The artist was born in a village in north Gujarat and began his career as a signboard and banner painter. In 1950 he joined the faculty of Fine Arts in MS University Baroda.

Shanti Dave is a well-known name for the large murals he painted on walls of art institutions and other public spaces around the world. A member of the Executive Board of Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi and a member of the Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi, Shanti Dave is also a recipient of a Padma Shree and the National Art Academy Award on three occasions in 1956, 1957 and 1958.