Inaugurating Sher-Gil's birth centenary celebrations at the National Gallery of Modern Art here, Katoch said: "Her dedication with the painting brought new era of paintings and art in the country."
"Amrita Sher-Gil celebrated women's beauty and power through her paintings and lived life on her own terms at a time when women were restricted behind veils, Katoch said.
"Her place in the trajectory of Indian modern art is unquestionably pre-eminent. Her aesthetic sensibility shows a blend of European and Indian elements," she added
Her birth centenary will also be celebrated at UNESCO, Hungary and Paris, Katoch said. Sher-gil was born and brought up in Hungary and completed her art studies in Paris before coming to India.
Describing her as a bridge between European and Indian art, Rajya Sabha MP Karan Singh said: "Though she died at a young age of 28, her paintings were unique and broke the old traditions of school of arts."
President of UNESCO's General Conference and Hungarian Ambassador to UNESCO Katalin Bogyay described her life as classic example of inter culture dialogue and 'soft diplomacy'.
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"Her life's message was to be open. Through her paintings, she tried to make the world understand 'cultural diplomacy', which work as a bond between India and Hungary, where she spent her young days," he said.
A special cover with her painting 'Three Girls' was also released by the dignitaries. 'Three Girls' was her first painting after returning from Europe following her art studies in Paris. The Painting won her a gold medal from Bombay Art Society.
Sher-Gil (1913