Himmat Shah was born in 1933 in Lothal in Gujarat.

In 1953 he completed his Drawing Teacher’s Course at Sir. J. J. School of Art in Mumbai. From 1956 - 1961 he received the Government of India Scholarship (painting). He studied at Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University in Baroda. From 1966 - 1967 he studied under S. W. Hayter and Krishna Reddy at Atelier 17 in Paris.

In 1964 and 1965 Himmat had solo exhibitions in New Delhi. In 1965 he exhibited solo in Kolkata. In 1966 he had solo shows in New Delhi and Mumbai. In 1971, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1997, 2000, 2002 and 2005 Himmat had several solo shows in New Delhi. In 1976 and 1994 he exhibited solo in Bhopal and Mumbai. In 2007 he had solo shows at Berkley Square Gallery in UK and at the National Centre of Performing Arts, Mumbai. In 2016 Himmat had a Retrospective featuring works from 1957 - 2015 at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art in New Delhi.

Himmat had several group shows in India and overseas:
From 1957 - 1958 he participated in the Baroda Group Show in Mumbai. In 1962 he took part in Progressive Painters Group Exhibition in Ahmedabad. In 1963 he participated in a group show in New Delhi. In 1964 he participated in a group exhibition at Triveni Gallery, New Delhi. In 1967 and 1970 he participated in Biennale de Paris. In 1975 he showcased in the Biennale13 at Antwerpen. In 1967, 1968, 1977, 2010 and 2011 he participated in several group shows in New Delhi. In 1960, 1978, 1979 and 2008 - 2009 he participated in group shows at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1980 he exhibited in a group show in Ahmedabad in Gujarat. In 1982 he participated at the Inaugural Show at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal and Festival of Indian Exhibitions in London. In 1989 he participated in ‘Timeless Art’, Times of India in Mumbai. In 1991 he exhibited in a group show, New Delhi. In 1992 - 1994 he participated in several group shows in Mumbai. In 1996 he took part in a group exhibition in Moscow. In 1997 he participated in group shows in Budapest, Peru and New Delhi. In 1998 he exhibited in ‘Face to Face’ at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1998 - 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2006 he showcased in several group shows in New Delhi and Mumbai. In 2007, 2010 and 2011 he took part in group shows in Rajasthan, Kolkata and Mumbai. In 2011 he participated in group shows at Singapore and Switzerland. In 2011 and 2012 he participated in ‘Time Unfolded’ and ‘Crossings: Time Unfolded, Part 2’ at Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi.

Himmat received many awards:
In 1959 he received an award from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi. In 1962 he won the Bombay Art Society Award in Mumbai and the Lalit Kala Award in New Delhi. In 1981 - 1982 he received the Lalit Kala Akademi’s Research Grant, New Delhi. In 1983 - 1985 he received the Government of India Fellowship, New Delhi. In 1988 he received Sahitya Kala Parishad Award, New Delhi. From 1994 - 1996, he was awarded the Emeritus Fellowship by Government of India, New Delhi. In 1996 he received the AIFACS award, New Delhi. In 2003 he was conferred the Kalidas Samman by the Madhya Pradesh Government, M.P.

Himmat lives and works in New Delhi.