Neotia Arts Trust presents The India Story in association with The Telegraph, currently in its seventh year, has been a celebration of all things art, culture, food and fashion from across the country, since day one. In fact, it has come back stronger post-pandemic and this year’s edition is going to be no less. The Telegraph caught up with Madhu Neotia, managing trustee, Neotia Arts Trust, and the lady behind the event, to know more about TIS 7.0 that will be held at Swabhumi from December 16 to 18.
The India Story has entered its seventh year now. What’s the feeling like?
There is of course a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. We have come a long way, it has been a fantastic journey and I am so grateful for all the things that we have learnt and people I have met along the way.
Dimensions is the theme at play this year. How is the concept going to be incorporated across segments?
Dimensions is actually a very fluid concept if you see. It allows interpretation in different ways and as such does not restrict one to creatively experiment with the element. We have incorporated dimension in our graphic language, in our space graphics in the kinds of installations we are planning and in the overall look and feel of the mounting of TIS this time.
You’ve spoken about editing some and adding the right kind of offerings to this year’s TIS, making it a ‘multi-dimensional sensory experience’. So what new can we expect?
Over the years we have seen people expect to see certain things at The India Story — the things that they want to come back for. So we are preserving them and introducing new elements that can make the experience more complete. We have a celebrity astrologer, Surbhi Gupta, coming to TIS this year from Jaipur — am sure people will find meeting her a very interesting experience. Our performance assortment this year is breathtaking I have to say. The city can head to party at Swabhumi this December! Incidentally, the World Cup finals coincide with our finale… we want the city to feel the FIFA fever with us at TIS on December 18.
In the realm of fashion, what’s it looking like for buyers?
December is the time for parties, the weather allows one to experiment with so many things that lie idle in your wardrobe. Our fashion curation complements this. We have a lot of labels coming to us for the first time — like Punit Balana, Taika, Nachiket Barve, AM:PM, Yavi, Archana Shah and our wonderful supporters who have walked this journey with us like Antar-Agni, Scarlet Sage, Cord, Toramally. We also have a small segment of fine jewellery since we have realised that people love this addition to TIS. We will also have the young fashion section once again this year with Spunky in The Tent area, which will bring together a host of promising upcoming brands in the fashion space.
Take us through the big crowd-pulling performances this year.
Oh this time the stellar performance is by Jasleen Royal on the final day. There is Last Minute India and Zephyrtone among other performances. The fashion showcase by Tarun Tahiliani will be a showstopper by itself. And I have to say I am so excited about catching the crowd watching the FIFA Finals from TIS — that is going to be such an experience!
Madhu Neotia, managing trustee, Neotia Arts Trust
The farmer’s market has grown to be a loved space in TIS. What more can we expect on the front?
You know, I have always wanted to have a farmer’s market at The India Story and we could finally make it happen last year. People have loved the concept and we wish to make it a warmer, cosier, more intimate space with great food and energy!
This time we also have a home edit in the space adjoining the farmer’s market. It is put together by Vedika Kejriwal and promises to be a one-of-a-kind spin on home and tableware for the city.
Similarly for F&B, what can foodies in the city expect?
In food this year we have managed to cover an array of cuisines from Mexican to Italian to Asian-Oriental to Himalayan — we have a wonderland for gourmands.
Art has been huge in TIS since Day One. What is this year’s art highlight going to be?
We have been very passionate about the presence of art at TIS. Art and installation are very different this year. We are exploring the theme of Dimensions through installations. There is a magical moving installation which I’m sure is going to thrill all our audience. We will also explore the new dimension of digital installations with another young talent, House of AC. We have a lot of young people bringing art in this year. You know I find it so heartening to see the spark of young energy and it makes me very happy to find so many youngsters looking at art this creatively.
We’ve seen a departure from the usual yellow and incorporation of blue into the theme. What is the significance of this?
This has been our graphic team’s input and the electric blue is just so stunning, isn’t it? If you see now the entire fashion fraternity is looking at electric blue in some way, in some component. So I’m glad that we’ve hit a point of convergence on the colour here.
This year’s TIS is going all out with something even for kids. How did that come about?
The India Story is a family event too. It is a place where every member of your family can belong and children are the locus of our homes — how can we not do something interesting for them? This year we have the Young Minds Collective put up a free-play and activity area for children of ages two-12.
Finally, you’ve spoken at length about young talent being a big part of the story. What’s your experience been like with regards to scouting for and working with new talents across platforms?
Young talent has been an integral part of The India Story right from the beginning. If you see, my whole team is a bunch of young people. I love the energy they bring on board, their freshness of ideas, their opinions, their views are always so different and it is a pleasure working with them. I have actually been fortunate to have chance encounters and wonderful coincidences of coming across young talent over the years and it has not really been a scouting exercise for me!
