India’s cultural institutions are undergoing a seismic shift — and it starts with how we define a museum.
At this ICF panel discussion, curator Dhara Deria and architect Rajiv walk through how India’s museums have evolved from colonial glass-box repositories into immersive, landscape-integrated spaces of civilizational pride. The Smritivan Memorial Museum in Bhuj — a living memorial for victims of the 2001 earthquake — took 18 years and five chief ministers to complete, yet now draws entire cities out on Diwali to light thousands of diyas across its reforested hillside. The Vadnagar Archaeological Experiential Museum, India’s first museum built around a live excavation site, welcomed 170,000 visitors within months of opening and receives tractor-loads from surrounding villages.
The conversation covers the multidisciplinary collaboration behind great museums, the post-colonial pivot away from Eurocentric narratives, the design philosophy of turning a whole landscape into memory, and how NEP 2020’s bagless school days could make museums the country’s most powerful classrooms. Deria closes with a quietly powerful observation: as joint families gave way to nuclear ones, the grandparent who told bedtime stories of culture and values disappeared — and now, museums must step into that role.
About The Speakers:
Dhara Dedhiya leads cross-functional design initiatives at the intersection of culture, education, and spatial experience. Her work focuses on public spaces, community engagement, and educational innovation, translating complex ideas into actionable strategies and high-impact programs. With a background that integrates design thinking and applied psychology, she brings a nuanced understanding of learning environments to her work. Dhara has collaborated with public agencies, educators, and cultural institutions to develop inclusive frameworks and programs that encourage participation, reflection, and community connection.
Rajeev Kathpalia is a partner at Vastu Shilpa Consultants or VSC, the multi-disciplinary practice founded in 1955 by the Pritzker laureate Balkrishna Doshi. Kathpalia’s work integrates frugal and environmentally responsible strategies to create inclusive habitats for people. Renowned for his institutional designs, he has won several national and international competitions for IIT, IIM and the Nalanda University among others. He was recognized with the Prime Minister’s Award for innovative Urban Design for his design work on the inner city of Hyderabad within the Charminar precinct. For the past 30 years, he has also taught as a university professor, lecturing extensively in India and abroad, and receiving several honors and awards. Most recently, he was conferred the Award for Distinction in Architecture by Washington University.
Preeth Khona’s work lies at the intersection of scholarship, curatorship, and public culture. Trained as an archaeologist and cultural historian, his interests span material culture, Indian classical music and arts, wildlife conservation, and Indian Knowledge Systems. He has submitted his doctoral thesis at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru. He has worked extensively in museum and heritage contexts and led the research and interpretive planning for the Museum of Royal Kingdoms of India.
