Window to the world
Atul V Chaudhari

As a young man growing up in Mumbai, I didn’t have access to fancy magazines or art books. But what I did have was mid-day. Sometimes bought, sometimes borrowed from neighbours, and often rescued from the local raddiwala, mid-day became my first window into the world beyond my home. It was where I discovered photographs of global events, political figures, cityscapes and moments that sparked my world of imagination. My friends, knowing my love for mid-day, would even bring over their copies just so I could sketch more from them. I would wait eagerly each day for the paper, flipping through it not just for the headlines, but for inspiration, the comics, the columnists, the jokes, and the visual stories. That daily ritual slowly grew into a lifelong practice. One sketch turned into hundreds, then into canvases, exhibitions, and finally, a studio of my own. Atul Fine Art has now stood for over 40 years — a space where generations of students, collectors, and art lovers have come together. But its roots? They go back to a newspaper, a pencil, and a young man drawing quietly in a corner of a room, dreaming with the pages of mid-day spread before him. And now, the journey continues through the next generation. My son, Chandan Chaudhari, a graduate in Applied Arts from JJ Institute, carries forward this legacy with fresh eyes and the same deep-rooted love for art. What began as a one-man dream has quietly grown into a family-run studio — where passion is inherited, and every brushstroke carries a story across generations. Congratulations, mid-day, on completing 46 vibrant years of storytelling and city spirit. You are not just a newspaper — for many of us, you are the first brushstroke of imagination.

About the artist

Atul V Chaudhari is a self-taught Mumbai-based artist with a career spanning over four decades. Known for his distinctive blend of realism, emotion and everyday narrative, his artwork often celebrates the textures of Indian life. He brings a rare mix of solid foundations and open-minded creativity. He trained for five years at Rajaram Fine Art Institute under his mentor Shree Krishna Udipi, mastering landscapes, portraits, and more.