Sharing the inspiration behind the India Art Festival, Rajendra recounts that the festival began in Mumbai in 2010, completing 15 years there. It later expanded to Delhi, where they have now completed 10 years, followed by Bengaluru, where they are entering their fifth edition. Hyderabad is now hosting its second edition.
The idea originated from the India Art Summit, which primarily catered to big and well-known galleries, leaving independent artists and smaller galleries without opportunities. At that time, there were about 80,000 practicing artists; today, there are around 2,00,000. “We wanted to create a platform for independent and emerging artists, particularly recent graduates. Following its success in Mumbai, demand grew in Delhi, Bengaluru, and now Hyderabad. Notably, Hyderabad’s art market has outpaced Bengaluru’s in growth. With the support of NV Ramana Reddy, the designer of the Martyrs Memorial and president of the Hyderabad Art Society, we launched the festival in Hyderabad. Given the city’s thriving art scene, the third edition will be held in Jubilee Hills,” he reveals.
