Kapu Rajaiah (7 April 1925 – 20 August 2012) was a famous painter from Telangana, India. Born on April 6, 1925 in a poor family in Siddipet in Medak district, Rajaiah rose to fame by focusing his paintings on the idiom of Telangana culture, pastoral life and simple village folks. His paintings portrayed the prevailing conditions in villages and reflected the colours of life. His works were often compared with those of Jamini Roy.
Rajaiah’s works were exhibited at the Lalit Kala Academy in Britain, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Hungary, Rumania, Bulgaria, Cuba and Mexico and other countries and in about 100 places within the country. Starting with tempora, he later switched over to oil colours.
He won several awards and these include Lalit Kala Academy’s national award, Kala Vibhushana by All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, gold medal at All India Art Exhibition, Patna and Kerala Buddha Jayanthi festival, first prize in Dussehara exhibition, Mysore and awards at All India Exhibitions at Gwalior and Bangalore.
The Andhra Pradesh Government felicitated him with “Rajata Patra” in 1966. He also earned the title of “Chitra Kala Prapurna” in 1975. He received an honorary doctorate from the JNTU, Hyderabad. According to Cheppela Harinatha Sharma, Telugu Bhasha Pariraskshna Samithi Medak district secretary, ‘Risky Life’ (a man climbing toddy tree in his traditional attire), a painting drawn by him won the national award. The same work was displayed in the Russian Parliament. Similarly, his painting on “Bonalu” was carried in a London magazine as early as 1945, he added. Lalita Kala Samithi etablished by him in Siddipet trained several budding artists.
