Harvard India Conference Takes Indian Art To A Global Audience

From showcasing rare art exhibitions to curating a workshop for Gond tribal art that celebrates the tribe's cultural heritage and connection to nature, the Harvard India Conference, held in February, provided the perfect opportunity for Indian art forms for a global audience. 

It was heartening to see that the two-day conference, which had the best of global and Indian leaders from all walks of life, provided adequate avenues for several Indian art forms to be displayed prominently. 

Over the two-day conference, which took place at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, showcased Murgikala which reinterpret Indian arts through its illustrations and Rag Dream Weavers that is reimagining public spaces with street children.

The reason the conference chose many such artists was probably best explained by Arundhati, a second-year student at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Most artists create work that is at the cross section of promoting gender equality, championing arts in public spaces and governance.

Pictures by India's most celebrated dance photographer - Avinash Pasricha -- at the Harvard Business School provided a perfect primer for performing arts. These world-renowned artists have been the perfect bridge between Indian arts and the world, and the early ambassadors of India's growing soft power.

Beyond art, the session on venture capital and private equity highlighted the power of ideas. The session was one of the most well-attended ones and attracted a large number of young professionals keen to start a big venture of their own. 

(The author was a speaker at the Harvard India Conference 2025).

Brimming with innovative ideas, the session covered everything from the reason big investors stick to few sectors to how first-time promoters can raise funding. Manish Kejriwal, Deep Nishar and Akrit Dokania offered fresh ideas to HBS students keen on a global corporate career.