[7] In order to pursue education in art, he moved to Chennai, with financial assistance from Krishnan Namboodiri of Varikkasseri Mana.

[8] There, he joined the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai where he had the opportunity to study under Debi Prasad Roy Chowdhury, the founder and principal of the institution,[9] and S.

In 1982, he moved to news magazine Kalakaumudi where he provided illustrations[13] before shifting to The New Indian Express's newsweekly, Samakalika Malayalam Vaarika.

[16] One of Namboothiri's first professional assignments was during his Chennai days, when he assisted K. C. S. Paniker to complete an oversize painting for the Indian Railways.

[19] He had created a few large sculptures for Cholamandal which include Modern Family on a Scooter and Maithuna as well as a 500 ft (150 m) long outdoor drawing featuring incidents from the Indian freedom movement.

[23] A documentary on the life of the artist, Namboodiri-Varayude Kulapathy (Namboodiri — The Emperor of Lines) was made by Ask Movies.

The 44-minute documentary film, directed by Binuraj Kalapeedhom, covers the artist's life from his childhood, through his Chennai days, and to his eighties.

[24] Varayum Vaakkum, (Lines and Words) is a book published by N. P. Vijayakrishnan, compiling Namboothiri's reminiscences and some of his drawings.