Kolozhi Cheerambathur Sankara Paniker (31 May 1911 – 16 January 1977) was an Indian metaphysical and abstract painter from Malabar District.

[1] He interpreted the country's age-old metaphysical and spiritual knowledge in the 1960s, when Indian art was under the influence of the Western painters.

[2] The lush green village where Paniker lived influenced the colourful landscapes of his early years.

In 1928, he gave up college education to take up a job at the Indian Telegraph Department to support his family after the death of his father.

The exhibitions abroad and his exposure to abstract artists like Salvador Dalí had a major influence on his art.