Bhattacharya was never one for academia. As a young student, school almost scared the soul out of his body with utter boredom. So, after he was done with school, he promised himself he would not have anything to do with that life again and instead decided to take the artistic route and attend the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Kolkata (where he took Fine Arts), successfully graduating in 1982. 
 
Upon graduating, he found illustration work with an ad agency in Delhi, but quit 9 months later as he realised the nature of the job jarred with his creative self. Luckily, he went on to find one that suited him and gave him the flexibility to freelance. Renting a living space, Sanjay created several pieces of work which he then exhibited (at the Dhoomimal Gallery), selling five pieces of work in one week! 
 
It was onwards and upwards from there for the award-winning artist, having since shown his work in places such as the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, the National Gallery of Modern Art, and Art Today in New Delhi. 
 
The artist lives and works in Delhi and Kolkata.