A committed artist and a faculty of art, he is known for his extensive work on Mahatma Gandhi. His paintings have been inspired by key events in the illustrious life of Mahatma Gandhi and he has chosen to present these not purely as realistic renderings, rather he manages to convey the spirit of Mahatma, the thought and his philosophy through his paintings. Mahatma Gandhi was not merely an important figure in the Indian freedom struggle, he was a social reformer to the core apart from being a moral guide to the Indian masses. It is this towering personality of the twentieth century, who not only guided and shaped the Indian freedom struggle in the later years but also acted as an icon and inspiration to freedom struggles across the world.

Manhar Kapadia has taken up the challenge to paint the Mahatma, not only as his personality, but also his philosophy and thought, which has left such a strong footprint on the collective consciousness of India.