Born in 1941, Shyam Sharma grew up in Govardhan, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh and learnt art under the guidance of his maternal grandfather. He did his diploma in art from the Lucknow University. Shyam Sharma got his first experience in the art of printmaking from the printing press of his father, during his childhood. Impressions of words and colours on the printed page made him aware of the mesmerizing medium of printing as a form of expression. Later he joined Lucknow Art College to get an education in fine art. During this period he produced fine woodcut prints. From there he went on to innovate in other forms of printmaking. He then took to teaching and became the principal of the Patna College of Arts and Craft. Sharma's works reflect life and its correlation with nature. Sharma worked in various mediums such as glass and canvas however gained huge appreciation for his prints specifically his wood cuts. He innovates in different forms of woodcut prints, in clay blocks and in mixed media.
He travelled to China and Japan and studied their culture & graphic art in detail.
Sharma has received many awards such as the International Print Biennial- Netherlands and National Award (Lalit Kala Academy) to name a few. He is a committee member of the National Museum.