Cheriyal is a village of Telangana state,India. It is a traditional art form which took its origin in the 16th century. The art was inherited to several generations and got recognition from Govt. of India in 1978 during Sri.Dhanalakota Chandraiah who had ultimate passion for the art and is responsible for the propagation and development of the art. At present 4 nakashi families are engaged in the art which was granted geographical identity (GI) from the Govt. Of India in 2009. The Dhanalakota family is the last practising family for Cheriyal Scroll art, and the 27-year-old artist Sai Kiran and his brother Sravan Kumar shoulders the big responsibility of carrying forward this legacy. A 160-year-old Cheriyal scroll painted by his great-great grandfather is also exhibited in a museum in Paris to give you an idea of his family's legacy. With the demand for Cheriyal scrolls reducing, his parents told him to study and not pursue art, but Sai Kiran pursued a degree in fine arts to learn new art techniques to contemporarise the art and make it relevant in today's times. He has been practicing the Traditional Art form Cherial Scroll Paintings, Sawdust Dolls & Masks for many years. His artistic instincts come from his family. His love and talent for art has gained him a lot of praises. He is an awardee of Telangana State Award 2017.
