"What does it feel like being the top animation studio in India?" The Global Analyst Asked Rajiv Chilaka

"I must admit I'm pleasantly surprised," replied India’s answer to Walt Disney who will visit San Francisco and receive an Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, Academy of Art University, on May 23, 2016.

(May 29th, 2016, San Francisco) President of Academy of Art University, Dr. Elisa Stephens honors alumnus Rajiv Chilaka of Green Gold Animation TV Pvt. Ltd, based in Hyderabad, India. Chilaka, known as “the animation poster boy of India,” has been acclaimed for his ground-breaking contribution to the Indian animation industry. India, with a population of 1.3 billion, includes 50% of that number under the age of 25, resulting in a large audience, ripe for Chilaka’s adventurous and morally appealing cartoon characters.

As an honored guest of the Academy, Chilaka is attending the University’s annual Spring Show to review Animation students' work. He will also interview candidates interested in joining Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd, the animation studio best known for Chilaka’s famed character, Chhota Bheem.

Launched in 2008, Bheem is the most popular character to come out of the “Green Gold” stable. Bheem was created because, “There weren’t many Indian cartoons that catered to the Indian audience below the age of 14 years, so we decided to come up with an ideal character that could teach good values to children,” says Chilaka. The loveable character Bheem, watched by 40 million children weekly, appeals to young and old alike, with some of the highest consistent television ratings across India.

Chilaka credits his success to his time at Academy of Art University. He was inspired by Walt Disney’s success, even visiting the places in Kansas City where Disney used to live and work. With expertise gained at the Academy, Chilaka returned to India in 2000 to realize his dream. Today his studio employs over 400 animators and has created a successful franchise of 25 Green Gold retail stores across India. Popular branded products include “tiffin” lunch boxes, toys, water bottles, and food products, such as fruit drinks and wafers—all sporting the series’ characters.

“Rajiv Chilaka's astounding journey from the Academy’s animation classes in San Francisco to his own powerhouse in India has illustrated what many of our students and graduates experience here," Dr. Stephens remarked. "Learning new disciplines across the art and design world is empowering, and great goals are not insurmountable; dreamers like Rajiv can achieve anything, irrespective of hurdles or challenges.”

While in San Francisco, Chilaka looks forward to sharing Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd’s most recent animation reels, including scenes from the January film release of Chhota Bheem, Himalayan Adventure.

For further information about Rajiv Chilaka and Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd, or Academy of Art University please visit www.greengold.tv and www.academyart.edu .

About Academy of Art University

Academy of Art University is the largest accredited private art and design university in the nation. Founded in 1929, the school offers accredited AA, BA, BFA, BS, B.Arch, MA, MFA, and M.Arch degree programs in more than 30 areas of study, as well as continuing art education, pre-college art experience programs, certificates, and teacher grants. Classes are available in Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architectural Design, Architecture, Art Education, Art History, Art Teaching Credential, Automotive Restoration, Costume Design, Fashion, Fashion Journalism, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Product Development, Fashion Visual Merchandising, Fashion Styling, Fine Art, Game Development, Game Programming, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design (Transportation, Toy, & Product Design), Interior Architecture & Design, Jewelry & Metal Arts, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography, Social Media, Studio Production for Advertising & Design, Visual Development, Web Development, Web Design & New Media, and Writing for Film, Television & Digital Media. Students can also enroll in flexible online degree programs in most areas of study.

Academy of Art University is an accredited member of WSCUC, NASAD, CIDA (BFA-IAD, MFA-IAD), NAAB (B.Arch, M.Arch) and CTC (California Teacher Credential). Visit www.academyart.edu to learn more about total costs, median student loan debt, potential occupations and other information. 

About Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd.

Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd has pioneered the exciting, new era of Animation in India -- that of homegrown content for children and is today the leading content provider to many of the major kids TV channels across India and Asia. Green Gold’s Chhota Bheem has been the most watched animated show in the country for the last 8 years (followed by 72% of Indian Kids) and has gone on to become the biggest Kids brand in India and #2 Kids brand in Asia. Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd clearly established itself as a leader in producing Original Indian Animated Content and it is also the only Indian Animation company to diversify itself into Licensing & Merchandising, Branded retail stores, Digital Media, and Theatrical Movie Production.

Green Gold TV Pvt. Ltd has a thriving and a rapidly growing animated library of 17500+ minutes (580 TV episodes, 67 TV movies & 4 Theatrical movies). Green Gold TV Pvt. Ltd is a highly enthusiastic talent pool of 405+ members.