Haku Shah is a well-known Baroda School figurative painter and an expert on folk and tribal art. Shah's life and art were heavily influenced by his family's cultural roots and the surrounding social and spiritual surroundings. Shah has been interested in painting, music, poetry, and drama since he was a child. He painted murals for mass awakening and even assisted in the staging of an exhibition of paintings illustrating societal exploitation that toured numerous villages. It's no surprise, however, that he is enthralled by the inherent simplicity and spontaneity of country life. He is primarily renowned as an artist for his contributions to tribal art and folk culture.

For his overall contributions towards the field of Indian art and culture, the government of India honored him with Padma Shri in 1989. He is also a recipient of Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1971 and the Kala Ratna in 1997. He received the John D. Rockefeller 3rd Fellow. New York. U.S.A. in 1968 and 1975. He was also invited by Art Critic Stella Kramrisch to assist her in presenting the exhibition "Ritual Art in Tribe and Village- Art of Unknown India" in the United States in 1968. He received the Gagan Aavni Puraskar Santiniketan in 2006. He has held several one-man shows in Kolkata and Mumbai, Delhi and curated international exhibitions as well.