Gautam Bhattacharya’s journey into the world of lighting was an extension of his deep interest in theatre.

After graduation from Delhi University, he enrolled for a course in stage lighting at the Sriram Centre for Art & Culture in Delhi. Thereafter, he worked with leading light designers, like Sitanshu Mukherjee and the legendary Tapas Sen on various projects in India and abroad. Besides stage lighting for dance & theatre, these assignments included lighting of pavilions at International Trade Fairs and lighting design for Sound & Light shows at historical monuments in Gwalior, Agra and Delhi.

Simultaneously, he worked independently and established a personal reputation as a lighting designer. He has executed stage lighting for many institutions in Delhi – like Kathak Kendra, Triveni Kala Sangam, Sriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and Bhoomika Dance Theatre. He has worked with a galaxy of solo dancers, including Kelucharan Mohapatra, Birju Maharaj, C.V. Chandrashekhar, Durga Lal, Astad Deboo, Leela Samson, Madhavi Mudgal and Swapna Sundari. He has designed lights for dance productions by Chandralekha, Sighajit Singh, Kumudini Lakhia, Manjushri Chaki Sircar and Narendra Sharma. He has also worked with some of the major theatre directors, like Habib Tanvir, Sheila Bhatia, Satyadev Dubey, B.V. Karanth, Rajindernath and Barry John.

For the Sangeet Natak Akademi, he has handled lights for a number of prestigious festivals in India and abroad. On assignments from the I.C.C.R. he has designed and executed lights for Festivals of India held in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Belgium.

He has designed lights for Sound & Light shows in Khajuraho Temples, Somnath Temple, Chandragiri Fort and Lucknow Residency, among others.

He received the Chaman Lal Memorial Award for 2006 – in association with Rosco Colour Lab of U.K. for his contribution to Stage Lighting.

He also received the Akademi Puraskar for 2006, awarded by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, for his contribution to Indian Theatre in the field of Stage Lighting.