ART

I was visiting professor of the History of Art and Art Appreciation at the National institute of Fashion Technology, Gandhinagar from 1996 to 2002, at the CEPT university from1969-2007 and at the National Institute of Design from1986 to 1988. I was chairperson of the Gujarat State Lalit Kala Academy from 1989 to1993. I received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Gujarat state government for the promotion of art activities in the region. I was awarded by the University Grants Comminsion, New Delhi for best script on art appreciation for an educational film by EMRC, Ahmedabad titled -The Hand of the Artist. I was jury member for the national award given by national academy of art, Lalit Kala Academy, for their 46th national exhibition of art, New Delhi, 2004. I was on the programme committee West Zone cultural centre, Udaipur from 1986-1988, and organized Balotsav, a 40-day multi-art workshop for 2,500 children and Maru se Sagar Tak, a folk arts event, which traveled through the western region with 300 performing artists. I have also organised the first Bahurupee Sammelan with one hundred artistes from all over India, and helped collect folk art atefacts from Gujarat for the Crafts Museum at Udaipur.

Earlier, as an artist, I held ten exhibitions of my sculptures and drawings at Mumbai from 1968 to 1979 at the Jehangir Art Gallery and the Taj Art Gallery. Collections of my sculptures are in India and abroad, and can be seen at Ahmedabad’s city museum. From 1975 to 1997, I had a group called Action through Art working in the underprivileged areas of Ahmedabad. I was in the team of consultants for contemporary art and the Jewish section at The City Museum for the Ahmedabad municipal corporation, 1997-2000.I am a BFA from the faculty of fine arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, India.

A documentary on Esther David’s life and literature is being made by Washington based film maker Tavishi Alagh of A Drink with Jam and Bread Productions, USA. Another documentary is being made for  French television Objectif Divali supported by European Union and La Sorbonne.