Born in Noakhali (now Bangladesh) in 1916, Nihar Ranjan Choudhury was an important yet under-recognized figure in twentieth-century Bengal Revivalism. Deeply influenced by Pan-Asian ideals, his work helped challenge Westernized perceptions of Indian art and art education. He studied at Kala Bhavana, Santiniketan (1932–1937), where he was mentored by Rabindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose and worked alongside major modernists of the time.
Exposure to Chinese art at Santiniketan significantly shaped his practice. In 1947, he became the first Indian artist to receive a Chinese Government scholarship to study at the Peiping Academy in Beijing, where he trained in traditional ink and wash painting (Guo Hua). His works from this period reflect strong brush control, fluid rhythmic compositions, and the integration of calligraphy, sometimes replacing Chinese script with Bengali.
Artist and educator Dinkar Koushik, writing for a catalogue for one of Choudhury’s exhibitions at Kala Bhavana, remarked that these works “show his superb brushmanship.” He highlighted Choudhury’s remarkable ability to convey the inherent cadence of his subjects; birds, fish, and elements of nature through swift, assured brushstrokes. With fine, delicate lines, Choudhury distilled the essence of his subjects, infusing them with a sense of vitality and spirit central to Chinese painting traditions.
After returning to India, Choudhury produced numerous small-format plein air works inspired by Bose’s practice, documenting landscapes of hill stations such as Mussoorie and Shimla, as well as scenes of Kolkata. A committed Gandhian, he contributed to nationalist causes and art education, participating in the Wardha Teacher’s Training programme and later joining the Hindustani Talimi Sangh under Gandhi’s leadership.
In the late 1950s, mental health challenges curtailed his artistic career. Despite this, his body of work stands as a significant example of cross-cultural exchange between India and China and remains an important, though often overlooked, contribution to Bengal Modernism.