V. Viswanathan was born in 1940 at Kadavoor, Kollam in the south Indian state of Kerala. Velu Viswanathan, popularly known as Paris Viswanathan is an Indian painter, sculptor and filmmaker. He is considered by many as one of the prominent modern painters in India. He is a recipient of the Best Documentary Film Award of the Festival dei Popoli, Florence and the K. C. S. Paniker Award of the Kerala Lalithakala. Got Raja Ravi Varma Award in 2018.