V. Senthil Kumar

V. Senthil Kumar is an Indian entrepreneur and media-technology specialist who co-founded (formerly Real Image Media Technologies), a company that supplies digital-cinema hardware and services in more than 50 countries.
In 2020 he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars) as a Member-at-Large, one of the first Indian technologists to receive the honour.
Early life and education
Kumar was born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on 7 November 1963, to film producer-director Arun Veerappan.
He is the grandson of A.V. Meiyappa Chettiar, founder of the historic AVM Studios.
He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science Engineering from the Regional Engineering College, Tiruchirappalli (now NIT Tiruchirappalli) in 1985.
Career
Media Artists
Soon after graduating, Kumar founded Media Artists (1986), an audio and video post-production studio in Chennai that introduced time-code-based multitrack recording and digital audio recording to Indian cinema
Real Image
In 1992, he and advertising filmmaker Jayendra Panchapakesan established Real Image to introduce emerging film and video production tools in the Indian market.
Accessibility
Kumar has presented on accessibility in cinema at the 55th IFFI in Goa in Nov 2025 and at the AbilityFEST 2025 in conversation with festival Chairperson Ms. Revathy.
Awards and honours
* Indywood IT Excellence - Lifetime Achievement Award (2017)
* IMAX Big Cine Expo - Special Achievement Award for Digital Cinema Technology (2018)
* Membership, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (2020)
* Distinguished Alumni Award, NIT Tiruchirappalli (2023)
Patents
Granted patents (selected)
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Personal life
Kumar married social worker Vandana Gopikumar in 2004; the couple live in Chennai. He serves as a trustee of The Banyan, the mental-health NGO co-founded by his wife.

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