Born in 1930 at Sojitra in the Kaira district of Gujarat, Jairam Patel studied drawing and painting at Sir JJ School of Art, Mumbai between 1950 and 55, and typography and publicity design at Central School of Arts and Craft, London for two years till 1959.

Jeram Patel was one of the artists who turned around the Indian art scene and formulated a new visual identity and method of abstraction in the late 1950's and 60's. Alongside NS Bendre and Sankho Chowdhuri who set up the Baroda School of Art, Patel, with artists like Jagdish Swaminathan, initiated one of the greatest changes in Indian art as a founder member of the short-lived artists' collective Group 1890.

The artist passed away in 2016.