As a youth Alak Roy was caught up in the political turmoil of the late sixties and the Liberation War of 1971. He graduated from Dhaka Art College, where he credits his teachers Rafiqun Nabi and Monirul Islam, among others, for opening up new horizons. He studied murals for a master’s degree at Baroda, India, under K.G. Subramanyam. There he began creating in clay and developed an understanding of the centuries-old terracotta tradition of Bengal. In terms of form, colour, embellishment and shapes, Roy developed a definite style and an indigenous vocabulary that resonates a deep connection with nature. In his work, he presents seeds, water, earth, trees, and clouds – all drawn from natural surroundings, and places man in that backdrop. Roy’s works have been widely exhibited. Among his honours and awards are the Beijing Olympic 2008 Contest Award for Landscape Sculpture (2006) and a gold medal in the Asian Biennale (1989).