Swapan Seth

Anything and anyone can achieve supreme success if they have the ability to introspect and reflect. Which is precisely what we did after The India Story 2016. We came to the conclusion that perhaps less is more. More significantly, we decided to scatter rather than collect. And to give responsibilities to people best equipped to helm them. Instead of concentrating in one star, we have attempted to create a constellation of stars that then went on to become our new advisory board. 

So art is being curated by Priyanka Raja, unarguably amongst the most respected names in that domain. Music is being stewarded by Vijay Nair, who is today the shorthand for entertainment in this country. Textiles are under the watch of Sanjay Garg. Future talent in design is being discovered and curated by Anahita Kayan.

Sanjay Garg

The India Story was started two years ago by Madhu Neotia. We are grateful to be a part of it since the very beginning and we opened TIS 2015 with our fall/winter collection show. Madhu has been a long-time supporter of art and culture and what she has done with this initiative is truly a model, which I wish we could see more of across India. This year, I am fortunate to participate not only as an advisor, but also a curator of the fashion segment and look forward to my trip to Calcutta, a city I love. 

Anahita Kayan 

The Sanctuary, the zone that I am creating at TIS 2017, is a crazy space for crazy ideas to exist and allows for time to close the distance between art and life. It is where you buy into an idea, not a product. A part of the process is to allow the viewer to ‘undiscover’ and rediscover the art of beautiful things through bare and bold expressions. With the advancement of technology, globalisation and online retail, the role and purpose of retail space will no longer be principally to sell products. Rather, these spaces will act as living, breathing physical portals into edgy experiences. This is not to suggest that there will be no products for sale in these physical spaces, only that the emphasis will not be sales but rather on catalysing a relationship with the consumer that transcends the store, possibly into the mind of the artist at the time of creating the product. The design of the space is a fusion of colonial architectural practices and amoebic forms, creating a sort of spectacle that makes you want to learn more, even if it’s out of amazement. This is sacred, strange, magnetic and awe-inspiring. Welcome to The Sanctuary.

Vijay Nair

The India Story and OML (Only Much Louder) have been instrumental in curating a line-up of some of the leading contemporary music acts from all around India. From the folk fusion sounds of the The Raghu Dixit Project to the dance-punk style of The F16s, The India Story will be presenting a unique mix of acts for this edition, alongside other craftsmen and producers. Showcasing the variety of independent music acts to the inspired audience of Calcutta is what makes the showcases all the more worthwhile. 

Shantanu Moitra

When Madhu first came to me with the idea of the untold stories of India, I just loved it… I mean I genuinely believe that India is a land of stories. There are an incredible number of stories that are being played every day in this beautiful country... most of it is unheard and most of it is lost. So I just loved this concept. Talking to her I realised how design, architecture, music, the whole aesthetic world has so many stories… it is an artisan story, it is a design story, it is an evolution story, it’s a creation story. 

I think all of this together was kind of an interesting brief for me to do the title music for TIS. It primarily came from who Madhu is, where she comes from… in many ways she is a visionary… and she is rooted, she is in India, yet there is an overall international feel that her vision has. I kind of juxtaposed that musically… I kind of created a music which was quite symphonic in nature, with an international flavour, yet the melody is very very rooted. It’s not just an Indian melody, it’s a Bengali melody. It is a story from Bengal… that was very important for me that it was not anywhere else, the story was being orchestrated in Bengal, so I have that flavour. And of course there is a tempo that gives you a sort of movement… gives the sense of a journey, which is important, because a story has to move on… to evolve. That is the inherent nature of a story and that is the inherent nature of the branding, that every piece of work is a journey, they are evolving and there is no guarantee that next time you’re going to get the same thing. So considering all these things I have put together a piece of music, which is just a beautiful feeling, it is just a gut reaction to the concept of India Story. 

Neha Kasliwal Arya

A story that enamours you with its telling, making it relevant to the present context, is a story we all hanker for. These stories are about aesthetics, culture and heritage. In its third edition, The India Story strives to discover many such undiscovered tales. Over the years, TIS has flown higher, yet has become more rooted; it has grown bigger, yet the focus is on nuances of art and design that make India, India. 

I understand fashion, art and entrepreneurship inside out and this has helped me set up ‘Artsemble’ that is at the same time contemporary, classic, utilitarian and trailblazing. Having participated in TIS since its inception, this is my third year as a participant and my first as an advisory board member. The story of TIS is an extension of my beliefs; to bring to people the very best in terms of art and design from amongst the finest designer apparel, furniture, jewellery and accents. It is the eclectic team at TIS, the way they bond, and the sheer flow of ideas, that keep me spirited. For me, lifestyle is not just an aesthetic but also encompasses in its fold heritage that you incorporate into everyday living. It is this pursuit of creativity that I seek to uncover, discover, rediscover and share the soul of India’s artistic heritage.

Priyanka Raja

The India Story is a project that I am personally close to and look forward to every year. This year, I am honoured to be a part of its advisory committee, that comprises a group of thought leaders in their own fields of design, textile, performance, fashion, art, architecture and communication. The committee and the sectional curators and collaborators, driven by the inspiring vision of Madhu Neotia and her talented team make this endeavour a truly one-of-a kind experience for its visitor. 

Having been privy to its year-long planning process, I can say this edition of TIS promises to be its most ambitious ever avatar. In addition to being the most interesting coming together of practitioners of art and design in the country, that it has already been, this year it will include incredible performances, lectures, exhibition and conversations. I have been associated with The India Story from their initial years, and have felt the sustained impact of an event of such scale and consistent quality in the city. TIS truly celebrates the best of design across fields that India has to offer, bringing together the contemporary and the traditional in a city that thrives on culture.

Ashiesh Shah

I think The India Story is definitely one of the leading platforms for showcasing Indian design, scouting fresh talent and presenting an eclectic mix of contemporary practices and traditional crafts.