Modernist Artist Arpita Singh Dies at 89

Modernist artist Arpita Singh died aged 89 in New Delhi on 9 November 2026. She died at Fortis Hospital from age-related ailments, including heart and lung issues, her husband, artist Paramjit Singh, said.

Art and recognition

Singh was known for detailed figurative works, often centred on a female figure, that addressed social upheaval and humanitarian crises. She received the Padma Bhushan in 2011 and the Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship in 2014 for her contribution to art.

Her cremation is scheduled for 2 p.m. on 15 November at Lodhi Crematorium. She is survived by Paramjit Singh. Their only daughter, artist Anjum Singh, died of cancer in 2020. Curator Uma Nair mourned her, describing her as the “high priestess of contemporary Indian art”. Poet Ashok Vajpeyi also paid tribute to Singh’s work.

Important Facts for Exams

• Textile-design influence: Arpita Singh worked at the Weavers’ Service Centre and her experience in the textile industry was reflected in her art.
• Colour and folk style: By the 1980s, Arpita Singh painted Bengali folk-inspired scenes, using vibrant colours with restraint and a palette dominated by pinks and blues.
• Women artists’ touring exhibition: From 1987 to 1989, Arpita Singh organised and exhibited in a show with three contemporaries; it travelled to five non-commercial venues in India.
• Early artists’ collective: Arpita Singh was a founding member of The Unknown, a group with other Delhi Polytechnic fine-arts alumni; its first group show took place in 1962.