Born in 1937 Kannur, Kerala, Haridasan earned a psychology degree from Madras University in 1958 By 1960, he had turned his focus to art, obtaining a painting degree from the Government College of Art and Craft, Chennai, in 1966 During this time, he lived in the Cholamandal Artists’ Village, connecting with fellow Madras School artists such as P Gopinath and SG Vasudev In 1970, he furthered his studies with fresco painting training in Vanasthali, Rajasthan From 1980 to 1992, he served as a professor and later the principal of the College of Fine Arts in Thiruvananthapuram Additionally, he was the editor of Artrends magazine for the Progressive Painters’ Association from 1970 to 1985

Recognized as a pioneer of Neo-Tantric modern and contemporary art in India, KV Haridasan believed that contemporary Indian art should draw from Indian mythological and historical principles rooted in mysticism His artwork delved into traditional geometric and colourful motifs found in Tantric teachings, such as vertical lines, concentric circles and ovals, flames, lotus petals, bullheads, triangles, and mask heads Haridasan saw Tantra as stemming from Indian folk traditions and sharing a philosophical and mystical system with much of Indian art and culture He argued that Tantra could be conveyed through abstract painting via pure colour fields, harmony, and rhythm His Yantra series (1968–71), including notable works like Prakruthi Yantra (1969), marked a significant turning point in his career, establishing him as a leading Neo-Tantric artist alongside Biren De and GR Santosh

In 1992, Haridasan published his book, Intimations on Art – Indian, Western, Modernity, Tradition & Tantra, which delved into his exploration of Tantric principles and the relationship between modern and contemporary art and Indian traditions and histories The artist passed away in 2014