Paritosh Sen was born in Dhaka, now in Bangladesh, in 1918 in a noted Ayurved's family The world of nature, colour, movement fascinated him from his childhood as is clear from his collection of autobiographical vignettes, Jindabahar Lane, named after his Dhaka address. After finishing school, Sen ran away from home to join the Madras Art School headed by Devi Prosad Roy Chowdhury. His fellow-students their were K.C.S. Panicker, Prodosh Dasgupta, Gopal Ghosh and others.

After finishing art school, Sen taught art at the Daly college in Indore. He is one of the pioneers of Indian modern art movement, who along with some other artists in Kolkata, formed the 'Calcutta Group' in 1943. In 1949, Sen left for Europe. In Paris, he studied at Andre Lhote's school, Academie Grand Chaumier, Ecole des Beaux Arts and Ecole des Louvre where he studied the history of painting. The sojourn abroad provided an exciting exposure.

A meeting with Picasso left a deep impression in 1954, he returned to Calcutta. To earn a living, he joined the Netarhat School in Palamau, near Ranchi, as an art teacher. After a short stint there, Sen returned to Calcutta. He joined the newly opened school of printing technology as professor of design and layout.

In the early '60s, he went abroad to England and France. He was commissioned by the French government to design Bengali typography based on the script of Rabindranath Tagore. This was an interest that surfaced once again in the '80s. between 1970-7 1, he received the Rockefeller grant and went to New York. On his return, he created an installation on violence.

Education
1949-54
Studied at Paris at Andre Lhote’s School, Academy Grand Chaumier, Ecole des Beaux Arts ( Mural Painting) and at Ecole des Louvre (History of painting), Paris
1936-40
Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai
 
Exhibition
Selected Solo Exhibitions

2008
‘Paritosh at 88’, Project 88, Mumbai
2007
‘Paritosh at 88’, Galerie 88, Mumbai
2002
‘Retrospective’, Artworld, Chennai
‘Retrospective’, Lalit Kala Academy, Chennai
2001
‘Mini Retrospective Show’, Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata
1998
‘Works on Paper’, Lakereen Art Gallery, Mumbai
1992
‘Acrylics as Water Colors’, The Village Gallery, New Delhi
1991
‘Instant Images’, The Village Gallery, New Delhi
1989
‘Self Portraits’, The Village Gallery, New Delhi
1973
Gallery Sanskriti, New Delhi
1967
Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata
1965
Gallery Chemould, Kolkata
1962
London
1950
Brussels

Selected Group Exhibitions
2008
'Frame Figure Field: 20th Century Modern and Contemporary Indian Art', Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi
2008 ‘Freedom 2008 – Sixty Years after Indian Independence’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
'Tales, Reflection and Constructs', ITC Windsor, Bangalore
2007
‘Colors of Art’, Presented by Galerie Sara Arakkal and Gallery Art Resource Trust at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
’12 Artists’, Presented by Akar Prakar at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai
2006
'Drawing Show an Act of Art II', Priyasri Art Gallery, Mumbai
1993
‘Wounds’, Centre for International Modern Art (CIMA), Kolkata
1992
‘Confluence ‘92’, Kolkata
1984
Four Indian Partners, Stockholm, Sweden
1972
Four Indian Partners, Pittsburgh, USA
1951
Calcutta Group – Progressive Art Group (PAG) Joint Exhibition, Kolkata
1944
First Calcutta Group Exhibition, Services Club, Kolkata
 
Awards
2004
Lalit Kala Ratna, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
1999
Aban Gagan Puruskar, Viswabharti University, Santiniketan
1998
Hirachand Dugar Award, Kolkata
Smt. Bijoya Chakraborty Smriti Puraskar, Kolkata
Rabindra Bharti University, Kolkata
1997
Outstanding Citizen Award from The English Speaking Union
1996
Kalidas Nag Award
1995
West Bengal State Lalit Kala Prize for Achievement in Art
1991
Conferred Hony. Doctor of Literature, University of Burdwan, West Bengal
1986
Conferred Fellowship, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi