Profile of K. Rajaiah
Born in 1925 at Siddipet, Medak District, Andhra Pradesh. Diploma in Drawing, Govt. of Madras, and Diploma in Painting, Govt. School of Art, Hyderabad.
Represented in exhibitions of Indian Arts, through the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi at: Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Rumania and Bulgaria (1956); Sofia, Perth, Australia (1972); and Havana, Cuba and Mexico (1984, 85). AIFACS member artists' Exhibition, held in London (1988), 3rd Biennale of Visual Arts exhibition, held in 1992 at Seychelles Island. Invited for the 4th and 6th Triennale, India.
His awards include: 'The National Award', Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi (1990); 'Kala Vibhushana' by the AIFACS, New Delhi; many Gold Medals from various organizations; and several other honors. He received an Honorary Doctorate from the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad. He represented Andhra Pradesh as a member of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, for the last 20 years.
The Andhra Pradesh Lalit Kala Akademi published a monograph of his works; and the Lalit Kala Samiti, Siddipet published a book of his drawings 'Rhythmic Lines' in 2000.
His very individual style of paintings in an idiom of North-Western Andhra Pradesh (Telangana) region's folk style of the painters of scrolls used by the picture showmen is admired by many art lovers. His innovative style has often been compared with the works of the late Jamini Roy. His themes, until about 1965, were chiefly drawn from Indian mythology and village life and the medium of work was tempera on paper. For the next decade or so he produced works in oil on large size canvas. Later on, he suddenly switched to 'Tantric' themes. However, from about 1987, he reverted to his earlier choice of themes from village-life, etc., but his preference now was for oil medium on canvas.
Dr. K. Rajaiah is the founder and president of the Lalit Kala Samiti, Siddipet, where an art gallery, Kala Bhavan was built with his effort.