Meet woman, mother of third wealthiest person after Mukesh Ambani, Adani, who bought MF Husain's iconic painting Gram Yatra for Rs 119 crore, she is...

The most expensive Indian artwork ever sold is Untitled (Gramme Yatra), a 1954 masterpiece by the legendary artist M.F. Husain. On March 20, 2025, this iconic piece fetched an astounding $13.8 million (approximately ₹119 crore) at a Christie’s auction in New York. This sale nearly doubles the previous record set by Amrita Sher-Gil’s The Story Teller, which was sold for Rs 61.8 crore in 2023.

Although Christie's listed the buyer as a 'unnamed institution,' it is widely believed that Kiran Nadar, a well-known art collector and philanthropist, purchased the painting. Kiran Nadar is the wife of Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL, and a trustee of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA). Her long-standing dedication to conserving and promoting Indian art internationally is in line with this acquisition.

Who is Kiran Nadar?

Nadar is an Indian philanthropist and wife of HCL Founder and Chairman Shiv Nadar. Kiran Nadar is the mother of HCL Technologies Chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra who has emerged as one of the wealthiest people in India and ranked as the richest woman in the nation after her father, Shiv Nadar, gifted her a stake in HCL Tech, Vama Delhi earlier this month. 

Kiran Nadar's collection of works by well-known Indian and foreign artists has earned her recognition for her contributions to the Indian art scene.

Located near Saket and NOIDA in New Delhi, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art is devoted to promoting Indian modern and contemporary art.

Kiran Nadar is also one of India's finest bridge players and earned a bronze medal at the Asian Games at the age of 67.