Bhupen Khakhar (1934–2003) was a pioneering Gujarati artist and writer, best known as one of India’s most influential modern painters. Though trained as a chartered accountant, he turned to art and also wrote essays and fiction in Gujarati, marked by wit and social observation. Associated with the Baroda Group, his work explored middle‑class life, sexuality, and identity with bold honesty. Khakhar received the Padma Shri and international acclaim for his contribution to Indian contemporary culture. He passed away in 2003.