his works.

Jatin’s usual form of greeting is to exclaim, La la la la! I wish him all the best of ‘la la la la’ in the years ahead.