Puspanjali Rao

Puspanjali Rao, born in 1978 in Puri, Odisha, in eastern India, is an established Indian artist specialising in traditional art forms.

Her artistic journey began in childhood, when she developed a deep interest in drawing and painting. This passion laid the foundations for a lifelong commitment to artistic expression and the preservation of traditional Indian art forms.

Between 1993 and 1995, she began developing her artistic skills by attending a Sunday art school in Puri, Odisha, where she received her initial training in painting and learned the fundamentals of colour. However, due to her family’s financial difficulties, she was forced to discontinue her formal education. Despite these challenges, her determination and passion for art encouraged her to continue pursuing her artistic path.

From 1996 to 1997, she completed a one-year training course in traditional Pattachitra painting under the guidance of Shri Ram Chandra Moharana, through the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) in Delhi. This experience strengthened her artistic skills and deepened her knowledge of Pattachitra, a traditional art form from Odisha with a history spanning approximately one thousand years, deeply rooted in the region’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

From 1997 to 2003, she worked as an employed artist at Suncraft, gaining professional experience in the art sector. In 2003, she established her own art studio at her home on CT Road in Puri. In 2004, she met the Italian artist Tarshito, beginning an artistic collaboration that further shaped her creative research.

With approximately thirty years of experience in Pattachitra painting, Puspanjali Rao has developed remarkable mastery of traditional painting techniques while demonstrating a distinctive ability to create new designs and original forms of expression.

Through her artistic collaboration with Tarshito, she has taken part in creative projects that bring traditional Indian art into dialogue with contemporary artistic expressions and diverse cultural perspectives. Their collaboration has contributed to intercultural artistic exchange and to the international promotion of Odisha’s traditional Pattachitra art.

Within this context, she has participated in exhibitions and artistic projects in several countries, including Italy, the United Kingdom, China, Colombia and Uruguay, sharing her artistic vision with international audiences. These experiences have helped promote the cultural and spiritual dimension of her traditional art while fostering meaningful dialogue between Indian heritage and international artistic practices.

Her professional contributions also include serving as a jury member of the International Sand Art Festival in Konark, Odisha, organised by the Department of Tourism of Odisha.

Her artistic practice combines traditional craftsmanship with the development of original designs, reflecting her commitment to safeguarding and promoting Odisha’s cultural heritage.

Alongside her artistic work, she teaches traditional Pattachitra painting to young women at the Sudarshan Sand Art and Craft Design Institute in Puri, passing on techniques and knowledge to younger generations.

According to her professional records, she has created approximately 125 paintings and trained more than 50 students, contributing to the vitality of traditional Indian art through artistic practice, education and cultural exchange.

Awards and Recognition

Among the honours she has received are the Odisha State Handicraft Award and the State Lalit Kala Academy Award in 2023, the Arya Award in 2017 and the Lions Club Award in 2004.

In 2015, she also participated in the National-Level Women’s Artist Camp, organised by the Odisha Lalit Kala Academy in Bhubaneswar, where she received a certificate of recognition.

ARTWORKS REALIZED WITH TARSHITO