Nikhil Chekhliya: The Young Indian Tattoo Artist Who Has Received Global Recognition

Nikhil Chekhliya

The Young Indian Tattoo Artist Who Has Received Global Recognition

The tattoo industry in India is growing at a rapid pace. According to a recently published report, the industry is generating a revenue of more than 20,000 crores every year. While there are many enterprising tattoo artists in the country today, one young artist who has created a niche for himself with his unique skills with ink and needles is Nikhil Chekhliya.

Nikhil operates from his studio, named Nikhil Tattoo Studio, in Palghar, a small town in Maharashtra closely connected to Mumbai. Nikhil has another studio in Boisar, a suburb in Mumbai, where he works from at times and has a team of tattoo artists trained by him. The geographical location of his studios is of little importance now as clients come to him from different parts of the country to get themselves inked.

Talking about the same, he says, "When I started out with a small studio in Palghar, I had limited funds. Despite my studio not being in a posh area of Mumbai, I was pleasantly surprised to see many of the clients coming to me not just from Mumbai but from Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and several other cities as well. Many of them, who had got a tattoo earlier, stated that my work was better than some of the best tattoo artists in the country. Because of positive word of mouth, I get clients from the biggest of cities and the smallest of towns."

Nikhil started his journey as a tattoo artist eight years back and has already bagged two National Awards. He embarked upon his professional journey after securing a degree in tattoo making from an institute in Goa. His expertise as a realism master has been recognized and awarded by several tattoo conventions of international repute. What sets Nikhil apart from every other tattoo artist is his distinctive style.

"The tattoo industry is constantly evolving, so I keep learning about new methods, techniques and ideologies. However, the work I do has a certain visual identity that people have come to associate with me. I specialize in black and color realism. Most of my clients expect their tattoo to have a life-like quality to it and I ensure that they get exactly what they wish for. While my sense of aesthetic remains intact, I keep the client's expectations and sensibilities in mind while designing a tattoo for them. At the end of the day, my execution should match the vision of my clients", he says.

Nikhil Tattoo Studio offers free consultation sessions to its prospective clients so that they get the right advice before they decide to get a tattoo. The clients also get the option of getting a sketch made before the final imagery is drawn out on their body. Nikhil's fame as a tattoo artist is not just restricted to India and has spread across the globe.

"A lot of tourists who come to visit Mumbai and other areas of Maharashtra get to hear about my work and visit me. I have dealt with many foreign clients who were not even aware of the fact that our country has such skilled tattoo artists today. While I plan to continue working from India, I am open to the idea of offering my services to clients based in foreign countries. I plan to collaborate with many international artists as well."

While his two studios keep him busy, Nikhil plans to open a new one in the near future. Being someone who believes that the process of learning never stops, Nikhil shares his knowledge and experiences with many budding tattoo artists and through this process, he believes, he also grows as an artist.