Krishna Shamrao Kulkarni was born in 1916, in Belgaum, Karnataka He studied at the JJ School of Arts, Bombay Later, he received a research scholarship in Indian Paintings from Tata Trusts between 1941-43 He actively participated in the Quit India movement, in 1942  

He was the first Indian artist to participate in the International Art Program that was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation, in the USA He travelled to Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Brazil where he studied different aspects of art He was invited as a guest artist by the governments of the USA, USSR, Germany, Poland, Mexico, South Korea, Netherlands, and the UK 

Kulkarni’s works depicted a love for ‘form’, singular and pure, free from literary burdens He was obsessed with the power of transformation and mutation in cultural contexts around the globe His style could never remain consistent and was ever-changing, in technique or figuration Although, the prehistoric and mediaeval eras gave him a large amount of inspiration in forming his perspective 

He founded the Triveni Kala Sangam where he served as Director of the Art Department until 1968 He served as a secretary of the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), Delhi [1948-1952] He was also the founder and served as president of Delhi Shilpi Chakra He was appointed as Vice-chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, in New Delhi [1973-78] Between 1972 and 1978, he served as a Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, in Uttar Pradesh He was also appointed national emeritus Professor by the Indian government for exceptional contribution to art 

His collections were implanted at significant spots such as the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi Art Gallery, and Kumar Gallery in New Delhi He was a recipient of a Bronze medal at the International Exhibition in London, in 1947; National Award by Lalit Kala Akademi, in New Delhi in 1955, 1962, and 1965; Fellowship at Lalit Kala Akademy in 1982; and Parishad Samman by Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi in 1986 

Among his noteworthy exhibitions held at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society in 1945 happened to be his first solo show; Sao Paulo Art Biennial, Brazil in 1959; A retrospective exhibition by Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta in 1986; Home and Away, Aicon Gallery, New York in 2021 

In 1962, Kulkarni was elected to the General Council of the Lalit Kala Academy His work was deeply influenced by music and other forms of art Kulkarni passed away in 1994