Monu Bose, was born in Calcutta, India and grew up in what was then called Rangoon, in Burma (Myanmar). The daughter of a doctor, she grew up in a home filled with music and books. When World War II tore through the region, she returned to India with her parents and siblings. They eventually settled in Lucknow, where she studied economics and art.

Monu Bose was a woman of many interests — she loved animals and birds, gardening, and art. Though she never pursued it as a career, there was artistry in everything she did. She always enjoyed the art created by others. This prize is in her honor and memory, and the hope that it will encourage artists of a new generation.