Ela Shah was born in Bombay, India. She began painting at a very early age, and living in India she learned Indian miniature painting techniques as well as various Western styles. After receiving her Bachelors degree in Psychology and a Diploma in Fine Arts from India, she traveled around the world and subsequently moved to the United States and received her M.A. in sculpture at Montclair State University. Although an American citizen, she has been able to hold on to her Indian heritage and incorporate elements of it into her artwork along with Western influences.

Ela Shah has had numerous one person shows in India and America. Her work has been exhibited in countless group shows in America and abroad in various prestigious galleries and museums like Museum of Modern Arts in New Delhi India, Queens Museum of Arts New York, William Benton Museum in Connecticut, Hunterdon Museum, Noyes Museum and Newark Museum in New Jersey and other Museums around the country. She has also held positions as a chairperson for the National Association of Women's Artists in N.Y, and has curated shows for them and other art institutions.

Her work is in collection in N.J. State Museum, Montclair Museum, Jersey City Museum, Newark Library, Hunterdon Museum, Air India, Indian Embassy and other public places and private collectors. She has received numerous awards and fellowships including two awards from National Association of Women Artists in New York, which are the Amelia Peabody Memorial Award and Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation Award, the Dodge Foundation residency award and the New Jersey Innovative Printmaking Fellowship at the Rutgers University. She has received from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts 1999 fellowship for sculpture and 2006 fellowship for painting.
Her work can be viewed at www.elashah.com.