Born in Mumbai in 1931, Mehlli completed his graduation from St Xavier’s College and went on to study art at the Royal college of Art in London and the Art Students League, New York where he lived and worked for over 20 years before returning to Mumbai His work has always leaned towards abstract expressionism which was refreshing to witness especially at a time when his peers were mostly influenced by the European masters Structure and surface have always played an important aspect in his works As an artist he dislikes colour, which according to him distracts from the actual essence of the painting He has been quoted, “If I had to give up either colour or lines I would certainly give up colour- which I almost have” Some of his better known works on paper include ‘Gita Govinda’