Anil Thambai was born in Kerala. He initially graduated in commerce before turning to art, completing his BFA in painting from the College of Fine Arts, Trivandrum, Kerala (2005), and MVA in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, MS University (2007).  

He exhibited in several exhibitions such as; Mumbai art fair represented by Palette art gallery (2024) Hortus-Exhibition by Kochi-muziris biennale Pavilion at Kozhikode Kerala(2024) India art fair Delhi represented by palette art gallery (2024) Art Mumbai Fair represented by palette Art Gallery (2023)  Fault Lines curated By V.divakar at Museum Conflictorium  Ahmadabad Gujarat (2023) Architectonics at Palette art Gallery New Delhi (2003) Brush mark on Architecture curated by Yeswant Ramamurthy at Dhi art space Hyderabad (2022) Rearranging the familiar Curated by Premjish Achari at Art Alive Gallery Gurugram  (2022) India Art Fair represented by Art Alive Gallery at New Delhi (2022)  Baroda annule at Gallery white Baroda (2021). The world is one family curated by Bose Krishnamachari at Alleppey Kerala( 2021), Patterns of intensity curated by Ranjit Hoskote at Art Alive Gallery New Delhi 2021, Broken Foot curated by Prabhakar Kamble and Rumi Samadhan for NDTV and Mojoart 2020, Pasina at Museum of Work  Ahmedabad: (2020), Rising Down in Palette art Gallery New Delhi (2019), Persistence of Memory in Akara art Gallery, Mumbai( 2018), Interlude by Knots collective in Baroda (2018), Linda Matney Gallery Williamsburg US (2014), Samrya International fest in South Korea( 2015), Gallery Mirchandani+ Steinruecke, Mumbai (2014) Site specific work by Sandarbh residency in Silvasa Gujarat (2010). 

He was the recipient of the Upadhyaya Foundation Art Grant (2023-04) Hyundai Art for Hope grant (2024). Junior artist fellowship, HRD Ministry of India in 2018, and Shrishti AIF grant 2020.  Now lives and works in Baroda, Gujarat.