Ajit Rao
To call Ajit Rao an animator, would be a gross understatement of his abilities. He can wear other hats, just as proficiently, like that of an architect, a cartoonist and many others. He can hold his own just as well with experts of archeology, history, mythology, folk art and one cannot forget educationist. What is fascinating is his process of acquiring a depth of understanding about each domain of interest and then allowing for a sort of osmosis of ideas and knowledge from other domains that he has mastered to generate works that are steeped in Indian tradition and yet manage to be refreshingly contemporary.
On this journey of personal growth, he has been blessed with many gurus like B. V. Doshi, Mario Miranda, Ram Mohan, Kaj Pindal, Derek Lamb, Walter Spink, and others, each leading lights in their own fields.
Always a student and a great teacher, he has groomed many of the country's animators and inspired many others.