Before Laxman Aelay chose to become a professional artist, he was a signboard painter and then a much sought after and respected designer and illustrator of books. His work was highly thought of within Telegu literary circles, but soon the painter in him compelled Aelay to enroll in college for a degree in Fine Arts, even though he had already received a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Laxman Aelay was born in the Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh in 1964. He received his BA in Painting from the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University College of Fine Arts in Hyderabad, and took up full time freelance painting straight after that. Laxman`s paintings are nostalgic, depicting the rural people he grew up amongst. His source of inspiration has been the live of these poverty stricken people from his village - Kadirenigudem. Recently, Aelay switched over from using white, black and shades of gray, which he preferred in his paintings, to using vivid colours to depict flowers, jewellery and traditional clothing. His earlier preference to paint on large sized canvases and papers has also been abandoned, and his latest works are much smaller and compact. Aelay has received international recognition as well as several awards and gold medals for his works. These include an award from the Hyderabad Art Society in 1995. This young and talented artist held his first solo show at the Indian Council of Cultural Relations Art Gallery in Hyderabad in1999. Laxman has participated in several important exhibitions of paintings including `Contemporary Deccan - A New Generation of Artists,` held in Hyderabad in1999 and the 7th Group show at the Surya Art Gallery, Hyderabad in 2000. He has also represented the country in an international exposition organised by TAANA in Chicago, USA in 1995.

• 1996 Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, College of Fine Arts, Hyderabad

• 2006 'Moods and Colors', Fida Art Gallery, Singapore • 2005 'Song of the Village', Apparao Galleries, Chennai • 2004 'Charismatic Contours', Gallery Threshold, New Delhi • 1999 'Images of Kadirenigudem', Indian Council of Cultural Relations(ICCR) Art Gallery, Hyderabad  

• 2008 'Symphony of Colors', organized by Art Panache and ABN AMRO, Gurgaon • 2008 'Colors of Hyderabad', Canvas Art Gallery, Kolkata
• • 2008 'Awakening the Spirit', Collection of 37 Indian Artists, The Art, New Delhi • 2007 'Deccani Parlance', An Exhibition of Drawings by Andhra Artists at Kaleidoscope, Baroda • 2007 'Paper Love', India Fine Art, Mumbai • 2007 'Beyond Boundaries', Mahua Art Gallery, Bangalore • 2007 'Kaleidoscope', organized by Ayya Art Galleries at Kitab Mahal, Mumbai • 2007 'A P Art of the Habitat', Leela Lounge, New York • 2007 'Art for Prabhat', Charity Show, New Delhi • 2007 'Art for Freedom', organized by Point of View Art Gallery at The Sheraton, Washington D. C. • 2007 Organized by Nouveau at ITC Marriot, New Delhi • 2007 Organized by Nouveau at Hyatt Regency, Kolkata • 2007 Organized by Nouveau at Leela Kempenski, Bangalore • 2007 'High on Hyderabad', Jamaat Art Gallery, Mumbai • 2007 'Emerging India', organized by Art Alive Gallery and S. A. Fine Arts, London at The Henry Moore Gallery, Royal College of Art, London • 2007 'Sounds of the Brush', Inaugural Show, Gallery Hues, Bangalore • 2007 'Figurative Aesthetics', Inaugural Show, Hyderabad Art Gallery, Hyderabad • 2007 'Convergence', Art Pilgrim, Gurgaon • 2007 'By the Waves', MEC Gallery, New Delhi • 2007 Organized by Art Elements in association with BNP Paribas • 2007 The Galleria, New Delhi • 2006 'Mapping the South', organized by Vinyasa Premier Art Gallery, Chennai at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, Bangalore and at Regional Centre, Lalit Kala Academy, Chennai • 2006 'India Ink', Stonescene Gallery, New York • 2006 'Reflections', Art Elements Gallery, New Delhi • 2006 'Deccan Command', organized by Shrishti Art Gallery at Sridharani Art Gallery, New Delhi • 2006 'Tryst with Telangana', Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda • 2005 'Still Waters Run Deep', Haceinda Art Gallery, Mumbai • 2005 Graphic Portfolio of 20 Artists, organized by Gallery Space, Hyderabad • 2005 Harvest Show at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai • 2005 'In Short', Hacienda Art Gallery, Mumbai • 2005 'Divine Inspiration', Hacienda Art Gallery, Mumbai • 2005 'In the Creative Process', presented by Prakrit Arts at Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong • 2005 Gallery Space, Hyderabad • 2005 'Mapping the South', organized by Vinyasa Premier Art Gallery, Chennai at Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi • 2004 'Moods', Art Alive Gallery, New Delhi • 2004 Sponsored by Art Pilgrim at Indian Habitat Centre, New Delhi • 2004 1st Anniversary Exhibition, Sara Arakkal, Bangalore • 2004 'Art For Vision', Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi • 2004 'Hyderabad with Love', presented by India Fine Art at L.V.Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad and Mumbai Art Gallery, Mumbai, Nehru Centre, Mumbai • 2004 'Black and White, White and Black', Cymroza Art Gallery, Mumbai • 2004 A Charity Art Show forPASSAGES at Art and Soul Art Gallery, Mumbai • 2003 Group Show of Hyderabad Artists at India Art Gallery, Pune • 2003 Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda • 2003 Gallery Ganesha, New Delhi • 2003 Group Show with Indian and Danish artists in Denmark at Rundetaarn, Copenhagen, Vejle Kunstforening, Musikhust, Esbjerg, Pashuset, Nykobing Sj, Teko Centre, Herming, Lands by Galleriet, Timring, Thorasmindu, Laurentsvej, Roskilde Kunstforening, Roskilde • 2002-03 International Group Show with Indian Danish Artists 'Cross Currents', in Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad and Pondicherry • 2001'Tradition to Modernity', Fulda, Germany • 2000 7th Group show at the Surya Art Gallery, Hyderabad • 1999 The Indian Council of Cultural Relations Art Gallery, Hyderabad • 1999 'Contemporary Deccan: A New Generations of Artists', C.C.M.B, Hyderabad • 1995 'Tana', Art Chicago, USA Participations • 2007 Annual Exhibition, Sara Arrakkal Art Gallery, Bangalore • 2006 National Art Exhibition, Lalit Kala Academy, Bhopal • 2005 International Biennale of Contemporary Art, Florence, Italy • 2004 'Harvest 2004', organized by Arushi Arts at Visual Art Gallery, Indian Habitat Centre, New Delhi • 2003 National Art Exhibition, Lalit Kala Academy, Kochi • 2001 National Art Exhibition conducted by Lalit Kala Academy at Ahmedabad • 2001 Regional Art Exhibition conducted by Lalit Kala Academy at Kochi • 2004 'Moods', Art Alive, New Delhi • 2000 Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai

• 1993 Gold Medal for Painting Competition conducted by Konaseema Chitrakala Parishath, Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh • 1987 Bronze Medal in the Painting Competition conducted by Amateur Artist Association, Nalgonda, Andhra Pradesh

All over India and abroad