Born in 1938, Gopalachar Lakshmi Nara Simha, hails from a traditional family of South Indian brahmin family. Following his initial studies of the Vedas and various rituals at the Parakala Mutt in Mysore, he received his formal training in Arts at the Chamarajendra Technical Institute, Mysore. He worked in the art department of Kannada weeklies Gokula and Kailasa and later for the magazines Sudha and Mayura and has also painted book covers for novels. The illustration work, coupled with five years of studies, enabled him to specialize in the scripture based meditative and traditional marquetry art of the Mysore School. Simha’s art is infused with spirituality. It is firmly rooted in Indian subjects and metaphysical themes and incorporates philosophical symbolism, but displays only a limited touch of western art that was also a part of the syllabus at the art college where he studied. His artscape engages with scriptures, and illustrations of godly figures, mantras and shloks, earning him the title of ‘Mantra Mukura’ or mirror of mantras. Image is the most predominant element in his work. Drawn and painted in bold colours, incorporating tempera style brushwork, gives his work a highly finished form. He builds up the painting beyond the bounds of the image. His work has been part of exhibitions held in different parts of India and has been published in several books. It has also won him awards, including a first prize at the Mysore Dasara Exhibition and a copper plaque by Samskara Bharathi.