Narmada Prasad Tekam (b. 1956), a self-taught Gond artist hailing from Madhya Pradesh, draws inspiration from the rhythms of nature and life. As a child, he would take his cattle to graze by the banks of the River Singni, where he taught himself to draw by tracing his outline in the sand with a stick. Using pigments extracted from leaves and flowers, he painted on the walls of his house, depicting a variety of themes ranging from human and animal figures to deities like Hanuman.

Tekam’s exceptional talent was discovered by a student of renowned Indian artist Jagdish Swaminathan in 1983 when he visited Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal from his village, Patangarh.

In recognition of his contribution to the art world, the Government of Madhya Pradesh awarded him the Shikhar Sanman in 2006.