Renowned painter and former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Jogen Chowdhury passed away at a private hospital in Kolkata on Sunday morning following a prolonged battle with blood cancer. He was 87.
Chowdhury had been undergoing chemotherapy since early 2025. He was recently admitted to the hospital after contracting a urinary tract infection and was subsequently put on ventilator support.
Born on February 16, 1939, in Faridpur (now in Bangladesh), Chowdhury moved to Kolkata post-Partition. He studied at the Government College of Art and Craft in Kolkata before heading to Paris in 1965 on a French government scholarship.
Recognised as a pioneer of modern Indian art, he served as curator at Rashtrapati Bhavan and later entered public life as a parliamentarian.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expressed deep grief, calling him a “towering pillar of our cultural world” whose distinctive strokes brought international acclaim.
Deeply pained and grieved by the passing away of eminent painter and legendary artist, Shri Jogen Chowdhury.
A maestro whose distinctive strokes redefined Indian modern art, Shri Jogen Chowdhury was a towering pillar of our cultural world. His immense contributions brought international acclaim to West Bengal. His departure leaves an irreparable void in West Bengal’s intellectual and artistic soul.
On behalf of the Government and the People of West Bengal, I express my profound grief and extend my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family, friends, associates and legions of fans across the globe.
Om Shanti 🙏— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) October 25, 2026
Noted writer Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay remembered Chowdhury as an open-hearted person whose legacy will remain immortal through his art.
