Artist Syed Asif Ali passes away

Eminent artist and art teacher Syed Asif Ali passed away on Monday (January 5, 2026) in Mangaluru following a cardiac arrest. Ali, 54, was on duty at Mahalasa College of Visual Art, Alake in the city at that time.

Born on February 8, 1972, at Molakalmuru in Chitradurga district, he obtained a General Diploma in Fine Art from Ravindra Kalaniketana, Tumakuru in 1995, and a Master of Visual Art (MVA) degree from Kannada University, Hampi, in 2008.

Ali joined Mahalasa College of Visual Art in 1996 and was serving as the Head of the Department of Applied Art at the time of his demise.

Accomplished artist, inspiring teacher

An accomplished artist, Ali was widely known for his distinctive and vibrant watercolour landscape paintings, mostly created on location. A dedicated and inspiring teacher, he was highly regarded by students for his personal guidance.

Over his three-decade-long career, he participated in several national and regional exhibitions, including the Mysuru Dasara exhibition on 10 occasions and Karnataka Lalithakala Academy exhibitions five times. He also trained students at numerous art camps and was the recipient of several prestigious honours, including the Karnataka Lalithakala Academy State Award, the Camlin National Award, and nine Mysuru Dasara Awards.

His mortal remains were kept for public homage at Mahalasa College of Visual Art and Kodialguthu Centre for Art and Culture on January 6 evening, before being taken to his native Molakalmuru for traditional burial. The Mangaluru chapter of INTACH and Art Kanara Trust have expressed deep condolence over the demise of the veteran artist, said a statement.