Born in Kerala in 1945, Achuthan studied from Madras Art Club affiliated to the Government College of Arts, Chennai won State and National Lalit Kala Academy award. He has 20 solo shows to his credit. Achuthan was invited to participate in International Exhibitions in France, Czechoslovakia London, Fukoka, Japan and the Sotheby’s India Auction in London, in 1991. Of his paintings, Achuthan says “Colour spreads by its own logic. There are no story-telling pretensions in my creative process. I expect no catharsis from the viewer. There is a certain hidden animation in colour”. He draws a lot from this animation and improvises it.

He lives and works in Chennai.