Nikolai Kirillovich Rudikov was born on June 26, 1930, in the city of Astrakhan, in the delta region of the Volga River. He studied at the K.A. Savitski Penza Art School from 1947 until his graduation in 1955. He began exhibiting his works in 1957.

Rudikov became a member of the Astrakhan regional division of the Artists’ Union of Russia in 1964. He was chairman of the Astrakhan Artists’ Union from 1968 until 1972. He holds the prestigious title “Honored Artist of Russia”.

He took part in many republican art exhibitions, including those in Astrakhan, Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Murmansk.