Born in 1950 in Pune, Maharashtra, Nayanaa Kanodia, is an economist turned painter. Having won the National Scholarship of the Government of India, she completed her graduation from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi with an Honours Degree in Economics.

Except for a year-long apprenticeship with Anjolie Ela Menon – one of India’s leading contemporary artists – Nayanaa is a self-taught artist. Her work typifies characteristics of the l’Art Naïf genre – the air of whimsy, the flat bright polished surfaces, vibrant and dynamic colours, and the extraordinary plethora of intricately worked details and patterns. The freshness and charm of the images she creates, gives a crystalline utopian appearance to the mundane everyday life being depicted. She reflects on the charming idiosyncrasies of her subjects with some degree of wit and gentle satire. 

A consortium of schools in Los Altos, USA, is using her work as a medium of instruction to their students. She was also honoured with an award by Megh Mandal Sansthan, Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India in 2016.

The artist lives and works in Mumbai, India.