Born in 1936 in what is now Bangladesh, Dhiraj Choudhary's work was informed by his experience of the freedom struggle, a struggle he believes was ongoing, particularly for the artist in their fight against low social status.

In the 1960s, Choudhary focused on the plight of the marginalised and displaced. He portrayed a variety of figures in his work, from famine-stricken Bengali peasants and exploited Southern farmers to a murdered agitator on a Mumbai street, drifters, and sex workers, all with a strong sense of irony. These subjects are shown as the supposedly free citizens of a nation that failed to realise its promise of freedom. Some of Choudhary's pen-and-ink drawings powerfully reflected the intensity of his reaction to the horrors present in Indian society.

Beginning in 1999, Dhiraj Chowdhury shifted his artistic focus dramatically to the theme of Love, aiming to counteract the daily violence and greed he observed. He thoroughly explored this concept, acknowledging not only its positive aspects but also the "dark side" from which negative emotions like arrogance, envy, and resentment arise. Chowdhury's later works were predominantly acrylic on canvas, characterised by a vibrant palette utilising all primary colours, often with subtle washes.

The artist passed away in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of profound artistic insight into both the societal struggles and the complexities of human emotion.