Metro India News | Hyderabad 

The 32nd Yudhvir Foundation Memorial Award is being presented to Thota Vaikuntam for his contribution to art and for placing Telangana on the world map through his works. The Governor of Telangana, Jishnu Dev Varma will present the award on Wednesday, April 30 at 4:30 pm at KLN Prasad Auditorium in Red Hills in Hyderabad.

The award comprises a citation and a cash prize of Rupees One Lakh. Born in 1942 to Venkaiah and Satyamma in Boorugupalli, Karimnagar district, Thota Vaikuntam moved to the temple town of Vemulavada for his education. He cites his village as his source of inspiration. In his early years, he spent considerable time with travelling theatre groups and rural folk performers.

The women in his paintings are among his iconic motifs. He received his diploma in Painting in 1970. The following year, he was awarded a fellowship from the Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Academy. Later on, he refined his skills under the renowned artist K G Subramanyan.

He served as an art teacher at Hyderabad Bal Bhavan for 15 years and also worked as an art director on feature films such as Palleturi Pillagada, Maa Bhoomi, Matti Manshulu and Daasi, for which he received the National Award in 1989.After initially working with charcoal, pencil, and ink, he began using acrylic paints to depict rural landscapes and the lives of Telangana’s people.

In 1988, he received the Biennale Award from Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal, and the National Award for Painting in 1993. Thota Vaikuntam has been invited to exhibit his works at prestigious galleries in India and abroad. Aruna Bahuguna, chairperson of Yudhvir Foundation said that the organization is proud to honor Thota Vaikuntam with this award, in recognition of his contribution to art and appreciated his distinctive style, and unique imagery.