Born 1942 in Andhra Pradesh, Vaikuntam studied at the College of Fine Arts and Architecture at Hyderabad and went to the MSU at Baroda for further study on a fellowship from the LKA. Thota Vaikuntam is a painter whose work continues to feature his people of Telangana in Andhra. He is specially known for his very colourful paintings of elaborately dressed men and seductive women of the region. A major retrospective exhibition together with a fully illustrated coffee table book on his work was launched in Delhi a couple of years ago. He has participated in numerous solo and group shows at Delhi, Mumbai and other Indian cities as well as in London, New York and elsewhere. Some of the important shows that included his work are the 7th Triennale India and Kassel Germany. His work is held in many import collections including NGMA and LKA in Delhi, Salar Jung Museum and AP Police Academy in Hyderabad, Chester and Herwitz Charitable Trust, USA and Glenberra Museum, Japan. Vaikuntam winner of the Bharat Bhavan Biennale Award Bhopal and the National Award from the Govt. of India, lives in Hyderabad and works from his studio in the city. He won the National Award, 1993, Hyderabad Arts Society award in 1973 and Bharat Bhavan Biennale award in 1988. He participated in many exhibitions in Hyderabad 1972-90, VII Triennale, India 1991, Art Encounter, Kassel, Germany 1999, Asprey's auction for helpage 1993, Chamatkara at London and many shows at Madras and Calcutta. He lives and works in Hyderabad.