Born in Kerala, India in the year 1945, the young Arakkal lost both his parents as a child. Literally to the manor born, his early life had every conceiveable comfort with the exclusion of parental love. Possesed by a burning desire to be an artist, he enrolled at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, Bangalore, just to get a formal education although he was already a good artist. His early years of struggle to establish himself, his sensitivity to the social environment, the loss of human dignity in the face of harsh reality and a longing for peace have led him to say, "There is an anguished being, disturbed and in distress somewhere deep inside me. A human being who yearns for a meaningful existence. It is the human presence that arouses my attention and stirs my creative inner space. I have been committed through my work, seeking a definition of human situations."

1945	Born in Kerala
1973	Diploma in Painting from Chitrakala Parishat College of Art, Bangalore
1980	Specialization in graphic print making from the National Academy Community Studios, Garhi, Delhi
Solo Shows in India
Since 1967	Over 40 shows at Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Trivandrum, Calicut, Cochin, Trichur, Kolkatta, Mumbai, New Delhi. Works exhibited include mediums like Oils, Watercolours, Graphics, Collage and Sculptures - in Bronze, Terracotta, Wood, Granite, Steel, Paper, Fiberglass, etc.
Group Shows in India
Since 1969	Most major juried shows, State and All India level shows, National Exhibitions and Exhibitions organized by private galleries and other groups.
	Solo Shows Abroad
1992	Relays De Monts-Siux, Limousin, France
1993	Gallerie Taormina Del Arte-Le Havre, France
1994	Srijana Contemporary Art Gallery - Kathmandu, Nepal
1994	Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
1996	Wallace Gallery, Chelsea, New York
1996	Air Gallery, Dower Street, London
1998	A Gallery, 521, W 23 R O Street, New York
1998	The Discerning Eye Gallery, H.K. Museum of Art, Visual Art Centre, Hong Kong
2001	At the Emirate Towers, Dubai, UAE
2002	Nehru Centre, London
International Shows
1971	Indian Artists at Belorussia and Moscow
1985	Thirty Contemporary Indian Artists at Havana, Cuba
1985	Contemporary Indian Art show at the National Museum, Mexico City, Mexico
1985	Second Asian Art Show, Fukoka, Japan
1985	Indian Printmaking, Festival of India, USA
1986	Sixth Biennale de beaux Art, Beaumont, France
1986	Third Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1986	Inaugural Exhibition of the National Museum of Modern art, Seoul, Korea
1986	Sixth International Triennale, New Delhi, India
1987	Ninth International Biennale de sao Paulo, Brazil
1993	Nine Indian Artists CCA Gallery, New York
1994	Indian Printmaking Show, Maltwood Art Museum & Gallery Victoria, British Columbia
1994	Indian Contemporary Art Show, Gallery Maya, Hong Kong
1995	Heads and Faces - An Exhibition by Gallery Maya, Visual Art Centre, Hong Kong
1995	"Save the Children" - An auction by Sothebys, Bombay
1996	Indian Contemporary Art Show, Nagai Garo, Tokyo, Japan
1996	32 Contemporary Indian Artists - Exhibition and Auction by Christies, London
1996	Women in Indian Art, The Gallery, Visual Art Centre, Hong Kong
1997	Auction of Indian Contemporary Art by Christies, London
1998	Spirit and Soul - The Rotunda Exchange Square, Hong Kong
1998	Bayer - RPG show, Munich, Germany
1999	Universal Declaration of Human Rights - International Print Portfolio Exhibition, Durban, South Africa.
2000	The Eternal Embrace- a Tribute to Unversal Motherhood - Dubai, UAE
2000	UDHR Exhibition at the United Nations in Geneva (U.N.O.G)
2000	Contemporary Woman, Modern Indian Artist, Visual Art Center, Hong Kong.
2000	Participation in the UDHR International AIDS Portfolio in South Africa
2000	Participation in Artists International Direct Support, International AIDS Portfolio Project, Canada
2001	Cairo International Biennale
2001	Best of Indian Art - a show of Indian Artists, Singapore
2003	Florence International Biennale
2005	Biennale Internazionale Dell' Arte Contemporanea
International Artist Camps
2005	Participated in international artist camps in Thailand, Russia and Turkey.
Awards and Recognition
Several awards since 1970 for paintings, sculptures, graphics, portraits and drawings that include:
1979	The Karnataka Lalitkala Academy Award
1981	The Karnataka Lalitkala Academy Award
1983	The National Award
1986	Special Award - Third Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka, Bangladesh
1986	Karnataka Lalitkala Academy Honour
1999	Karnataka Rajyotsava Award
2003	Florence International Biennale - Silver Medal
2005	Arad City Award at Arad International Biennale, 2005, Romania.
2005	Varnashilpi Venkatappa Award - The highest award given by the Government of Karnataka for art.
2005	Florence International Biennale - Gold Medal
Nominations
1984	National Academy of Art as an Eminent Artist
1987	Indian Commissioner for the 19th Sao Paulo International Biennale
1988	To the Karnataka Lalitkala Academy
1992	To the Kerala Lalithkala Academy (could not accept)
1999	The National Academy of Art as an Eminent Artist (could not accept)
2002	As jury of "Kalidas Samman" for Art
2004	Member of International Artistic Committee for Arad International Biennale, Romania
Collections
Several Individual and Institutional collections in India, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Mexico, Brazil, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, France, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Nepal, Canada, Iran, Pakistan, Kenya, Kuwait, South Africa, Italy, Thailand, Malaysia etc.
Commissions
1986	Created the first contemporary mural in granite in India for the corporate complex of Brooke Bond at Bangalore.
1988	Large mural in metal for the headquarters of Hindustan Aeronautics
1989	Large terracotta mural for the Central Silk Board Complex
1992	Large outdoor granite mural for the satellite centre of the Indian Space Organization
1995	Steel and Granite Mural created for the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Research at Bangalore.
1998	Large indoor mural for GE-BEL, Bangalore
2002	10 ft. stainless steel sculpture for Essenco Corporate Office, Bangalore
2003	21ft stainless steel sculpture at M.G Road, Bangalore
2004	"Genomic Inspiration" at Biocon Campus, Hebbagodi, Bangalore
2005	10 x 18 ft - Assorted Stainless steel and Copper Base Wall Mural at Syngene International, Biocon Park, Bangalore.
Travels
Extensively travelled and worked in the US, France, Britain, Germany, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, Netherlands, Greece, Egypt, Iran, Hong Kong, UAE, Thailand , Singapore, Israel, Turkey and Russia.
General
Television appearances and interviews on CNN, BBC, Star Plus, CNBC, NDTV 24/7, TMG and many Indian language channels
Writings
Published numerous articles on art in many major English newspapers and periodicals. Writes poetry in English.
Studio
#663, 1st Main, C Block, AECS Layout, Bangalore - 560 037, India