b. 1963, Janakpur, Nepal.

Uma Shankar Shah’s work is a sustained meditation on the layered life of Nepali cities. Trained in painting and printmaking (BFA 1988; MFA/PG 1991, Banaras Hindu University), Shah translates the dense architectures, temple-domes and intimate urban pockets of Kathmandu into richly textured etchings and mixed-media cityscapes. His images are not only documentary records but imaginative maps: rooftops, stupas and narrow lanes reappear as rhythmic motifs and architectural tesserae that carry both historical memory and contemporary pulse. Technically, Shah is best known for his printmaking: etching, zinc-plate techniques and colour viscosity printing, along with experiments in collage and oil. Colour and pattern operate as structural devices in his compositions: temple finials, chhatris and clustered houses become recurring signs rendered in dense, jewel-like tones or restrained monochromes, producing a city that is at once intimate and monumental. These “cityscapes” are conceived as a visual diary of Kathmandu - an exploration of communal identity, religious presence and urban atmosphere rather than literal topography. Shah has exhibited widely across South Asia and internationally and has represented Nepali print practice in multiple exchange programmes and biennales. He is also a long-time educator in painting and printmaking at Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu and has received recognition for his print work at international forums. Recent shows and projects have continued to expand his cityscape series, emphasising both the architectural silhouette of Kathmandu and the layered human narratives that animate it.

He lives and works in Kathmandu.