To study the art of Metal Casting
The grant allowed me to gain more knowledge of the subject , which I was able to communicate to other colleagues through a paper on Cultural Heritage and Scientific Preservation and through lectures and other interactions. My report " The Art of Metal Casting" was submitted to the Trust.
Wood-carving in Saharanpur, Panjab
I received the grant when I was pursuing my MA at the National Museum Institute, New Delhi. It gave me an opportunity to have first hand experience of working in the field. I interacted with local artisans and got a deeper understanding of various aspects involved in woodcarving. I have no doubt in claiming that this was one of the first pieces of work ever to have been done on this art. Without the grant I don't think I could have done such a work, and the award has played a significant role in shaping my career.
European influences in Mughal painting and decorative arts
The award helped me in the collection of photographs and reading materials and in accessing original manuscripts easil from various museums and libraries in India and thus increasing the value of my study. I subsequently took up a PhD in the same subject at the National Museum Institute.
Artistic expression of the Kodavas through artifacts, ritual and performance
The grant helped me to understand the ethnic culture of the Kodavas (Kodagu, Karnataka) and largely exposed me to the rural environment, paving the way to the use of natural materials, pigments, cloth for my growing practive of installation and site-specific work. I was awarded the Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Award and was artist-in residence at the University of Newcastle in 1997-8.
Ritual objects and temple accessories in Varanasi
A study of the European influence on Mughal painting and decorative art in Indian museum collections
The award helped me tremendously in completing my dissertation as part of my studies and research programme while doing my MA final in History of Art at the National Museum Institute, New Delhi. It helped me visit various museums and monuments in Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Jaipur, and Rampur, to study the original works and also obtain the photographs. It enriched my work in quality as well in the comprehensiveness of my analysis and conclusions. Some of the visuals were included for the first time ever in my report.
Ritual utensils and temple accessories in Banaras
