Founder Members

Late Dr. Lotika Varadarajan (28 May 1938 – 9 October 2017). She had a varied background. Her childhood was spent in the Northeast where she had much opportunity to interact with tribal groups. She pursued her higher studies at the Universities of Delhi and Bombay, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok and Newnham College, University of Cambridge, U.K. Over the years she had developed an interest in ethno-history with special emphasis on indigenous artisanal knowledge systems and related art traditions within the local cultural context. Apart from other countries, she had undertaken study tours in Egypt, Central Asia countries, Turkey, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. She had been associated with the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and National Institute of Science Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), New Delhi. She had also served as Associate Professor, School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She had held the position of Tagore Fellow at the National Museum, New Delhi and was associated with the Centre of Traditional Knowledge, Ambedkar University, New Delhi. Widely traveled both within the country and outside, she had delivered nine Endowment and Special Lectures, authored seventy-seven articles and nine books. She was the Vice-President of the Rasaja Society, founded by the late Jaya Appasamy, and dedicated to the Arts.

Dr. Anamika Pathak has Masters in Buddhist Studies and Ancient Indian History and Culture, doctorate in Mughal Costumes, Museum Management Course from Art Institute Chicago.  More than three decades (1980-2019) curatorial career in the National Museum she has curatored three permanent {Indian Textile (1996), Wood Carving (2012) Decorative Arts, 2013} and number of temporary exhibitions, recent ones are-‘The Art of Calligraphy and Beyond (2015) ‘Rama-Abhirama: The Beauty of Rama in Indian Art and Tradition’,(2017-18) Headgear tradition of India (2018). Extensively travelled with several prestigious exhibitions like ‘Nizam’s Jewels’ (Delhi and Hyderabad), ‘Alamkara’ (Singapore) ‘The Word is Sacred and Sacred is the Word’ (Germany) are the named few. Closely associated with several academic and cultural institutes (named as National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology; Archaeological Survey of India, Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur; Lady Erwin College, Delhi University; Dayalbagh University, Agra; National Institute of Fashion Technology etc.) Actively involved in delivering lectures on various aspects of Indian Traditional Textiles, Decorative Arts, Museology and Preventive Conservation etc.  She has presented research papers in several national and international seminars. (recent one was at India Heritage Centre, Singapore on ‘Sacred Textiles-its tradition and variations, in 2018) Books to her credit are (‘Pashmina’; ‘Indian Costume’ by Roli Publications, ‘Arts of Calligraphy and beyond’; ‘Ramayana: the Poetic Expression on Temple hanging’ and ‘Rama-Hanuman: some selected episode from Ramayana’(in Hindi) by National Museum, New Delhi and more than thirty research articles, booklets, portfolio. These have been published in research journal like Marg, Arts of Asia, INSA Journal, Kala Purattava etc. Co-editor of book, ‘Splendors of Pahari Embroidery’ (2018) published by B.R. Publications, New Delhi

Dr. Toolika Gupta is the Director of Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur since April 2017. After completing her Master’s degree in Textiles and Clothing from Delhi University (Lady Irwin College) in 1996, she has amassed experience as a designer, consultant and academician in India and abroad. She started her career as a designer in 1996 and travelled extensively in India, USA and Europe. She has taught at NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) from 2005 to 2011 as an associate professor; after which she did a short course from the University of Oxford, UK in ‘Archaeological textiles’ in 2012. She has been awarded her Doctorate from the University of Glasgow, in the UK in 2016, after completing her research on “The Influence of British Rule on Elite Indian Menswear: The Birth of the sherwani”. During her PhD, she was associated with the Centre for Textile Research, Denmark, as a PhD fellow from 2012-2015. She is also one of the founding members of TCRC (Textiles and Clothing Research Centre), India. Her interests include history and science of textiles and fashion. her views and research as well as articles can be read at her website – professorinfashion.com and her blog, www.costumetextilesandfashion.blogspot.com. She is also registered on www.academia.edu and has written articles for www.fiber2fashion.com.

Late Dr. Binoy Kumar Sahay, is the Deputy  Curator (Numismatics & Epigraphy) and I/c Central Asian Antiquities Collection of National Museum, New Delhi and   Nodal Officer for Digitization of  National Museum Collections and  “Q.R. Code” (Which is provided in Bronze-Gallary of National Museum ). He accessioned and they  got physically verified  the entire Central Asian Antiquities Collection of National Museum. He has participated in a number of National & International Seminars and Published 38 research papers in different Journals, periodicals and Art Volumes. He is an adjunct faculty of National Museum Institute (Deemed University) and guiding Researchers on their topics. He has worked as Curator in many important exhibitions like :- Nizam’s Jewellery, Alchi, Alamkara, Supreme Court of India, Tejas,  Jewellery Exhibition (at Milan & Rome), On the Nalanda Trail, Exhibition from SAARC countries, Art of Bhutan etc. and for the following Galleries (i.e.) Jewellery,   Numismatics and Central Asian Antiquities . He was recipient and Junior Research Fellowship by U.G.C.  in 1988 of U.K. visiting fellowships in 2003 & 2009 by the  Nehru Trust of  Indian collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum. His main area of interests are in the Material Culture of Central Asia, Ancient Indian Numistratics, Art & Archaeology, including  Iconography and  Buddhist Philosophy.  For Museum related and Professional works has visited several countries.  He has been associated in editing following volumes on Indian Art & Archaeology: – (a) Studies in Indian Art, Delhi-1998 (b) Art, Archaeology and Social History of India, Delhi-2006 (c) Recent Researches in Indian Art & Archaeology, Delhi-2008, and (d) Splendors of Pahari Embroidery, Delhi-2018.

Smita Singh is an Independent Textile Conservation Consultant and researcher. Her area of research interest is to examine the material and techniques of the textiles and the aesthetics, wondrous and artful uses to which textiles were directed in the social, political, and religious life of early modern South Asia. She has a Master’s Degree in ‘Conservation of Art Objects’ from the National Museum Institute (NMI), New Delhi, India. She is UGC- NET qualified and has specialization in Conservation of Traditional Painted Textiles from British Museum London, UK. Currently, she is working on conservation project for the painted textile at Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, The City Palace Jaipur, conservation of textile collection of the belongings of Shree Ma Anandmayee from the repository of Matri Smriti Museum and Research Centre, Ma Anandamayee Ashram, Kankhal and also heading a project for the conservation and display of the textile collection at The Tibet Museum, Dharamshala. She is also associated with the Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF), The City Palace Museum, Udaipur as a Textile Conservation Consultant, since 2014, for the documentation, conservation and storage of collection of The Royal Mewar Textiles. 

Her latest publication as contributing author is the ‘Royal Textiles of Mewar- The City Palace Museum, Udaipur’ edited by Ms Rosemary Crill and published by Harper Collins India Private Limited (April 2021). She recently concluded conservation of textiles and costumes project with Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur for the ‘Peacock in the Desert: Royal Arts of Jodhpur’ exhibition held in collaboration with Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the conservation of the ‘Nineteenth Century Elephant and Horse Armour’ at MSMS II Museum, Jaipur. She is also a visiting faculty at the ‘National Museum Institute’, New Delhi. She has worked with many institutions independently for over a decade and has specialization in the conservation and preservation of the textile objects, survey and documentation of textile collections, designing storage for the collections, and establishment of the conservation laboratories.

Her eighteen years of body of work includes a long association with Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), New Delhi; National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property (NRLC) Lucknow; The City Palace Udaipur; President House Museum, New Delhi; Mehrangarh Museum Trust, Jodhpur; School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, Gyan Museum, Jaipur and Srinivas Malliah Memorial Theatre Crafts Trust and Museum, New Delhi; which has the theatre costumes, puppets, masks collection collected by Smt. Kamladevi Chattopadhyay. During her association with INTACH Art Conservation Centre as Senior Conservator/Centre Coordinator, she has executed numerous conservation projects and training programs. She has also established and headed the ‘Specialized Textile Conservation Unit’ INTACH, New Delhi, in2010.

She was a recipient of the Merit cum means scholarship National Museum Institute 2001, Nehru Trust Scholarship in 2004, ICCROM Bursary in 2008; Charles Wallace India Trust (CWIT) scholarship in 2010; Eurasia- Pacific UNINET scholarship through NMI to visit University of Applied Arts, Vienna for Indo-Austrian Workshop on Conservation of Textiles in 2014, and training in Textile and Costume Conservation at Opificio delle Pietre Dure (OPD), Florence, Italy offered by ITP- International Training Projects in October 2019.She has written and presented various papers in National and International Conferences and was the editor of ‘Conservation Issues in Asia’ a conference proceeding of Asian Regional Cooperation Conference published in 2009. She is also a Founder member & Chief Editor of Textiles and Clothing Research Centre (TCRC) a society registered to promote textile research programs in India since 2015.

Dr. Rohini Arora is working as academic and design consultant with reputed institutions. She is in the field of teaching, research and development, since early 2005. She has done Masters in Home Science in Textiles and Clothing from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University. She was awarded ‘Best Student Award’ in Textile Design in M.Sc. Textile & Clothing. She has qualified U.G.C NET in December 2005. A Ph.D degree was awarded in Fabric and Apparel Science, Department of Home science, Lady Irwin College, Delhi University in May 2015 on thesis title ‘Capacity Building of Artisans for the Sustenance of Traditional Chamba Embroidery’. She is empanelled as designer in Textiles and Clothing with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) in October 2013 and December 2016. She has seven years of teaching experience in premium colleges in Delhi and Chandigarh namely Lady Irwin College, Mata Sundri College for Women, Government College of Home Science and NIIFT. Numerous research papers were presented in International and National conferences. Several research papers and proceedings were published in journals and books. She has eleven years of experience in field of craft. Several workshops and exhibitions were coordinated with the artisans to upgrade the existing skills of the artisans organized by Delhi Crafts Council.  Recently, She was invited by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Chairperson, International Research Division and Life Trustee, India International Centre to display the exhibition of embroidered products from Chamba from 17 February’ 2018 to 26 February’ 2018. The exhibition was inaugurated by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Shri Shantmanu, IAS, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The exhibition was visited by eminent scholars, well covered by several newspapers and also featured on Rajya Sabha TV. The exhibition was supplemented with demonstrations, workshops by artisans from Chamba and symposium for disseminating information on sustaining the rich cultural heritage of Indian textiles.

Zahid Ali Ansari received the Masters in Museology and Certificate of Proficiency in Language (Arabic) from Aligarh Muslim University (A.M.U.), and Masters in History from IGNOU. He has been awarded “University Medal” for standing First in the Master’s Degree (Museology) and passed UGC-NET Exam in June-2006 & December-2006.  His professional career starts when he has joined the Centre for Urdu Language, Literature & Culture (Urdu Museum) in Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad as a Museum Curator in 2007. In February 2014, he has joined the National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi as Assistant Curator and recently selected and joined as Deputy Curator in National Museum, New Delhi. In a short span of time at National Museum, he along with Dr. Anamika Pathak has curated an exhibition “The Art of Calligraphy and Beyond- Arabic & Persian Inscriptions on Decorative Arts Object” (16^th May to 12^th July 2015)  held at National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi and contributed research and text as one of  the author in the Catalogue of the exhibition “The Art of Calligraphy and Beyond- Arabic & Persian Inscriptions on Decorative Arts Object” published by National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi. He has also contributed assistance in different other exhibitions like ‘Unbroken Thread – Banarasi Brocade’ (25^th February to 25^th April 2016)  and ‘Traditional Headgear of India’ (24^th July to 8^th August 2017)  held at National Museum, New Delhi. He is a Board Member & Treasurer of “Textiles and Clothing Research Centre (TCRC)”, New Delhi and Life member of “Museum Association of India”, New Delhi  and “Indian Association for the Study of Conservation of Cultural Property”, New Delhi.

Larah Rai As a historian, Independent Researcher and founding member of Textiles and Clothing Research Centre, I have been involved in organizing several exhibitions, seminars, conferences, that have been culture oriented. I also have extensive experience in writing concept notes, lecture outlines, formulating and streamlining possible research projects etc. Content development has been my core strength. I started my career with the corporate sector, only to realize my calling lies in another direction. I changed my career path as I believed I could learn and contribute better as an Individual involved with promoting, showcasing and researching subjects related to History and Culture. I have been a contributing Member organizer in TCRC’s Carpet and Floor Covering Restoration workshop, 2017, National Museum Institute, New Delhi. Organising member of the International Seminar on Indo Portuguese History- 3 Day Seminar on India, the Portuguese and The Indian Societies: Exchanges and Engagements, 2013 Indian International Centre, New Delhi. Organiser, exhibition on “Time, Space, Direction, Diversities in Cognitive Approach, Mapmaking and Cartographic Tradition from the Indian Ocean Region”, 2014, Indian International Centre, New Delhi.

I am currently researching on the East Indian Community of Mumbai, with focus on their clothing tradition.

Archana Shastri Completed MFA from M S University, Fellowship in Visual Communication at NID, Ahmadabad, Advanced Printmaking from Royal College of Art, London and Fashion Orientation Program at FIT, New York. Held several one person and group show of Drawings, Paintings and Prints. Major collection of works with Ebrahim Alkazi and with the late Chester Herwitz and represented in V&A Museum, Masanori Fukoka’s Collection at Glenberra Art Museum and Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, USA, among others. Taught for 20 years with NIFT (1988-2008), Delhi as Professor and Chairperson, Fashion Design and Fashion Communication Departments. Intermittently served as Reader, Art Education with NCERT for two years (1995-1997) on lien. Principal, Government College of Art, Chandigarh (2008-2009) on deputation. Served as HOD ( Kaladarsana ) at IGNCA  from 2009 to  2012  and has been a visiting faculty in all premier Educational  Institutes of Fashion, Design, Art, Craft and Theatre. Has published a book entitled “Language of Symbols” for AIHB, chapter on “ Body Painting and Tattooing” for Berg Publication- Encyclopedia of Dress, smaller chapters on Textiles and Costumes in various publications and several reviews for Newspapers. Research on Indo-Portuguese Textiles and Kalamkari Textile ( Safarnama) due to be published. Presently, appointed as Director, Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Asian Traditional Textile Museum, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Dr. Janaki Turaga is a sociologist working on textiles and environment based in New Delhi/Gurugram, India. Her work in textiles ranges from fashion, embroidery traditions, to handloom textile traditions of South and Eastern India.  She has presented her work in international conferences in India and abroad. Her recent paper on ‘Owning a colonial object: Mapping the negotiations of the Royals and the Subaltern in India’, was presented at the National Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark in September 2016. Her most recent publication is on ‘Ritualistic Fok Art Embroidery: A New Thematic Category of Pahari Embroidery’ which was published in 2018 in the book Splendors of Pahari Embroidery, ed. Pathak and Sahay, which was published by TCRC and BR Publishing Corporation, New Delhi. Her work on fashion ‘Being fashionable in the globalization era in India: Holy writing on clothes’ has been published in the book Modern Fashion Traditions, edited by Jansen and Craik, 2016, Bloomsbury, London. Her articles on Telia Rumal and Kotpad textile traditions have been published in The Hindu Sunday national edition in 2013.

Dr. Simmi Bhagat is an Associate Professor at Department of Fabric and Apparel Science Lady Irwin College of the University of Delhi. A graduate from Delhi University with Textiles and Clothing Honors. She earned her Ph.D. degree from the University of Delhi in 2006. She has spent the last 25 years active in the teaching, research, and community outreach work. She has been working with organizations assisting in community efforts in improving skills and training women in skills for income generation. She has undertaken projects with Development Commissioner, Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, ILO and Delhi University. She is serving on the Board of studies of various educational institutions in India. Her Ph.D. work on ‘Brocades of Chanderi – Problems and Prospects’ was recognized and has brought impact in the industry.  She has participated in national and international conferences and seminars and published many papers in journals and chapters in various books in the related area. She has been invited for talks by NIFT, Pearl Academy, National Museum, Crafts Museum, Laxmi Bai College, Delhi University and INTACH. She is associated with NCERT, NIOS, CBSE, ILO, and UNIDO. She has conducted a 2 days workshop on ‘Understanding design through illustration’ at Royal University for Women, Bahrain.  She is a member of many professional bodies as in All India Women’s Education Fund Association (AIWEFA), Delhi Craft Council, Textile Association of India, CIETA, France, and Costume Society, UK. She is also one of the founding members of Textiles and Clothing Research Centre (TCRC), a society registered to promote textile research programs in India. Her areas of interest are Indian textiles, Historic costumes, World Textiles, Textile documentation and conservation, Fashion Studies, Fashion Illustration and Carbon Footprint.  She is an advisor to many research scholars and supervised more than 45 Masters’ dissertations and PhDs.

Dr. Md. Ali Nasir, obtained Phd Degree from the National Museum Institute after Masters in Conservation and Restoration of Art from the National Museum Institute, New Delhi Under this PhD program, he focused on the Historical development of carpet and scientific analysis of natural dyes from 17th C. to 19th C. carpets and the preventive measures for the respective. To mention in brief, at present He is working as a Research Assistant at Department of Conservation, National Museum Institute. He is also adjunct faculty at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and National Museum Institute. He is also associated with and Konserv Bhaav as a Consultant (Conservation) and working on Restoration of tapestries designed by Le Corbusier at Chandigarh High Court. He participated in several national/international cultural heritage seminar/workshop and presented research papers. He also worked on Managing Risks in Cultural Heritage towards a sustainable conservation of cultural heritage organized by IGNCA and experts from the Netherland. He has also worked on reorganization of storage and preventive conservation at National Handloom and Craft Museum, New Delhi with the team of ICCROM and UNESCO, which provided wonderful experience and knowledge in the field of cultural heritage. He also got Eurasia Pacific Uninet (EPU) Scholarship to study at Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria in 2013-2014 where he gained professional experience in project management and conservation of Carpet/Textile.

Besides that, He has also co-authored a book on conservation under title Harappan Pottery: Archaeology Techniques and Its Conservation, and also published several research articles. He also curated an International exhibition under title Rare Tribal Carpets: Perfectly Imperfect Weaves at India International Centre, New Delhi, from17th December 2015 to 28th December 2015 and at India Habitat Centre New Delhi from 7^th October to 13^th October 2109. He is also member of International Council of Museum (ICOM), Museum Association of India (MAI) and Indian Association for the Study of Conservation of Cultural Property (IASC). He is also Assistant Co-Ordinator of Textile Conservation committee of ICOM-CC.  He got several international grant to attend international conferences and workshop, like Eurasia Pacific Uninet Scholarship to study Conservation of Carpets/Tapestry and textiles in Institute of Conservation, University of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria, ICOM GETTY Travel Grant to attend ICOM general conference 2019 in Kyoto, Japan, Indian Travel Grant to attend ICOM-CC Triennial conference in Copenhagen 2017, Travel Grant by Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan to attend 5th Symposium on Azerbaijani Carpet in Baku and Bei Shan Tang Foundation Travel Scholarship to be part of IIC- Palace Museum 2017 Hong Kong Symposium ‘Unroll and Unfold: Preserving Textiles and Thangkas to Last’.

Sushmit Sharma is a fashion designer and an art historian. He graduated from Hindu College, University of Delhi with honours in History. He then pursued his post-graduation in Apparel Design and Merchandising from National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. After, working for various fashion houses as a designer, he simultaneously also completed his master’s degree in History of Art from the National Museum Institute (NMI), New Delhi. He worked in the National Museum, New Delhi, in various departments, contributing in the research and display of artefacts from Anthropology, Decorative Arts, Arms and Textiles. Currently, he holds the position of Deputy Curator in the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, looking after its prestigious in-house art collection.