A Star named Arundhati

This centenary exhibition celebrates the life and legacy of Arundhati Devi (1924–1990), a multifaceted figure in Bengali cinema—actress, director, producer, singer, and writer, whose career spanned four decades. Drawing from rare family archives and private collections in Kolkata, the exhibition presents an intimate portrait of her world through photographs, diaries and other film memorabilia.

Curated by Mrinalini Vasudevan and Tapati Guha-Thakurta

Inauguration by Shri Ashwajit Singh, Trustee on 11th October 2025 at 11:30

Special Invitees: Professor Kaushik Bhowmick, Department of Film Studies, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU; and Professor Bishnupriya Dutt, Department of Performance Studies, School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU

The exhibition will remain on view until 25 October 2025, 11 am to 7 pm

Curated by Jyoti A Kathpalia

Participating Author: Ajeet Cour

Participating artists: Anupam Sud, Aparna Anand Singh, Aradhna Tandon, Arpana Caur, Bula Bhattacharya, Durga Kainthola, Gogi Saroj Pal, Hemavathy Guha, Jayasri Burman, Kanchan Chander, Manmeet Devgun, Nitasha Jaini, Shivani Aggarwal, Shubhika Lal, Vasudha Thozhur

This exhibition explores the weaving of text and art focussing on how eminent women artists engage with their lived experiences their struggles and societal oppression. Anchored in Ajeet Cour’s autobiography Weaving Water: An Autobiography, the exhibition brings these narratives into dialogue with the visual expressions of leading women artists of India.

Inauguration on 30 October at 18:30 hrs

The exhibition will be on display till 10 November from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs

Speakers: Rana Safvi, author and historian; Anubhutiya Maurya, Associate Professor at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University; Sarovar Zaidi, Assistant Professor of Practice at the Jindal School of Art & Architecture

Moderator: Sameer Hamdani

There will also be a curated walk conducted by Sameer Hamdani from 4:00 to 5:00 PM

( This is a part of the Exhibition in the Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex )

An Exhibition on Architectural Epigraphy of Kashmir (14th -19th CE)

This exhibition showcases the surviving heritage of architectural epigraphy in Kashmir from the 14th to 19th centuries, tracing its evolution from the Sultanate period to later Afghan and Sikh rule. Featuring inscriptions in Persian, Arabic, and rare Sanskrit, it highlights the region’s rich calligraphic traditions, their cultural significance, and their role in shaping a distinct Persianate landscape. Drawn from a detailed documentation project, the display preserves what remains of this unique fusion of art, language, and architecture.

The detailed documentation, study and translation of architectural epigraphic material in Kashmir was undertaken by Sameer Hamdani, Mehran Qureshi, Tabish Haider Gazi, Umar Farooq, Zoya Mehraj Khan and Ta-Ha Mughal

Preview on 16th September at 18:30 hrs

The exhibition will be on view till 28th September from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs.

Exhibition Inauguration at Main Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex on 4th Sept at 18:30 Hrs

Chief Guest: Dr S. Jaishankar, Hon. Minister of External Affairs, Govt. of India

Welcome Remarks: Shri Shyam Saran, President, IIC

Exhibition Walkthrough: Dr Sudha Gopalakrishnan, Project Director, SAMHiTA and Prof. K. Ramasubramanian, Conference Convenor

Vote of Thanks: Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

The exhibition will be on view till Sunday, 14th September from 11:00 to 19:00 hrs

This exhibition traces India’s (and broadly South Asia’s) contribution to global mathematics through its historical development, theories and practices, contextualization through lineages, and exchanges and recontextualization through time and space. To understand this multi-layered discipline, the exhibition displays reproductions of manuscripts of works from the Vedic period to the early modern era, including treatises, explanatory commentaries and manuals.

(Collaboration: IIC-International Research Division and Centre for Traditional Indian Knowledge Systems and Skills, IIT Bombay)

An international archive highlighting oral testimonies of India's freedom fighters from across the world; Hamaara Itihaas features photographs, documents, audio clips and the film, 'Asli Azaadi'. The work, ongoing since 1995, places a special focus on women freedom fighters.

Curated by writer and filmmaker Sagari Chhabra, Founder-Director of the archive, who will conduct daily walkthroughs at 17:30.

End Date: 1st August 2025,  7:00 PM

An Exhibition of a selection of photographs curated by Aditi Mehta

This exhibition is the first exposure of wider audiences to the rich world of Bhil rituals, performance and oral literature, through the lenses of much-acclaimed photographer and Padmashri awardee, Sudharak Olwaye. 

Aditi Mehta authored the 3-volume series, “Playing with the Goddess-Gavri of the Mewar Bhils.” which features these photographs.

Inauguration of the exhibition on Friday, 18 July 2025 at 18:30 hours

Celebrating His Holiness the Dalai Lama through Children’s Art

Commemorating the 90th birthday of His Holiness, this international exhibition showcases innovative paintings and multimedia artworks by Tibetan children expressing heartfelt gratitude for his life, legacy and invaluable teachings. Their art is a powerful testament to how His Holiness continues to inspire generations.

Inauguration of the exhibition on Friday, 4 July at 18:30 hrs by Namita Gokhale—Author, Co-Founder, and Co-Director of the Jaipur Literary Festival

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Khadok: Tibetan Arts’ Collective)
 

An exhibition of photographs based on the critically acclaimed book by photographer and writer, Ahtushi Deshpande
The exhibition presents photographs from the author’s decade long documentation exploring the lesser-known rock art galleries of Ladakh. It showcases a museum-grade curated collection of ancient art, offering a unique insight into the region’s hidden heritage.

Inauguration by Shri Raghu Rai, well-known photographer on Wednesday, 14 May 2025 at 18:30

Other programmes include:
On Friday, 16 May at 18:30 in Seminar Rooms I to III, Kamaladevi Complex
A discussion on the book ‘Speaking Stones: Rock Art of Ladakh
 

A discussion with Dr. Alka Pande, art historian and Ahtushi Deshpande, author of the book

Chair: Shri K.N. Shrivastava, Director, IIC

On 18 and 24 May 2025 at 12 noon and 17:00
Curated Walkthrough of the exhibition
With Ahtushi Deshpande

An exhibition of illustrations in children’s books in India since 1895. Themed around the many interpretations of ‘becoming’ of the self and of the spaces around us, the exhibition celebrates the past and the present of the 130 years of art in printed children’s literature in India. 
The curation carries immersive book illustrations by sixty artists, including that by the pioneers of children’s illustrated literature in the country - Abanindranath Tagore, Sukumar Ray and Satyajit Ray. Visitors will delight in the works of celebrated artists like KG Subramanyan, Mickey Patel, Pulak Biswas, Jagdish Joshi, Sigrun Srivasatava and Atanu Roy, while discovering and rediscovering the creative genius of many feted contemporary illustrators, each enriching this landscape with their own distinctive style and sensibilities.

There will be a reading corner in the gallery for visitors to browse through the books featured, and more.

Curated by Richa Jha, children’s book author, and publisher of Pickle Yolk Books

Inauguration on 22 April 2025 at 18:30

Conversations and Workshops as part of the exhibition:   
Workshop 1: The Art of Picture book Making 
Dates: April 26, 27 | 11:00 – 16:00 
Venue: Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex

Facilitator: Award-winning illustrator and muralist Ruchi Shah

For: Art and design students | For details, please email on pickleyolkbooks@gmail.com

Workshop 2: Illustrating for Children’s Magazines 
Dates: May 03, 04 | 11:00 – 16:00 
Venue: Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex

Facilitator: Award-winning illustrator Taposhi Ghoshal

For: Art and design students | For details, please email on pickleyolkbooks@gmail.com

Workshop 3: Creating a Wordless Picture book 
Date: April 30 | 11:00 -13:00 
Venue: Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex

Facilitator: Suvidha Mistry
For: Senior school students (pre-registered)

Guided Tour of the exhibition by the curator: 
April 24, 29 | May 01, 06 at 15:00

Readings from featured books: 
April 24, 29 | May 01, 06 at 16:00

(Collaboration: Pickle Yolk Books)