Born in 1942 in Boorugupali, Andhra Pradesh, Thota Vaikuntam completed a Diploma in Painting at the College of Fine Arts and Architecture in Hyderabad in 1970, followed by another Diploma in Painting and Printmaking from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda in 1972. He held his first solo exhibition at Kala Bhavan in Hyderabad in 1973 and has since had regular exhibitions at various galleries in Hyderabad, Bangalore, New Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai.

Vaikuntam finds inspiration in the rural areas of Telangana, frequently portraying the men and women of his village in his artwork. In particular, he often focuses on the women of Telangana. This fascination dates back to his childhood when he was intrigued by male artists who impersonated female characters in the travelling theatre groups that performed in his village. He acknowledges that he finds the women of his village very captivating and aims to capture their vibrancy in his art.