Born in Lahore in 1925, Krishen Khanna had an unusual entry to the world of art. He worked as a banker while he studied painting at evening classes conducted at the Mayo School of Art, Lahore during 1948-62. A job transfer to Mumbai brought him in close proximity with the members of the Progressive Artists Group and the art movement in Mumbai at that time, where he chose to pursue his career as an artist.

In 1962-63 Khanna received a fellowship from the Rockefeller Council, New York and was Artist in Residence at the American University, Washington DC. During this period he exhibited at the Jacksonville Art Museum, Jacksonville; Delgado Museum of Art, New Orleans; Hunter Gallery of Art, Chattanooga; East West Centre; Honolulu. His works were also exhibited at: Biennales held in Tokyo - 1957 and Sao Paolo - 1960; the International Triennale, Delhi in 1968, 75 and 82; Lincoln Center, New York - 1966. Khanna has also been a part of various exhibitions including: ‘India; Myth and Reality - Aspects of Modern Indian Art’, Museum of Modern Art, Oxford; Festival of India, Royal Academy of Art, London; ‘Modern Indian Painting’, Hirschhorn Museum, Washington DC - 1982; ‘Coups de Coeur’, Geneva - 1987, Festival of India, Japan in 1988, The Fourth Biennale, Havana, Cuba, 1991; Saffronart and Pundole Art Gallery, New York - 2001, 02.

In 1990 the Government of India awarded him with the Padma Shri and in 1997 he received the Kala Ratna by the All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society. In 2003, 'Sketchbook', a limited edition book by Krishen Khanna was published, featuring 140 sketches, which have never been published before.

Khanna lives and works in New Delhi.