Hemant Rao (b.1984) is an abstract artist whose works revolve around themes of nature, light and shadow. Rao works with abstract shapes and has a translucent, glowing quality to his forms. He uses dry pastels, which create soft colours, and incorporates semi-transparent layers to make the work appear luminous from within. His visual language brings the viewer a sense of stillness. tranquillity and neo-tantric sensibilities when paired with his subjects derived from nature.
Rao has won the 60th National Academy Award from Lalit Kala (2019), a recipient of a Junior Fellowship (2011–12) from the Ministry of Culture, Gov. of India. Moreover, his paintings have been exhibited at the Busan International Art Fair (2011) and Bangkok Triennale International Print & Drawing Exhibition (2014), and he is a State Award recipient, Government of Madhya Pradesh.
In 2026, Rao was awarded an artist residency at the Leitrim Sculpture Centre in Ireland, which culminated in his solo exhibition Earthlight, Rao deepened his environmental engagement by combining Irish soil pigments with earth from his home in India. This cross-cultural residency enabled him to weave the misty atmosphere of the Irish countryside into his signature luminous aesthetic, extending his visual meditation on nature across geographical boundaries.