Mr Shukla, his successor, is a doughty 50-year-old school teacher and poet. He claims to have donated blood for 100 paintings alone. Donors like him go to a local lab where their blood is extracted, mixed with anti-coagulants - human blood becomes sticky when its clots - put into 50ml bottles, and given to a bunch of artists. Usually 100ml of blood is enough to make two to three paintings, Mr Shukla says. "I donate blood four times a year for our paintings."