Born in 1922 in Akola, Maharashtra, the artist Ambadas Khobragade earned his Diploma in Fine Arts from the renowned Sir JJ School of Art in Bombay in 1952 His career took him from Bombay to Madras and eventually to New Delhi, where his employment at the government-run Weavers Service Centre as a hand-loom textile designer led to encounters with like-minded artists such as J Swaminathan, Rajesh Mehra, and Himmat Shah In 1962, these artists came together to form Group 1890

Ambadas Khobragade's artworks serve as a window into the depths of his soul Influenced by his subaltern origins and a childhood shaped by Gandhian ideals, his works reflect a profound quest for spirituality Belonging to a generation of artists influenced by the social, political, and cultural transformations of the 1950s and 60s, Ambadas was drawn to abstract and non-representational art He believed in transcending the surface to reach a formless, abstract reality, where his intentions played no role in shaping the works

Throughout his career, Ambadas held numerous solo and group exhibitions both in India and internationally His pieces found a home in prestigious collections, including the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, Glenbarra Art Museum in Japan, the Ben & Abbey Grey Foundation in the USA, and the State Gallery in Norway In 2008, a retrospective of his work was organised Recognizing his contribution to the arts, the Lalit Kala Academy honoured him with the National Award in 1963 

Before relocating to Norway where he lived since 1972, the artist travelled on a scholarship to the USA and Germany