K. Ramanujam was born in 1941 in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.

In 2000, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1968), offered in the Contemporary Indian Paintings: From the Chester and Davida Herwitz Collection by Sotheby's, which concluded on 05 December 2000 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹1,96,560 ($4,200). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Fantasy Series (1968), offered in the Masterpieces & Museum Quality Series VI: With Rare Drawings and Books on Indian Contemporary Art by Osian's, which concluded on 01 March 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹4,02,500 ($9,076). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2026, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (Procession) (1968), offered in the South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art by Christie's, which concluded on 25 March 2026 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹10,14,26,257.6 ($1,079,500). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 1999, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1969), offered in the Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings by Bonhams, which concluded on 16 June 1999 at London, achieving a sale price of ₹1,26,478 ($2,928). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 1997, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1970), offered in the The Intuitive-Logic II: Modern & Contemporary Indian Paintings, Drawings, Graphics, Sculpture & Tapestry by HEART, which concluded on 15 November 1997 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹75,000 ($2,041). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2012, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Fantasy Series (1972), offered in the Creative India Series 4: Goa, Cholamandal & South India by Osian's, which concluded on 21 June 2012 at Mumbai, achieving a sale price of ₹48,00,000 ($85,080). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

Not to be able to do more than one thing well can sometimes be an advantage in creative work. It can invest it with an edge, intensity and dimension. A painter with this awesomely constricted mental spectrum tends to be a lonely soul, for the world has a trick of being brusque and impatient with him, driving him into his own inner self seeking refuge. Ramanujam was cruelly handicapped in many ways. It astounds one to think how he bore his cross for 33 years. Like Maugham’s Strickland, he clutched his solitary gift of painting like a drowning man a straw. His work already seems to assume a new dimension after his death, for it is pointed in message and guileless.

In 1995, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of My Dream World I (1976), offered in the Contemporary Indian Paintings: From The Chester and Davida Herwitz Charitable Trust by Sotheby's, which concluded on 12 June 1995 at New York, achieving a sale price of ₹32,504 ($1,035). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.

In 2012, an artwork by K. Ramanujam was featured on the cover of Osians: Creative India Series 4 (June 2012, New York), marking a documented highlight in the artist's public and auction market visibility.