Portraits of Eminent Indians

Mass reproductions of grayscale photographs was an expensive proposition for publishers of periodicals, newspapers in the early part of 20th century and this gave rise to the art forms of cartoons, and pen and ink portraits, which could be reproduced just in black and white without the shades of gray.

Indian publishers during the 1950s and 1960s called upon artist V.N.O'key, more than anyone else, to provide these portraits for their publications. An excellent photographer and a fine artist,  O'key was very well versed in art form of pen and ink portraits, as one can see from this collection.

We are grateful to T. Narasimha Shenoy, nephew of  Late V.N. O'key for making these portraits available, and Prof. Madhu Dandavate for the brief biographic sketches. Some of the portraits were drawn during 1980s.

Charles Correa Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	P.T. Usha Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Film Maker Satyajit Ray Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Rukminidevi Arundale (1906-1986) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Homi Jahangir Bhabha Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Amrita Pritam (1919 -2005) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Mother Teresa Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	C.K. Nayudu (1895-1967) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Yusuf Meherally (1903-1950) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Socialist Leader R.M. Lohia (1910-1967) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Jayaprakash Narayan (1902-1979) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Acharya Narendra Dev (1889-1956) Freedom fighter and social reformer Acharya Narendra Dev
Swami Dayanand Saraswati Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Ramaswami Naicker ( 1879 -1973) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Raja Ram Mohan Roy Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Pandita Ramabai Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Narayan Guru (1854 - 1928) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Vinoba Bhave (1895 -1982) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Thakkar Bappa (1869-1951) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Srinivas Ramanujan Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
P.C. Ray (1861- 1944) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Chembai Vaidyanatha (1894-1974) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
C.V. Raman Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950) Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan A Pathan leader who led Muslims in non-vilolent protests against British
	Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
Swami Vivekananda Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Ramana Maharshi Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
J. Krishnamurti Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key
	Sri Aurobindo Portrait in India ink by V.N. O'key

See Also:

• Faces of India -- Photographer Kamat captures the diversity of India through these memorable portraits
• Famous and Accomplished Indians
• List of Biographies