Kollam Museum Celebrates Renowned Indian Artist A Ramachandran

In October 2025, the Museum of A Ramachandran opened in Kollam, India, preserving the vast creative legacy of the renowned Indian artist. The museum, spanning over 6,000 square feet and built at a cost of over Rs 4 crore, was completed in just eight months.

Ramachandran, a distinguished figure in Indian contemporary art, had expressed his desire to create a public museum for his works years earlier. The Lalithakala Akademi took up the task, and the museum was inaugurated more than a year after Ramachandran's death in February 2024.

The museum houses around 200 of Ramachandran's diverse artworks, including mural-like paintings, miniature-inspired small paintings, watercolors, sculptures, and ceramics. Among the highlights are five treasured watercolors, 10 pen-and-ink drawings from the celebrated 'Insignificant Incarnation' series, and nine ink drawings of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum also showcases 10-12 watercolors by Ramachandran's wife, artist Chameli Ramachandran, and an installation titled 'In Trance' with nine life-size figures, along with a Gandhi sculpture.

Ramachandran's artistic journey, which began with his first solo exhibition in 1966, spanned over six decades and earned him numerous awards and accolades, including the Padma Bhushan. The museum's recreation of his studio, complete with his brushes, bowls, pigments, and other personal items, offers visitors a glimpse into the artist's creative process.