Lai, which creates contemporary jewellery through design-led collaborations with Indian artisans is known for pieces that combine traditional craftsmanship with a modern character. Among their most creative collections is one launched late last year called The Miniaturist and inspired by Indian miniature paintings. “My love affair with miniature painting as an art form goes back a decade-and -a-half,” says Lai founder and designer Puja Bhargava Kamath who has bought such paintings for her home and collected books on the subject, and decided ultimately to translate them into a jewellery collection.

Puja Bhargava Kamath