Ankit Prasad
Banaras Gharana Miniature · Varanasi
Ankit Prasad is a seventh-generation hereditary painter of the Banaras Chitrakala Gharana, the roughly 270-year-old later Mughal (Banaras) miniature painting tradition of Kashi that has continued unbroken since around 1750. Born into a distinguished lineage of court-descended painters, he carries forward a family legacy spanning Mughal, Pahari, Rajasthani, Banaras-style, mural, and miniature painting.
He holds a B.F.A. and M.F.A. in Applied Art from the Faculty of Visual Arts, Banaras Hindu University, and an M.F.A. in Painting from Indira Kala Sangit Vishwavidyalaya, Khairagarh. His practice spans traditional miniature painting, mural work, and the conservation and restoration of historic paintings, alongside contemporary work that unites classical technique with modern sensibility.
Ankit's work and his family's heritage have been widely documented across national and international media, academic publications, and documentaries, including features by Doordarshan, ETV, and Amar Ujala, and a paper published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in the United Kingdom. His paintings are held in institutional and private collections in India and abroad, including Bharat Kala Bhavan at Banaras Hindu University, collections in Japan, and various universities and museums. He is an active exhibitor, workshop conductor, panelist, and lecturer, having participated in exhibitions and art camps across India and internationally, including in Japan and Udaipur.
Beyond his own painting, Ankit is a dedicated custodian of tradition, working to preserve and restore his family's centuries-old artworks and to pass this rare knowledge to new generations through regular training, workshops, and lectures. His practice stands as a living bridge between tradition and contemporary art, carrying Kashi's cultural heritage onto national and international platforms.
Works
- Banaras Ghat — Ankit Prasad
- Entangled Wrestlers — Ankit Prasad
- Goddess Lakshmi — Ankit Prasad
- Mesh Rashi — Ankit Prasad
- Narsingha Avatara — Ankit Prasad
- Playful Elephant — Ankit Prasad
- Shiv Parvati — Ankit Prasad
- Shiv Virat Swaroop — Ankit Prasad
- The Holi of Banaras — Ankit Prasad
- The Sacred Union of Hanuman, Ram, and Lakshman at Sankat Mochan Temple — Ankit Prasad
- Untitled 11 — Ankit Prasad