Mangaluru: Renowned artist and veteran art teacher Syed Asif Ali (54) passed away on Monday afternoon, January 5, 2026, following a sudden cardiac arrest while on duty at Mahalasa College of Visual Art, Alake, Mangaluru. He is survived by a son and a daughter.
Born on February 8, 1972, at Molakalmuru village in Chitradurga district, Syed Asif Ali earned a General Diploma in Fine Art from Ravindra Kalaniketana, Tumakuru, in 1995, and later completed his Master of Visual Art (MVA) from Kannada University, Hampi, in 2008. He 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.
An accomplished and widely respected artist, he was especially known for his distinctive, vibrant watercolour landscape paintings, many of which were created on location. As a teacher, he was deeply admired for his personal mentorship and dedication to nurturing young artistic talent.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, he participated in numerous national and regional exhibitions, including the Mysuru Dasara exhibition on ten occasions and Karnataka Lalithakala Academy exhibitions five times. His contributions to the field of art were recognised with 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 the Kodialguthu Centre for Art and Culture on Monday evening, before being taken to his native Molakalmuru for traditional burial. The Mangaluru chapter of INTACH and the Art Kanara Trust have expressed deep condolence over the demise of the veteran artist.