India Week Hamburg 2009 Hamburg baut seine Beziehungen mit Indien weiter aus

19.10.2009 16:00:32

(PA) Hamburg, 19. Oktober 2009. Indien in Hamburg erleben: Vom 23. Oktober bis 1. November findet zum dritten Mal die India Week in Hamburg statt. Ein vielfältiges Programm mit rund 30 Veranstaltungen informiert über aktuelle Handlungsfelder und Entwicklungen der indischen Wirtschaft, Politik und Kultur. Dabei geht es um Chancen und Perspektiven einer engeren Zusammenarbeit zwischen Hamburg und Indien.

(c) Joerg Boethling / agenda-fototext.de, 'Solarenergie Rajasthan', honorarfreie Veröffentlichung nur im Zusammenhang mit der India Week 2009

Indien ist neben China für Hamburg einer der wichtigsten Handelspartner. Trotz der Wirtschaftskrise verzeichnet das Land ein nahezu ungebremstes Wirtschaftswachstum. Der Anteil Hamburgs am deutschen Außenhandel liegt mit 11,4 Prozent auf hohem Niveau, Tendenz steigend. Große Hoffnungen werden nach den Wahlen im Frühjahr in die indische Regierung gesetzt, ihren Reformprozess der Öffnung fortzusetzen. Diese Entwicklungen und ihre Konsequenzen für die Beziehungen zwischen Hamburg und Indien stehen vom 23. Oktober bis 1. November auf dem Programm der India Week 2009.

„Die Zusammenarbeit mit Indien bietet für Hamburg ein erhebliches Potenzial, sowohl für Handel und Wirtschaft als auch für Wissenschaft und Kultur. Darum freue ich mich sehr, dass Hamburg mit der India Week 2009 das Tor für Kooperationen mit Indien weiter öffnet“, sagt Hamburgs Erster Bürgermeister Ole von Beust zum Start der Veranstaltungsinitiative. Am 26.10. wird er zu einem Senatsempfang im Hamburger Rathaus rund 400 Gäste der India Week begrüßen, darunter zahlreiche Hamburger Indien-Akteure, indische Gäste und Fachdelegationen aus den Bereichen Hafenwirtschaft, Erneuerbare Energien, Life Science, Bildung, Kultur und Wissenschaft.

Gefördert durch den Senat der Freien und Hansestadt Hamburg wird die Veranstaltungsreihe von vielen Indien-Akteuren aus Hamburg und Schleswig-Holstein getragen, darunter der German Indian Round Table (GIRT), die Senatskanzlei, die Behörde für Kultur, Sport und Medien, die Handelskammer Hamburg sowie die HWF – Hamburgische Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung und die WTSH Wirtschaftsförderung und Technologietransfer Schleswig-Holstein. Auch Organisationen wie GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, der Ostasiatische Verein (OAV) und die Deutsch-Indische Gesellschaft sind mit dabei.

Kooperationsfelder Hafenwirtschaft, Logistik, Erneuerbare Energien und Life Sciences

Neben zahlreichen kulturellen Veranstaltungen (Infos unter http://www.india-week-hamburg.org) finden Tagungen und Workshops zu politischen und wirtschaftlichen Themen statt: etwa am 26.10. in der Handelskammer zum Thema „Hafen und Schifffahrt – Kooperationen zwischen Indien und Hamburg“. Zum Thema „Neue Chancen für die Deutsch-Indischen Wirtschaftsbeziehungen nach den Wahlen?“ veranstalten GIRT und Handelskammer am 27.10. eine Tagung am selben Ort. Axel Gedaschko, Präses der Behörde für Wirtschaft und Arbeit, und Frank Horch, Präses der Handelskammer Hamburg, begrüßen dazu hochrangige indische Gäste aus Wirtschaft und Politik, darunter auch den indischen Botschafter aus Berlin.

Im Haus der Wirtschaft in Kiel findet am 29.10. eine Veranstaltung der WTSH zum Thema „Wachstumsmarkt Indien – Markterfolg trotz Krise“ statt. „Erneuerbare Energien – Partnerschaft mit Zukunft“ thematisiert eine Veranstaltung der Behörde für Wirtschaft und Arbeit am 29.10. in der Handelskammer Hamburg. Und zum vierten Mal findet das „Hanseatic India Colloquium: Healthcare, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Sciences“ am 30.10. im Sprinkenhof statt, das der in Hamburg lebende indische Unternehmer Amal Mukhopadhyay (ELGA Biotech) ins Leben gerufen hat.

Indisch-Deutsche Kooperationen in Wissenschaft, (Weiter-)Bildung und Wirtschaft diskutieren Austauschstudierende und Wissenschaftler am 29.10. auf einer Veranstaltung der Cognos International GmbH und der Fachhochschule Lübeck. Und zum Ausklang lädt die Deutsch-indische Gesellschaft am 31.10. die hier lebenden indischen Mitbürger und Indien-Akteure zur Feier des traditionellen indischen Lichterfestes DIWALI ins Hamburg Haus Eimsbüttel.

Weitere Programminformationen, kostenloses Bildmaterial und eine 22-seitige Sonderausgabe des Business Newsletters Indien aktuell mit Hintergrundinformationen zur India Week als Download finden Sie unter http://www.india-week-hamburg.org

(Quelle: 19. Oct. 2009 – Presseanzeiger – Meldungen | Handel – Wirtschaft)

Hamburg: India Week 2009 – Politics and Society (23rd Oct)

INDIA WEEK Hamburg 2009 – Politik und Gesellschaft / Politics and Society

Ein halbes Jahr nach den Wahlen in Indien:
Wandel oder Kontinuität in Innen- und Außenpolitik?
Half a Year after the Indian Elections:
Change or Continuity in Domestic and Foreign Policy?

Referenten / Speakers:
Bianca Stachoske (GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies)
Prof. Dr. Joachim Betz (GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies)
Dr. Christian Wagner (SWP Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik / German Institute for International and Security Affairs)

Einladung / Invitation (PDF 98KB)

Ort: GIGA (Raum 519), Neuer Jungfernstieg 21, 20354 Hamburg
Zeit: 23.10.2009, 18.00 – 19.30 Uhr
Eintritt: frei / free of charge
Veranstalter: GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies
Weitere Informationen unter www.giga-hamburg.de/giga-forum

Event programme: 23rd Oct – 1st Nov 2009

Flyer – India Week 2009 (PDF – 1.4 MB)

Indien aktuell Business Newsletter, special edition (PDF – 1.7 MB)

Contact:
- Johannes Freudewald – Büro für Medienarbeit (Office for Media Work) – johannes@freudewald.de
- Pressestelle des Senats (Press – Hamburg Senate) – Simone Ollesch – simone.ollesch@sk.hamburg.de

(Source: 09/2009 – www.india-week-hamburg.org )

Mysore: TEDIndia – The Future Beckons (Nov 4-7, 2009)

Mysore, India
November 4-7, 2009

Inspired speakers and game-changing ideas, evocative locations and transporting entertainment: TEDIndia offers a vision of the future that’s rich with invention, entrepreneurship, cross-disciplinary problem-solving, unexpected solutions and sensory delight. Hosted in a country that’s reinventing itself – and reshaping the world …

Registration is open for TEDIndia.

The incredible high-tech Infosys campus — and the surrounding historic city of Mysore — provides the backdrop for four days of TED magic.

About the Infosys campus

The site for TEDIndia is a powerful metaphor for the reshaped world of the 21st century. TEDIndia will be held on the incredible high-tech campus built by Infosys to train its thousands of engineering graduates. In addition to its beautiful setting, the campus represents the heart of the Asian outsourcing industry that’s transformed the global economy. We can think of no more appropriate place to gather to think about tomorrow.

Metaphors aside, the campus is beautifully laid out and matches perfectly with the needs of a TED event. Its focal point is a stunning Epcot-style dome, housing a state-of-the-art theater, with comfortable seats and concert-hall acoustics. The brand-new, 270-acre campus has manicured lawns, ample housing, fast WiFi, extremely tight security, and everything else one needs to be comfortably at home: health club, swimming pool, running track, bookshop, even a bowling alley …

Interestingly, this Mysore campus is the world’s largest corporate training facility for IT professionals — necessary for Infosys, which adds 12,000 employees every year.

About Mysore

Mysore is one of India’s oldest cities — an up-and-coming center for outsourcing and IT, which retains its old-world charm. The second largest city in Southern India’s state of Karnataka (it lies 130km from Bangalore), Mysore is a city of palaces and gardens, shady avenues and sacred temples. It’s known for its academic and research institutions, and also for its heritage buildings and palaces constructed by the Mysore Maharajas.

Among Mysore’s most memorable sites are the lush Brindavan Gardens, with spectacular landscaping and fountains; Chamundeshwari Temple, with its 1,000 steps leading down to the city; and Mysore Palace, one of India’s most dramatic national monuments. Its nighttime silhouette — illuminated by 97,000 bulbs — is one of the city’s most iconic images.

In addition to its striking monuments, Mysore is known for its handicrafts. Mysore silk and sandalwood soap are famous throughout India, as is the city’s particular style of intricate wood carvings.

To deepen the sense of place, attendees will be offered a series of optional trips, discoveries and special programs before and after the conference, including tours of historic Mysore sites, and visits to nearby wildlife sanctuaries.

More highlights of Mysore and environs:

• The Jagan Mohan Art Gallery, with collections of Indian and world art and traditional Indian instruments.
• India’s first irrigation dam, the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam, built in 1932 and lying just above the Brindavan Gardens.
• The beautiful, ancient island town of Srirangapatna, with its many forts, ruins and palaces, including the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple — one of the oldest temples in India (foundation stones laid in 894 AD) — and the Gumbaz mauseleum, a beautiful example of Indo-Islamic architecture with its lofty whitewashed dome, ivory inlaid doors and elaborately carved stone windows.
• Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, a haven for native Indian wildlife and a migratory hotspot for exotic bird species, located on several small islets just 20km outside Mysore. The sanctuary is home to cormorants, darters, white ibis, storks, egrets, herons, terns, swallows, streaked weavers, ducks, teals, sandpipers, kingfishers, whistling teals and plovers.
• Delicious south Indian cuisine, less familiar to westerners.

(Source: 10/2009 – TEDIndia – www.ted.com)

Nandan Nilekani’s ideas for India’s future

Berlin: Asia-Pacific Weeks from 7 to 18 October 2009

Asia-Pacific Weeks from 7 to 18 October 2009

Under the heading “Asia-Pacific: Partner for a Common Future”, the 7th Asia-Pacific Weeks will be focusing on the priority themes of “mobility” and “energy” .

The business and science program includes two specialist conferences on mobility and energy, to be held from 8 to 10 October at the Berlin Town Hall, and, from 12 to 17 October, other symposia, conferences, and “business days” on individual countries of the Asian-Pacific region.

Program of the Conferences

Application

Ten days of art and culture from the Asian-Pacific region: as a center for non-European art and culture, the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) is coordinating the cultural program of the Asian-Pacific Weeks again this year. Three new high-profile partners have joined the team: the National Gallery at Hamburger Bahnhof, RADIALSYSTEM V, and the theater Hebbel am Ufer. Each of these institutions is organizing a program that reflects its artistic and curatorial focus. The AEDES Forum für zeitgenössische Architektur, the Deutsch-Japanische Gesellschaft, NEXT – Interkulturelle Projekte, Fashion Patrons, and the Neue Gesellschaft für Bildende Kunst (NGBK) will be presenting other projects on urban development, fashion, young people’s art, and theater.

In 2009, your gateway to Asia is still in Berlin: Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit and the strategic partners of the Asia-Pacific Weeks – Berlin Partner GmbH, the Asia-Pacific Forum Berlin, and the House of World Cultures – invite you to immerse yourself in the Asian-Pacific region in October 2009.

(Source: 09/2009 – Berlin.de)

ET Bureau: For Kolkata, Durga’s no more an American idol

by Anirvan Ghosh & Sreeradha Basu

Durga Puja lighting at a pandal in Guwahati on Wednesday night. Picture by Eastern Projections (The Telegraph, 2009)

BANGALORE/KOLKATA: Durga puja is being celebrated in the US and Europe this time with the same fervour and gaiety as any other year, but with a bit of austerity thrown in. The global recession led to many a job loss and pay cuts, and some members cut donations by as much as 50%. A puja in Cologne, Germany, for instance, has resorted to a reusable idol of the devi. Another in Massachusetts has done away with the frills — it has cut expenditure from a quarter million dollars to $100,000. And resident Bengalis in Kuala Lumpur joined the austerity drive by organising one puja instead of three.

All this has had a major impact on idol makers back home, especially in Kolkata’s Kumartulli, from where most of the idols are sourced by puja samitis overseas. “Our export business is down 50%,” says Pradyut Pal, among the biggest exporters of idols, who gets orders from puja associations in the US, Malaysia, Australia and Germany. “Even the number of online enquiries were much less this year because budgets are down.” Potters in Kumartulli do business worth Rs 8-9 crore every year by selling idols in India — mainly in the city of Kolkata — and abroad. Kumartulli makes around 11,000 small and large idols (including 3,000 big idols) every year, of which 220-230 are exported. “This year the number of idols shipped has fallen to 134,” says Aloke Sen, a prominent idol maker and artisan.

Dance Drama Goddess Durga (The Hindu, 2004)

Mr Pal adds that 60% of the business comes from exports, because the potters charge a premium on the ‘exported-idols’ that are made of fibreglass for safe transportation. An overseas order rings in bigger profits, as exported idols cost around Rs 2 lakh apiece, far costlier than a clay idol of the same size that retails for around Rs 10,000.

What has added to the potters’ woes is the increase in cost of materials required to make fibreglass idols. Cost of fibreglass sheets, chemicals and paint have gone up.

Overseas organisers confirm the trend. “Pujas have tighter budgets this year. Job losses and an uncertain future have contributed to this end,” says Amit Ghosh, who is involved with a Puja organisation in Kuala Lumpur and employed with a top consultancy. The bigger pujas can cost around Rs 20 lakh, but this year, they are making do with Rs 10 lakh at the most.

In Massachussets, Houston and New Jersey, the impact of the downturn is palpable. “Donations from members have slipped this year,” says Prithviraj Chaudhuri, a research scholar at Harvard and a regular member of the core organising committee since the past couple of years at Puja celebrations in Boston. This year, the minimum contribution from members dipped by around 20% as some of them, with families, have lost their jobs, and aren’t sure when they would be employed again. As a result, expenditure for the Boston puja, which used to have a budget of around Rs 50 lakh, is now down to just about Rs 35 lakh, including the cost of the idol. Spends at the grander pujas have slipped to Rs 60 lakh from Rs 1 crore a year ago. “People are pooling in money and concentrating on fewer good pujas than thinning out the pie,” says Shweta Sen, part of an organising team in Houston.

Costs are also being cut in Cologne, Germany, a major puja location for Bengalis in that country. “We are going to use the same idol because it can last a few years,” says Shondip Chatterjee, who works with a prominent bank and one of the organisers there. He says that costs were cut 30% from Rs 20 lakh a year ago, and that has meant no new idol and using cheaper items for the marquee. Another puja in Bonn has done the same — it hasn’t ordered a new idol.

In the UK, where several pujas are held not just in London but also in cities like Manchester, the puja budget is down 30%. “People have lost their jobs there, and we could not raise more than what we did,” says Abhinav Bose, one of the organisers in south London.

Fortunately, domestic demand hasn’t gone down, and local organisers have continued to spend on the clay idols. But potters at Kumartulli will pray that the Mother Goddess will not let down the world another year.

(Source: 25 Sep 2009, 0418 hrs IST | The Economic Times – News By Industry)

Invitation to the Press trip (Oct 25-31) – INDIA WEEK HAMBURG 2009

Invitation to the Press trip:

“India Week Hamburg 2009”

Press trip from October 25 – 31, 2009

India is a fast growing economy – and an increasingly interesting trade partner for Hamburg. The attractiveness of the Indian domestic market is as much important as the cost-reducing advantages for the international buying markets. At the same time, the Indian economy boasts some financially highly potential and innovative companies, who are self-confident global players on the world‘s markets.

In total, approximately 35 Indian companies are present in the Hamburg Metropolitan Area, with figures rising. In return, some 500 Hamburg companies are active in India. To strengthen these business ties and to broaden the bilateral contacts the Hamburg Senate, HWF Hamburg Business Development Corporation, Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, the German Indian Round Table, the Technical University Hamburg-Harburg, ELGA Biotech and
other institutions and organisations dealing with India launched two years ago the first “India Week” in Hamburg.

This year the third “India Week Hamburg“ – taking place October 23 – November 1, 2009 will offer even more chances to make contacts and to learn about the manifold business options between Hamburg and India during talks, discussions and receptions, while also presenting India‘s diverse cultural landscape.

On the occasion of the 3rd India Week Hamburg we´d like to invite you to take part in a press trip to Hamburg. We have drawn up a program that brings you into contact with the main highlights of the “India Week”, with companies dealing with India as well as with the key players in the relationship Hamburg – India.

We would also like to show you Hamburg – the ambitious city on the waterfront with its economical and cultural highlights.

We are enclosing our first program draft mentioning the main points. We should be delighted to welcome you to  Hamburg from October 25 – 31. To attend, simply complete and return the enclosed fax. We shall treat registrations on a “first come – first serve” basis and will contact you individually to arrange your travel to Hamburg.

Should you have questions or require any further information, you can call us at +49-(0)40-41 11 10 620 or send an e-mail to anette.boos@marketing.hamburg.de

We look forward to welcoming you in Hamburg.

Yours sincerely,
Anette Boos
Project Manager Media Relations
Hamburg Marketing GmbH

Dowload fully programme here (PDF)…

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HH4u: HAMBURG 2009 (part 1 of 3) – SUNNY & RAINY

HH4u: HAMBURG 2009 (part 2 of 3) – AMAZING HARBOR

HH4u: HAMBURG 2009 (part 3 of 3) – COLORS OF THE NIGHT

FE: Gear up to witness innovations at ‘Broadcast India 2009 Exhibition’

Gear up to witness innovations at ‘Broadcast India 2009 Exhibition’

Saturday, Sep 19, 2009 at 1457 hrs IST

Mumbai: The 19th Broadcast India 2009 Exhibition will be held on 29–31 October, 2009 in Hall V – Bombay Exhibition Centre, Western Express Highway, Goregaon (East), Mumbai, India.

The Broadcast India 2009 show covers all aspects of Television, Film, Radio, Video, Audio, IPTV, Mobile TV, Computer Graphics, Visual Effects, Multimedia, Music, Lights, Cable, Satellite, Broadband, Internet, Transmission and all the leading innovations from the infotainment industry.

Over 500 companies from 31 countries will exhibit their latest products, launches, technologies and services for the film and television industry at the show.

Present at the show will be some of the world’s leading manufacturers like Panasonic, Harris, Benchmark, VIZRT, Grass Valley, AVID, Playbox, da vinci, Seachange, Datavideo, Hitachi, Digital Vision, ARRI, Panther, P+S Technik, Cooke Optics, Canon, Dalet, RCS, Daxco, DVS, Digital Rapids, Sennheiser, Monarch & WASP3D to name just a few. For complete list of exhibitors, please visit our website.

The Broadcast India Conference to be held from 29 – 30 October, 2009 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, is a must attend event that provides a unique opportunity to hear eminent speakers from India and abroad.

The Conference will cover wide range of topics on Television, Film, Audio, Radio, IPTV, Mobile TV, Animation and Visual Effects.

(Source: 09/19/2009 – The Financial Express)

Bangalore: Facebook Developer Garage – 28th Aug, 2009

Chakpak Media Pvt Ltd, a leading Bollywood community portal, announced today that it will host the Facebook Developer Garage Bangalore on August 28th, 2009 at the Taj West End. This premier Facebook developer event will feature speakers from Facebook, Chakpak and other Indian companies.

The event is sponsored by Intel and co-hosted with Accel Partners. It is scheduled to take place between 9.30 A.M and 6.30 P.M at the Taj Westend, Race Course Road, Bangalore. It is open to all social network developers, online marketing professionals and Facebook enthusiasts.

The developer’s garage will offer a great chance for attendees to gain insights into how the Facebook platform has evolved, discuss technical ideas and learn more about social media marketing. “We are delighted to host an event that provides a great opportunity for the growing Facebook developer community to share knowledge and learn first hand from their fellow developers,” said Gaurav Singh Kushwaha, Founder & CEO of Chakpak.

Speaker lineup includes:

• Vishu Gupta, Engineering Team, Facebook
• Alok Kejriwal, Co-Founder & CEO, Games2Win
• Nitin Rajput, Co-Founder & COO, Chakpak
• Mekin Maheshwari, Director Engineering, WeRead
• Nikhil, Product Manager, MingleBox
• Vinod Nambiar, Founder & CEO, Position2

To register or for more information, visit the event page

About Chakpak
Headquartered in Bangalore (India), Chakpak (www.chakpak.com) is among the fastest growing example of an online entertainment community from India, with commendable initial successes around movies. Chakpak offers encyclopedic information around movies including reviews, news updates, celebrity profiles and wallpapers, besides widgets and applications across other social networks such as Facebook.

(Source: 08/2009 – www.siliconindia.com/events)

Bangalore: Nokia Music Store goes live in India on 21st Sept 09

Nokia Music Store goes live in India – www.music.nokia.co.in

by siliconindia news bureau

Bangalore: Nokia has announced the launch of Music Store service in India at Nokia Music Connects (launch on 26th Aug), one of country’s largest music forums. The Music Store from Nokia will offer music lovers access to over three million international and Bollywood and regional soundtracks across all genres. Sharing details of the India Music Store, Elizabeth Schimel, Vice President, Music, Nokia said “We are delighted to launch our 21st Music Store in India. With over three million tracks, India Music Store will have the most diverse portfolios of content, covering 20 genres and almost 90 percent of the local music in India.”

To deliver the most updated content Nokia has tied up with leading international music labels such as Universal Music Group, Sony Music, EMI and Warner and major independent Indian record labels including Tseries, Yashraj Music, Saregama, BIG Music, Venus and many more. The company has partnered with India’s leading music body, Indian Music Industry (IMI) which is a consortium of over 150 music companies, to give consumers an opportunity to discover and enjoy their favorite music on the go across genres and languages. Nokia has also signed up with GIRI (Giri Digital Solutions, part of Giri Group) in South India and Phoneytunes in North India to access regional content.

“Music is an all-consuming passion with most people, especially in a country like India where it is an intrinsic part of the culture. Nokia is committed to connect people to what matters to them and with our pioneering music services and devices, we are well-placed to bring a great experience and immense value to the consumers,” said Timo Ihamuotila, Executive Vice President, Sales, Nokia.

Nokia Music Store is available in 21 markets across the world and offers people the chance to enjoy music directly on their Nokia device or personal computer.

(Source: Thursday,27 August 2009, 02:13 hrs – Siliconindia.com | Tech Products)

Review: Amidst recession, global art market looks up to India

by Ashok Kumar (IndianExpress.com)

(New Delhi-) With as many as many as 16 galleries from abroad, the second edition of the India Art Summit at the Pragati Maidan in Delhi was conspicuous by the considerable growth in the presence of art galleries both from the country as well as overseas marking remarkable growth in the number of participants and presence of the artworks.

Undeterred by the gloom in the global economic scenario, the exhibitors, particularly those from the abroad evinced deep interest in the potential of the Indian art market as some of them called it the ‘market of hope’ amidst the global recession.

Katja W. Ott, representing Beck & Eggeling gallery from Dusseldorf, Germany felt privileged as she disclosed that they are exhibiting in India for the first time and representing five contemporary artists including Desmond Lazaro (UK), Viveek Sharma, Sonia Mehra (India) Chawla, George Martin and Hema Upadhyay.

When asked about the prospects of an art summit in a developing country like India, Katja explained, how, with the societal changes, people in countries like India are becoming increasingly aware of arts making the country a potential place as the art market.

Talking about the impact of recession on the art market, Katja says, “Current global crisis had an impact on art market and the buyers have become more careful, these days. Instead of shares and stocks people these days are investing more and more in arts,” explains Katja.

Stefan Wimmer, managing partner, Beck & Eggeling (Germany), talking about the Indian art market feels that with the welfare growing in the developing countries, like India, and a greater number of people living a better life, the potential is all set to grow. Talking about the India art summit he says, “It has been a good chance for the European art galleries to come and explore the Indian art market,” Stefan summarises.

Ashna Jaipuria, director of Viart, posing for photo at her stall, at the India Art Summit in New Delhi.

Ashna Singh Jaipuria, director of Viart, a New Delhi based contemporary Indian art gallery, candidly shares how she developed a deep interest in art despite having no formal academic education in the field. “I did not have any art education, but got the basic understanding of art, through various catalogues and art exhibitions that came across my way,” confides Ashna.

When asked to comment on the driving factors that keep her going ahead in this field, Ashna says, “The curiosity for creativity and a pure passion to strive for excellence and perfection keeps me alive in the business (of art market)”.

When asked how much business she looks forward to despite the downturn, Ashna, brimming with confidence, said, “I am seriously hopeful about the sales, despite the downturn. There is a professional class, who buys art, for the sake of sound investment,” educates Ashna.

Elina Zuzane of the Galerija 21 of Latvia came to the India Art Summit, to experience something different. “Everyone is moving to the West. We felt India has not had enough exposure to Latvian arts, so we have come to represent our country in India,” quips Elina.

Elina, who has earlier worked as a Trend Forecaster, in UK, after finishing her degree, says she entered into the world of art by sheer coincidence. Talking about her understanding of the Indian art, she says, “Indian art is more colourful than the Latvian one, in several aspects such as the use of colours”.

Hwajung Choi, assistant curator at the Arario Gallery that has branches in Beijing, Seoul and New York, feels that more art connoisseurs are showing their interest in the Indian art and it is growing popular with each passing day.

also see: “New Delhi: India Art Summit puts forth a strong case for art without borders“

(Source: 08/2009 – Monday , Aug 24, 2009 at 1524 hrs | indianexpress.com | News)