Painter Lalitha Lajmi, sister of filmmaker Guru Dutt, passes away at 90

Late filmmaker Guru Dutt’s sister Lalitha Lajmi, noted painter, has passed away at the age of 90. The news of her demise was shared by the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) on Monday. "With Profound grief and sorrow NGMA, Mumbai, Ministry of Culture, Government of India shares the news of demise of veteran artist and printmaker Smt. Lalitha Lajmi who left for heavenly abode this morning (13.02.2023). Our Deepest Condolences. RIP," NGMA wrote in the post on Twitter. The note read, “Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India , we were honoured to present "The Minds Cupboard" - a retrospective of Lalitha Ji's large body of work at the NGMA on January 12th, 2023.” “Lalitha Lajmi was born to a poet father and a poly-linguist writer mother in Kolkata in 1932. Coming from a family involved in the arts, Lajmi was very fond of classical dance and painting. She found her calling in painting. An unparalleled watercolourist, through her works she narrates a layered history of the modem Indian woman in the decades that followed Independence. Often her vvorks reflect the hidden tensions that exist between men and women, captured in the different roles they play. Yet, her women are not meek individuals, but assertive and individualistic, with a strong autobiographical element.  Lalitha Ji was a regular at all our NGMA opening receptions and we will miss her gracious presence,” the note concluded. Lalitha Lajmi’s last work The Mind's Cupboard is on exhibition at the NGMA in Mumbai till February 26, 2023.