Unlike today, the golden years, so to speak, that followed immediately post independence provided a vibrant and nurturing atmosphere for citizens to thrive intellectually and individually. Ashvin Rajagopalan, director at the Piramal Art Museum, seems to echo that sentiment. "It was only in 1947 that the question of an Indian identity came up. So, it was during the 1940s, '50s and '60s when several visionaries believed that India should have its own museums. After that, the task has been left to private collectors and the onus is no longer on the government," he tells us.

Ashvin Rajagopalan