B. Prabha

Born in Nagpur, B. Prabha became an artist at a time when few Indian women pursued art professionally. She studied at the Nagpur School of Art and earned a diploma from Sir J. J. School of Art, Bombay, in 1955. Best known for her oil paintings of rural women, Prabha portrayed their struggles, resilience, and everyday lives. Her practice evolved from early abstract works to strongly figurative compositions, influenced by artists including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, and Amrita Sher-Gil. She also drew inspiration from Indian artists and classical painting traditions. Her subjects extended to fishermen, farmers, and the urban working poor. She received the first prize at the 1958 Bombay State Art Exhibition and passed away in Nagpur in 2001.