An economist turned painter and a brilliant colourist with a strong individualism in her work, Nayanaa Kanodia is widely regarded as the pioneer of the genre of L’Art Naïf in India. She has held innumerable exhibitions in India and abroad, and her paintings form part of the collections of major art collectors and leading corporate houses across the world. The Musée International d’Art Naïf, Paris, permanently displays her works, underscoring her global stature.

She has exhibited and demonstrated her painting techniques at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and was the first Indian artist whose works were selected for Paintings in Hospitals, UK. She has been featured in Women in Art, an esteemed international publication by Reinhard Fuchs—an exceptional honour for an Indian artist. She was also chosen from among artists of all Commonwealth countries to present a solo exhibition at their newly renovated complex in London.

Impressed by the social messages conveyed in her paintings, a consortium of schools in Los Altos, USA, uses her work as a medium of instruction for students. She has recently been appointed as a juror for the Prisma Art Prize – Rome Dividere in Europe, becoming the first Indian artist to serve on their panel—an honour for both the artist and the country.

Nayanaa Kanodia is actively associated with several charitable organisations and regularly gives talks, conducts workshops, and makes presentations on art at universities and institutions. She also serves as a judge for art competitions and has participated in art camps across India, London, Sweden, Italy, Moscow, Greece, Bangkok, and Cambodia.

Between 1986 and 2025, Nayanaa Kanodia has presented six solo exhibitions abroad and participated in 50 international group shows. In India, she has held 40 solo exhibitions and taken part in an extraordinary 256 group exhibitions, a testament to her prolific career, sustained relevance, and pioneering contribution to Indian contemporary art.