Snapshots of Rural India by Kandi Narsimlu Adorn Michelin-Starred Dining

Art is akin to performing a penance; you pour your heart and soul into it, but whether the universe listens remains a matter of chance,” says Hyderabad-based artist Kandi Narsimlu in an interview with Global

Indian. The universe certainly listened to the 52-year-old artist. Raised in the small village of Kaslabad near Siddipet in Telangana, he has faced numerous struggles, often synonymous with an artist’s journey, before achieving success.

Narsimlu's work now adorns the Michelin-starred restaurant Chaat in Hong Kong, as well as the Indian School of Business (ISB) and the Hyderabad International Airport, marking his transition to a truly global artist. From painting the thresholds of village homes in exchange for meals, his unique skill, passion, and dedication have brought his career full circle.

Humble Beginnings

Born into an agricultural family with no artistic background, Narsimlu’s first encounter with design occurred when a group of sculptors from Tamil Nadu visited his village to construct a temple. Inspired by their craftsmanship, he began creating shivalingas and buffalo figurines using mud from the village river.

During a visit to a nearby village, he discovered wall paintings in saree shops and began sketching. He collected newspapers and magazines, drawing illustrations of Telugu film stars Chiranjeevi and Krishnam Raju. His natural talent caught the eye of his science teacher, who predicted that Narsimlu would become an artist. He even practiced by writing people’s names on their bicycles in exchange for two mirchi bhajjis and tea.

“I had heard of conductors, doctors, and lawyers but was hearing the word ‘artist’ for the first time,” he recalls. “Life in the village was very different. We had no power until I was 14 years old, and I used to wake up at 5 a.m. to help my father in his fields before going to school, so my exposure was limited.”

Despite his father’s insistence that he work in the fields after passing his tenth standard, Narsimlu, determined to pursue painting, ran away to Hyderabad with just Rs 25 lent by his mother to chase his dream of becoming an artist.