Founder Members

Late Dr. Lotika Varadarajan (28 May 1938 – 9 October 2017). She had a varied background. Her childhood was spent in the Northeast where she had much opportunity to interact with tribal groups. She pursued her higher studies at the Universities of Delhi and Bombay, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok and Newnham College, University of Cambridge, U.K. Over the years she had developed an interest in ethno-history with special emphasis on indigenous artisanal knowledge systems and related art traditions within the local cultural context. Apart from other countries, she had undertaken study tours in Egypt, Central Asia countries, Turkey, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. She had been associated with the Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and National Institute of Science Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), New Delhi. She had also served as Associate Professor, School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She had held the position of Tagore Fellow at the National Museum, New Delhi and was associated with the Centre of Traditional Knowledge, Ambedkar University, New Delhi. Widely traveled both within the country and outside, she had delivered nine Endowment and Special Lectures, authored seventy-seven articles and nine books. She was the Vice-President of the Rasaja Society, founded by the late Jaya Appasamy, and dedicated to the Arts.

ANAMIKA PATHAK ph.d                                 

TEDx Speaker, (2023) Former Curator, Decorative Arts, National Museum, New Delhi        

President, Textiles & Clothing Research Centre, New Delhi                  

With more than three decades of curatorial career at NM, she has curated several exhibitions; Indian Textile (1996), Wood Carving (2012) Decorative Arts, (2013) Baluchar: The Woven Narrative Silks of Bengal (2019).

She has presented research papers in several national and international seminars. Some of them are; ‘Sacred Textiles-its Tradition and Variations (2018) at the India Heritage Centre, Singapore and ‘Archaeological evidences of Textiles from the Harappan Period’ Indian National Science Academy (2022). More than forty research articles have been published in research articles in books and journals. Books to her credit are ‘Pashmina’(2003); ‘Indian Costumes’ (2006) ‘Arts of Calligraphy and Beyond’ (2015); ‘Ramayana: the Poetic Expression on Temple Hanging’ (2017) and ‘Textiles: The Binding Threads between the Cultures (2019) Founder member of an academic association TCRC since 2017. Working as President, actively organized seminars (6), public lectures (14), workshops (3), e-journals (8) and published a book, ‘Splendors of Pahari Embroidery’ (2018).

Dr. Prof. (Dr) Toolika Gupta is the Director of the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design, Jaipur since April 2017. After completing her Master’s degree in Textiles and Clothing from Delhi University (Lady Irwin College) in 1996, she worked as a designer, consultant and academician in India and abroad. She started her career as a designer in 1996 and travelled extensively in India, USA and Europe. She taught at NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) as an Associate Prof. for a few years, after which she did a short course from the University of Oxford, UK in ‘Archaeological textiles’ and then PhD from the University of Glasgow, in the UK. During her PhD, she was associated with the Centre for Textile Research, Denmark, as a PhD fellow from 2012-2015. She is also one of the founding members of TCRC (Textiles and Clothing Research Centre), India. Her interests include history and science of textiles and fashion. Her views and research as well as some articles can be read at https://glasgow.academia.edu/ToolikaGupta.
She is also the President of the Alliance Francaise of Jaipur and the Dean for Product Design (Crafts and Design) at the Vishvakarma Skills University, Jaipur.

Dr. Simmi Bhagat is an Associate Professor at Department of Fabric and Apparel Science Lady Irwin College of the University of Delhi. A graduate from Delhi University with Textiles and Clothing Honors. She earned her Ph.D. degree from the University of Delhi in 2006. She has spent the last 25 years active in the teaching, research, and community outreach work. She has been working with organizations assisting in community efforts in improving skills and training women in skills for income generation. She has undertaken projects with Development Commissioner, Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, ILO and Delhi University. She is serving on the Board of studies of various educational institutions in India. Her Ph.D. work on ‘Brocades of Chanderi – Problems and Prospects’ was recognized and has brought impact in the industry.  She has participated in national and international conferences and seminars and published many papers in journals and chapters in various books in the related area. She has been invited for talks by NIFT, Pearl Academy, National Museum, Crafts Museum, Laxmi Bai College, Delhi University and INTACH. She is associated with NCERT, NIOS, CBSE, ILO, and UNIDO. She has conducted a 2 days workshop on ‘Understanding design through illustration’ at Royal University for Women, Bahrain.  She is a member of many professional bodies as in All India Women’s Education Fund Association (AIWEFA), Delhi Craft Council, Textile Association of India, CIETA, France, and Costume Society, UK. She is also one of the founding members of Textiles and Clothing Research Centre (TCRC), a society registered to promote textile research programs in India. Her areas of interest are Indian textiles, Historic costumes, World Textiles, Textile documentation and conservation, Fashion Studies, Fashion Illustration and Carbon Footprint.  She is an advisor to many research scholars and supervised more than 45 Masters’ dissertations and PhDs.

Dr. Rohini Arora is working as academic and design consultant with reputed institutions. She is in the field of teaching, research and development, since early 2005. She has done Masters in Home Science in Textiles and Clothing from Lady Irwin College, Delhi University. She was awarded ‘Best Student Award’ in Textile Design in M.Sc. Textile & Clothing. She has qualified U.G.C NET in December 2005. A Ph.D degree was awarded in Fabric and Apparel Science, Department of Home science, Lady Irwin College, Delhi University in May 2015 on thesis title ‘Capacity Building of Artisans for the Sustenance of Traditional Chamba Embroidery’. She is empanelled as designer in Textiles and Clothing with the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) in October 2013 and December 2016. She has seven years of teaching experience in premium colleges in Delhi and Chandigarh namely Lady Irwin College, Mata Sundri College for Women, Government College of Home Science and NIIFT. Numerous research papers were presented in International and National conferences. Several research papers and proceedings were published in journals and books. She has eleven years of experience in field of craft. Several workshops and exhibitions were coordinated with the artisans to upgrade the existing skills of the artisans organized by Delhi Crafts Council.  Recently, She was invited by Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Chairperson, International Research Division and Life Trustee, India International Centre to display the exhibition of embroidered products from Chamba from 17 February’ 2018 to 26 February’ 2018. The exhibition was inaugurated by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) Shri Shantmanu, IAS, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. The exhibition was visited by eminent scholars, well covered by several newspapers and also featured on Rajya Sabha TV. The exhibition was supplemented with demonstrations, workshops by artisans from Chamba and symposium for disseminating information on sustaining the rich cultural heritage of Indian textiles.

Late Dr. Binoy Kumar Sahay, is the Deputy  Curator (Numismatics & Epigraphy) and I/c Central Asian Antiquities Collection of National Museum, New Delhi and   Nodal Officer for Digitization of  National Museum Collections and  “Q.R. Code” (Which is provided in Bronze-Gallary of National Museum ). He accessioned and they  got physically verified  the entire Central Asian Antiquities Collection of National Museum. He has participated in a number of National & International Seminars and Published 38 research papers in different Journals, periodicals and Art Volumes. He is an adjunct faculty of National Museum Institute (Deemed University) and guiding Researchers on their topics. He has worked as Curator in many important exhibitions like :- Nizam’s Jewellery, Alchi, Alamkara, Supreme Court of India, Tejas,  Jewellery Exhibition (at Milan & Rome), On the Nalanda Trail, Exhibition from SAARC countries, Art of Bhutan etc. and for the following Galleries (i.e.) Jewellery,   Numismatics and Central Asian Antiquities . He was recipient and Junior Research Fellowship by U.G.C.  in 1988 of U.K. visiting fellowships in 2003 & 2009 by the  Nehru Trust of  Indian collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum. His main area of interests are in the Material Culture of Central Asia, Ancient Indian Numistratics, Art & Archaeology, including  Iconography and  Buddhist Philosophy.  For Museum related and Professional works has visited several countries.  He has been associated in editing following volumes on Indian Art & Archaeology: – (a) Studies in Indian Art, Delhi-1998 (b) Art, Archaeology and Social History of India, Delhi-2006 (c) Recent Researches in Indian Art & Archaeology, Delhi-2008, and (d) Splendors of Pahari Embroidery, Delhi-2018.

Larah Rai As a historian, Independent Researcher and founding member of Textiles and Clothing Research Centre, I have been involved in organizing several exhibitions, seminars, conferences, that have been culture oriented. I also have extensive experience in writing concept notes, lecture outlines, formulating and streamlining possible research projects etc. Content development has been my core strength. I started my career with the corporate sector, only to realize my calling lies in another direction. I changed my career path as I believed I could learn and contribute better as an Individual involved with promoting, showcasing and researching subjects related to History and Culture. I have been a contributing Member organizer in TCRC’s Carpet and Floor Covering Restoration workshop, 2017, National Museum Institute, New Delhi. Organising member of the International Seminar on Indo Portuguese History- 3 Day Seminar on India, the Portuguese and The Indian Societies: Exchanges and Engagements, 2013 Indian International Centre, New Delhi. Organiser, exhibition on “Time, Space, Direction, Diversities in Cognitive Approach, Mapmaking and Cartographic Tradition from the Indian Ocean Region”, 2014, Indian International Centre, New Delhi.

I am currently researching on the East Indian Community of Mumbai, with focus on their clothing tradition.

Archana Shastri Completed MFA from M S University, Fellowship in Visual Communication at NID, Ahmadabad, Advanced Printmaking from Royal College of Art, London and Fashion Orientation Program at FIT, New York. Held several one person and group show of Drawings, Paintings and Prints. Major collection of works with Ebrahim Alkazi and with the late Chester Herwitz and represented in V&A Museum, Masanori Fukoka’s Collection at Glenberra Art Museum and Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, USA, among others. Taught for 20 years with NIFT (1988-2008), Delhi as Professor and Chairperson, Fashion Design and Fashion Communication Departments. Intermittently served as Reader, Art Education with NCERT for two years (1995-1997) on lien. Principal, Government College of Art, Chandigarh (2008-2009) on deputation. Served as HOD ( Kaladarsana ) at IGNCA  from 2009 to  2012  and has been a visiting faculty in all premier Educational  Institutes of Fashion, Design, Art, Craft and Theatre. Has published a book entitled “Language of Symbols” for AIHB, chapter on “ Body Painting and Tattooing” for Berg Publication- Encyclopedia of Dress, smaller chapters on Textiles and Costumes in various publications and several reviews for Newspapers. Research on Indo-Portuguese Textiles and Kalamkari Textile ( Safarnama) due to be published. Presently, appointed as Director, Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Asian Traditional Textile Museum, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Dr. Janaki Turaga is a sociologist working on textiles and environment based in New Delhi/Gurugram, India. Her work in textiles ranges from fashion, embroidery traditions, to handloom textile traditions of South and Eastern India.  She has presented her work in international conferences in India and abroad. Her recent paper on ‘Owning a colonial object: Mapping the negotiations of the Royals and the Subaltern in India’, was presented at the National Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark in September 2016. Her most recent publication is on ‘Ritualistic Fok Art Embroidery: A New Thematic Category of Pahari Embroidery’ which was published in 2018 in the book Splendors of Pahari Embroidery, ed. Pathak and Sahay, which was published by TCRC and BR Publishing Corporation, New Delhi. Her work on fashion ‘Being fashionable in the globalization era in India: Holy writing on clothes’ has been published in the book Modern Fashion Traditions, edited by Jansen and Craik, 2016, Bloomsbury, London. Her articles on Telia Rumal and Kotpad textile traditions have been published in The Hindu Sunday national edition in 2013.

Sushmit Sharma is a fashion designer and an art historian. He graduated from Hindu College, University of Delhi with honours in History. He then pursued his post-graduation in Apparel Design and Merchandising from National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad. After, working for various fashion houses as a designer, he simultaneously also completed his master’s degree in History of Art from the National Museum Institute (NMI), New Delhi. He worked in the National Museum, New Delhi, in various departments, contributing in the research and display of artefacts from Anthropology, Decorative Arts, Arms and Textiles. Currently, he holds the position of Deputy Curator in the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, looking after its prestigious in-house art collection.

Zahid Ali Ansari received the Masters in Museology and Certificate of Proficiency in Language (Arabic) from Aligarh Muslim University (A.M.U.), and master’s in history from IGNOU. He has been awarded “University Medal” for standing First in the master’s degree (Museology) and passed UGC-NET Exam in June-2006 & December-2006.  His professional career starts when he has joined the Centre for Urdu Language, Literature & Culture (Urdu Museum) in Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad as a Museum Curator in 2007. In February 2014, he has joined the National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi as Assistant Curator and recently selected and joined as Deputy Curator in National Museum, New Delhi. In a short span of time at National Museum, he along with Dr. Anamika Pathak has curated an exhibition “The Art of Calligraphy and Beyond- Arabic & Persian Inscriptions on Decorative Arts Object” (16^th May to 12^th July 2015)  held at National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi and contributed research and text as one of  the author in the Catalogue of the exhibition “The Art of Calligraphy and Beyond- Arabic & Persian Inscriptions on Decorative Arts Object” published by National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi. He has also contributed assistance in different other exhibitions like ‘Unbroken Thread – Banarasi Brocade’ (25^th February to 25^th April 2016) and ‘Traditional Headgear of India’ (24^th July to 8^th August 2017) held at National Museum, New Delhi. He is a Board Member & Treasurer of “Textiles and Clothing Research Centre (TCRC)”, New Delhi and Life member of “Museum Association of India”, New Delhi and “Indian Association for the Study of Conservation of Cultural Property”, New Delhi.