G.R. Santosh was born in 1929. He was forced to abandon studies after his father passed away. He had to pick up odd jobs to make ends meet. He took to painting sign boards, weaving silk and even carried out whitewashing of walls. This skillful artist of papier-mache was given a scholarship by the Government of India, and he joined the MS University, Baroda to study fine arts.

He did his first solo show in Srinagar at the age of 24. He was influenced by Cezanne’s cubism and the tantric cult in Kashmir. He held various solo shows within the country and abroad, including New Delhi, Bombay, Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. He was the recipient of Padma Shri. The artist bid us adieu in 1997.