PRINCE THONNAKKAL is one of the emerging talents in contemporary art scenes. He handles mural scheme of painting, which maintains an organic relation with the tradition and still remains modern.

Born in 1972 at Thiruvananthapuram, Prince Thonnakkal completed his 5-year National Diploma in Traditional Mural Painting from the Institute of Mural Painting, Guruvayur under the legendary mural artist late Mammiyur Krishnankutty Nair. He then completed 2-year training in visual art practice from Chitrakala Academy, Attingal near Thiruvananthapuram.

Prince Thonnakkal has been presenting his works on exhibition at many national and State-level events since 1992. The main shows he has participated include SAARC Festival Trivandrum (1992), National contemporary, traditional folk and tribal exhibition New Delhi (1993), ‘Ravi Varma Cithrolsavam’ Trivandrum (1995), Natyagramam Thonnakkal (1996), Guruvayoor Devaswom (1997), All Kerala Mural Painting Exibition and Camp, Yuvakalasahithi Koottuparampu (1998), “PanchaVarnna”, exhibited at Museum Art Gallery, Trivandrum (1998), the 51-day-long exhibition organised as part of the Soorya Film Festival (1999), Trivandrum, Exhibition and Workshop organised by the Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala (2000), Mural Exhibition, Toons Animation, Technopark, Trivandrum (2001), Sopanam Art Gallery,. Kollam (2001), Exhibition to commemorate Mammiyur at Guruvayur (2002), “Mural Strokes” at Natyagramam Thonnakkal (2003), All Kerala Mural Exhibition, Guruvayur Devaswom, Guruvayur (2004) and “PanchaVarnangal” —Exhibition of Mural Painting, Samskarika Samiti, Thonnakkal (2006).
Prince Thonnakkal has completed mural painting assignments for the Government Museum Trivandrum; Regency Lake Resort, Kollam; Hotel Alakapuri, Kozhikode; Palm Fibre, Alappuzha; Kumaranasan Memorial National Institute, Thonnakkal; Hotel Sarovaram, Kochi; Kumaranelloor Devi Temple, Kottayam; Neyattinkara Krishna Swami Temple, Trivandrum; Padmanabha Swami Temple, Trivandrum; Kudavachoor Temple, Vaikkom; Ooramana Temple, Piravam; and Sri Madu Sundaranayaki Samayatha Mahaleeswarer Temple, Irumbai, Tamil Nadu.

His works are displayed with the Departments of Tourism as well as Museum and Zoo, Government of Kerala; South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur; Department of Art and Culture, Government of Pondichery and in several individual and institutional collections.

Prince Thonnakkal has also worked in many Malayalam films like Rishivamsham, Paithrukam, Cover Story and Aaraam Thampuran. His work in Rishivamsan fetched him the State Award for Art Direction. He also worked as Instructor in Mural Arts at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady from 1998 to 2001.