Born 1956 in Indore, Akhilesh is an artist, curator and writer who’s foray into the arts came about early in life, even if  unwillingly at first. He earned a diploma in fine arts from Indore, with his art drawing inspiration from the tribal and folk traditions of Madhya Pradesh. His work, much like his life, brings together the larger dialogues and currents from the global stage to the sensibilities and grounding of his roots. 

Akhilesh is a founding member of  “The Black Group”. He has curated a museum of ‘police bands’ in Bhopal and of Malwa art at the Lal Bagh Palace , Indore. He also writes extensively, and has worked on the biographies of artists such as M. F. Husain, and Marc Chagal- translating it into Hindi. He has travelled extensively in India and abroad, and his artworks  find home in private and institutional collections such as at the Vidhan Sabha Bhawan in Bhopal, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi, the Asians’ Art Center, USA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Peabody Museum in Boston. 

He has exhibited extensively in both solo and group exhibitions, and has been actively involved in art camps in both- India and abroad. He has been awarded the Kala Kaustubh Samman (2006) and the Kalidas Academy Certificate award (1976), among other honours and felicitations. 

Akhilesh lives and works in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.