Cheilan, an Indian artist, studied art at the Government College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India.Receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in  Painting in 1980. Since that time his focus has developed a broad spectrum of styles, including realistic as well as contemporary works.

Chelian is an accomplished artist who has exhibited at both the state and national level within India, as well as internationally. He has conducted 33 one-man shows, nearly 50 group shows and participated in many artists' camps and workshops. He has been interviewed on a number of occasions on television in India and has published three books on painting and sculpture. He also writes art reviews in leading magazines. He has created cross media work, including illustrations for stories and poetry, as well as stage painting accompanied by music.

He is known for the scratchy technique and his work with Oil and acrylics. Chelian's forte is the rhythm in his strokes. He treats painting as a performing art. The rhythm of percussion is all he needs to move his brush or fingers along the canvas, creating images according to the beats. Most of the paintings born in this genre are simply paints splashed on canvas and later scraped into images.

He has received several awards, including the Prestigious Camlin South Zone Award in senior category-in 2004, All-India Art Exhibition Award of the Chitrakala Nikethan of Andhra Pradesh in 1981,Best outgoing student award from lalithkala academy-Chennai in 1985, an award at the Thanjavur Medical College Exhibition in 1984, the Best Painting Artist Award in 1998, the title of “Kalai Gnayiru” from Thiruvalluvar Elakiya Mandram,Chennai in 1999, and the title of “Thoorigai Thoothuvan” from Vasal Illakiya Mandram in 2005 and the Outstanding Young Person Award from Thanjavur Junior Chamber in 1999.

He is the founder President of “Artyflys”, a group art movement. His creations are at many Museums, Art Galleries and Private collections in India and Abroad.