Datta Bansode Born in 1969 at Latur in Maharahstra. In 1991 he did his G.D. Art (Painting) from the College of Arts Pune between 1992-94. He did his DIP.A.Ed. from Sir. J.J. School of Arts, Mumbai. He has presented solo shows at the Art Gallery at Nehru Centre, Mumbai (1997) and at Jehangir Art gallery, Mumbai (1999) and participated in several group shows. His work shifted in focus after the 1998 nuclear bomb tests in India. Bansode was struck by the irony of the code phrase - Buddha’s Smile - used by the government to refer to the tests. "After all,” he says, "Buddha’s philosophy is one of peace, and anti-crime." In response, he began his Lord Buddha series. Bansode explains that "I wanted to show that Buddha’s birth happened here but we have forgotten his philosophy. Retaining a neutral palette the series draws on the paintings of Ellora and Ajanta to depict the major events of Buddha’s life. The details of Buddha’s figure are inspired by the Mathuran and Gandhari sculptures of the Buddha.