Thota Vaikuntam (b.1942) portrays the humble rural Telangana life through his rich primary colours, which induce a sense of earthy warmth. His paintings mainly use bold lines, textures, and a rustic atmosphere, so they are not hard to miss. Vaikuntam stays close to his cultural roots, and his strong delineation is a testament to the confidence he has cultivated in his art practice. He chooses to paint the daily life of the rural demographic, including women, men, deities and traditional activities.
Vaikuntam has studied at the College of Fine Arts and Architecture, Hyderabad, and further studied Painting and Printmaking at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda on an Andra Pradesh Lalit Kala Akademi Fellowship. Among his several honours are the National Award for Painting (1993) and the Biennale Award from Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal (1988-89).