Sanjay Bhattacharya graduated from the Government College of Arts & Crafts in Calcutta in 1982. He creates realistic paintings that embody the character of Kolkata, India. He is best known for his portrait series of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, where he portrays Gandhi in striking and ambiguous interior scenes, as seen in the Rajiv Gandhi Series (1994). A student of the realist painter Bikash Bhattacharya, Bhattacharya's use of light and attention to detail are reminiscent of the works of Dutch realist painters. His artwork is influenced by the contrasts between the interior and exterior worlds of various places, often reflecting on old, uninhabited houses. In these settings, abandoned furniture and decaying walls tell the stories of the people who once lived there. Additionally, he creates poignant portraits of lower-middle-class families, conveying both vulnerability and dignity in his subjects.