Contemporary

This grant was helpful in preparing a convincing research proposal for the doctoral programme at the Faculty of Fine Arts, the M S University of Baroda. Subsequently I was engaged in documentation works towards the study. The research experience also gave me the confidence to handle the ambitions and take part in a major art exhibition - Art of Bengal, Past and Present - a joint venture with the Centre of International Modern Art, Kolkata.

I received the grant soon after completing my masters in museum management from the MS University of Baroda. The award came at the right point in my career. It gave me an opportunity to travel to important Indian museums and understand the status of museum education; my theoretical knowledge of museology was augmented by observing practical working of state and national museums. It also gave me an opportunity to interact with museum professionals from important Indian museums.

This award was very useful in the development of Chennai district museums. I had the chance to see some important museums in India and by seeing the display arrangements and interpretation techniques my knowledge was increased. I had the chance to apply this knowledge in newly opened museums.

I would like to thank the Trustees for their timely and generous awards. In the year following my Cambridge M Phil I returned to India  and was given a second grant to conduct ethnographic research among weaving communities. This work formed  a pre-PhD pilot study and I returned to Cambridge in 1996 to commence work on my PhD entitled  "Crafting discourse: mat weaving in Pattamadai, South India". I was awarded the PhD in 2002.