Ragini Upadhyaya's tryst with art commenced against the backdrop of Kathmandu's rich cultural heritage, where the vibrancy of Nepalese traditions and the intricate tapestry of its art forms kindled the flames of creativity within her. From a young age, Ragini exhibited an innate talent for drawing and painting, often finding solace and expression in the strokes of her brush. The beauty of her homeland, coupled with the stories and folklore of Nepal, imbued in her a deep appreciation for the arts and a desire to explore its myriad forms.

Ragini's artistic journey catapulted into the public eye with her first major exhibition in 1979, an event that not only showcased her talents but also earned her recognition from Queen Aishwarya Shah of Nepal. This moment marked her entrance into Nepal’s progressive art circles and set the stage for her influential career.

Ragini’s quest for artistic mastery and exploration took her beyond Nepal's borders, thanks to scholarships that enabled her to study at prestigious institutions like the Oxford Printmakers Co-operative in the UK and the Kunst Academy in Stuttgart, Germany. These experiences in the late 1980s exposed her to a broad spectrum of artistic techniques and global perspectives, enriching her work and philosophy.

Ragini's formal education in art began at the prestigious Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts in Lucknow, India. It was here that she pursued her Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, graduating in 1982. This period was instrumental in refining her skills, exploring various mediums, and developing her unique artistic voice

" A young girl with a deep passion for art embarked on a journey to study fine art in a new environment. Adjusting was challenging, especially with the cultural distance between males and females in northern India, which my innocent nature struggled to understand. Attending a co-educational institution for the first time, my bold nature initially caused some issues at the Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts. When male students made cheap comments towards me or my friends, I would boldly respond, leading to further harassment. This inspired my drawing titled "THEY ALL ARE DOGS."

My principal, the late Professor R.S. Bisht, encouraged me to express my feelings on canvas and ignore the bullies. This work was later exhibited at our annual college exhibition. Despite these challenges, I had wonderful experiences with respected teachers like Prof. Jai Krishna Agrawal, whose friendly nature made printmaking particularly appealing. This interest significantly influenced my career. My professors laid the foundation for my artistic journey, and the rich culture of Lucknow further shaped my development. "

- Ragini Upadhyay

Ragini's artistic journey catapulted into the public eye with her first major exhibition in 1979, an event that not only showcased her talents but also earned her recognition from Queen Aishwarya Shah of Nepal. This moment marked her entrance into Nepal’s progressive art circles and set the stage for her influential career.

Ragini's exceptional talent and commitment to art earned her scholarships that enabled her to study abroad, expanding her horizons and exposing her to global art trends. She took advanced lessons in printmaking at the Oxford Printmakers Co-operative in 1987 on a British Council scholarship, followed by a scholarship to study at the Kunst Academy in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1989. These experiences broadened her understanding of art, introducing her to diverse techniques and philosophies that would influence her work

"In the works of Ragini is a reflection of a paradox in Hinduism female gods and worship, in some senses even more than male gods. But in everyday life, women are still exploited. Ragini's works are also radical, showing nudity and sexuality, but it is still a taboo outside the temples."

Hti Suomen
Kuvalehti, Finland
15 May, 1998

"Ragini's work is a mirror of world full of symbols. With her art she wants to bridge between the traditional religious art and the freed modern art."

Grent Echo Newspaper
Eupen, Belgium
1992
(Translated)

"The objective of my series on women is not to portray women in general as being sensitive and powerful, but to show that women who often said to be submissive and miserable are actually sensitive, powerful and patient" , says Ragini Upadhyay

Sunday Dispatch
Kathmandu, Nepal
17-23 Jan, 1999

"I visited her atelier in Ragini Village and found her to be an artist of enormous complexity and  richness, tremendous strength and incredible subtlety. Her pictures encompasses both Western ego and Eastern Dharma. IN her fragile light dwells the powerful Devi of beasts where she masterfully uses the image of the strongest animals. Her symbols, like fire wings, are never at rest; they are always revolting, endlessly striving for more space, a better place and defying conventional function."

Maya Rothenbuhler,
The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, Nepal
17 September, 2000

"Her work deals more with religious Hindu and Buddhist symbols. They are contemprorary works that address the destruction of Bamiyan Buddha 11 September, and the present situation of Nepal. Grela questions the future peace in Nepal in the world. She depicts Buddha's footsteps stained with blood, broken Buddha, the eternal eyes of the Sun and states through her work."

The Himalayan Times,
Kathmandu, Nepal
18 August, 2002

This medal - the very last Nepal Royal Commemorative Medal to be issued - was uniquely named & styled as a joint Memorial Medal and Coronation Medal) in 2001. The medal was awarded in the the wake of the wake of the Royal Palace Massacre, and the coronation of King Gyanendra (the last monarch of Nepal), both events which occurred in 2001

Befitting this joint Memorial / Coronation medal the obverse bears the joint-bust portraits on obverse of the massacred late King Birendra-Queen Aishwarya

King Gyanendra reigned in Nepal 2001-2008

"Crossing the square of wet white foam I entered the gallery. Displayed a mastery of drawing skills and subtle combinations of color Ragini had tried to depict the face of changing time in her paintings through a personification of some seemingly timeless monuments of the nation: Chantaghar or the clock tower, Dharahara, Swayambhu, and other famous temples and monuments of the valley. In her paintings these historical monuments had acquire a face; a face that was often that of a ticking clock. The stupa of Swayambhu for example, was turned into a perpetually ticking clock. The divine eyes of vision, however, seems to peer from behind these ticking faces of time, trying to see the entire flux of changing history from their position of changing transcendence."

Sanjeev Upreti,
The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, Nepal
13 May, 2005

"Most of Ragini's work are about female - power, praying for freedom and political fight between the parties. The last paint is worked out in a newly caricaturing way, she wants to show that psychology of the political actors. Her style in a mixture of traditional Nepali art and modern European art."

Bilderwand Manufaktur (Culture Magazine)
Schorndorf, Germany
Nov 2007

"This series is produced during 2008. It is strongly inspired by my recent trips to Europe which have marked my mind with places and communication habits. The  omnipresence of computers, mobile phones, PDA are for me a great opportunity for lovers to exchange feelings and emotions. There is a magic in the air which makes it full of messages and vibrations"

Ragini Upadhyay
The Artist, Kathmandu, Nepal
2009

"In this series of works, she celebrates both technology and lovers together combining elements like computers, mobile phones and keyboards with half animal and half human figures"

Ameer H Ahmad
Daily Times, Karachi, Pakistan
14 Feb, 2010

"The Gai(Cow) symbolizing Nepal as the enduring mother nation, but beset by lions with snake-like tongues and tails, symbolizing the so-called rulers of nation and the Goddess Kumari, temples and Chaityas symbolizing the cultural dignity of our country make up most of her paintings. She continues to use many flying and suspended images, and which the additional sense of Gai Jatra, her subjects are even more tospsy-turvy than usual. There are tons of symbolic images on a canvas, and that is what keeps you pulled in."

Ujjwal Maharjan
Republican, Kathmandu, Nepal
26 August, 2010

Ragini Upadhyaya, a luminary in the field of art and printmaking, has made significant contributions to the Nepalese art scene, both as an artist and through her various professional roles. Her journey through the arts is marked by her tenure as the Former Chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts from 2014 to 2018, where she was celebrated as Nepal's first woman chancellor at an art academy. Beyond her administrative roles, Ragini is deeply involved in philanthropy as the President of the Shivata Love Foundation and holds memberships in the Barbara Foundation and the BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation (BPKF). She has also led as the Former President of the Women Artists’ Group of Nepal (WAGON) and served as the Former Director of Artist Proof Gallery Nepal .

For the first time in its 113-year history, Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts (Lucknow University) has established the Ragini Upadhyay Gold Medal for excellence in Fine Arts. Instituted in 2024, this prestigious medal will be awarded annually on the University’s Convocation Day, beginning in 2025.

The inaugural recipient of the medal is Hewa Kalu Annakkage Venura Dilshanka De Silva, a gifted young artist from Sri Lanka, honored for achieving the highest marks in the Master’s program at the College.

With this award, Lucknow University aims to celebrate artistic brilliance and inspire future generations of artists for years to come.