Bridge Bharat: Taking Indian Art from Tradition to Tomorrow
Aishwarya Kulkarni speaks with Aakanksha Singh, Founder of Bridge Bharat, about how she is working to save endangered art forms, ensuring they survive and find a place in today’s world.

“We take it our responsibility to pave the way for the next 100 years through digital expression and adaptation to the changing trends of interior design and architecture. If we try to preserve the traditional without modernisation, it will cease to exist,” says Aakanksha Singh, Founder of Bridge Bharat
One of the most striking encounters I have had with Indian art began in the quiet, undiscovered village of Patangarh, Madhya Pradesh in India. Entering the local community, I was stunned by the intricate, thoughtful Gond paintings covering the walls of the villagers’ simple homes. But what made this encounter so striking was how despite their skill, the community lived in abject poverty, depending on external help to survive. On further research, I realized that India’s bridge between demand and supply is still nascent.
Solving this pressing issue is Bridge Bharat, a premier online platform for Indian traditional and antique arts, catering to both novice collectors and seasoned art connoisseurs. Founded in 2022, the platform showcases and sells works from some of India’s finest generational master artist families. With partnerships spanning 50 artist families across 18 states, Bridge Bharat has significantly boosted the annual income of over 100 artists.

Modern spaces ornate with traditional painting give an earthy feel to the space.
SCALE: How did the journey of Bridge Bharat begin? What is your background, and what inspired this initiative?
Aakansha: Bridge Bharat’s inception is deeply tied to my personal journey, which began in the unique environment of growing up in an Air Force family. For 22 years, my early life was spent moving across the country, living in places like Kashmir, Shillong, Pune, and Barmer. The Air Force campuses were often located on the outskirts of major cities, closer to village communities. It was in these settings that I first encountered the traditional art forms that local villagers worked so hard to preserve. These early experiences instilled in me an appreciation for the rich cultural heritage that exists in India’s villages—art that, though raw, carried a deep sense of history and identity.

National Awardee Kalyan Joshi has single-handedly revived the lost Phad Chitra art, a 700-year-old legacy that fuses visual art, music, and sustainability.
After completing my early education, and then pursuing a career ahead in finance, I started working in the art investment division, where we focused on valuing the works of Indian modern masters like Ravi Varma, S.H. Raza, and M.F. Husain. This experience exposed me to the high-end art market, but it also made me aware of a glaring gap: while these modern masters were celebrated, traditional legacy art was largely overlooked. Despite India’s 3,000-year-old heritage, these art forms were not being valued in the same way as Western or even post-18th-century Indian art.
It became clear to me that there was a huge, untapped market for traditional Indian art—a market that was rapidly shrinking as the number of skilled artists declined. The traditional art market was highly unorganized, opaque, and predominantly offline, making it difficult to access and value. This lack of recognition and organization meant that many of these art forms were at risk of disappearing altogether.
The turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic when I began working from home. Along with my job, I started conducting interviews with artists and buyers across the spectrum—from interior designers and architects to private collectors and first-time buyers. On the supply side, I spoke with younger contemporary artists as well as traditional and vernacular artists. These conversations helped me gain a deeper understanding of the challenges facing both the creators and consumers of traditional Indian art.
Through these interviews, I recognized the urgent need to create a platform that could bridge the gap between India’s rich legacy art and the modern market. This was how the idea for Bridge Bharat took shape.
The journey from my childhood exposure to village art, through my career in art investment, to the founding of Bridge Bharat, has been one of connecting the dots—recognising the value of our heritage and taking action to preserve it for future generations. The most crucial step in this process is to visualise Indian art in diverse interiors, so that it survives with adaptation in the modern times.
SCALE: How do you identify and select art forms and artists from across the country to promote and procure their artworks for Bridge Bharat?

Nirbhay Raj Soni, an artist, at work
Aakanksha: At Bridge Bharat, the process of identifying art forms across a country and sourcing artworks for promotion typically involves several interlinked steps. It begins with thorough research and documentation, where we delve into the diverse art forms found in various regions, documenting their history, cultural significance, and the current practitioners who keep these traditions alive. This research is followed by mapping artistic communities, identifying regions and clusters known for specific art forms, and gaining an understanding of the local dynamics, including traditional techniques and how these have evolved in contemporary contexts.
Engaging with local stakeholders is a crucial next step; this involves establishing communication with local artists, artsists, cultural organizations, and community leaders to gain insights into the challenges and aspirations of these communities. Once we have this understanding, we move to the evaluation and selection phase, where the quality, authenticity, and cultural relevance of the artworks are assessed. We carefully select those that align with our objectives of promoting diverse cultural heritage and artistic expression.

Anwar Chitrakar.
The selected artworks are then procured through fair and transparent processes that benefit the artists and artsists. Finally, we focus on promoting these artworks through various channels, such as exhibitions, cultural events, digital platforms, and collaborations with museums or galleries. Alongside this, Bridge Bharat also provide ongoing support for capacity building, offering opportunities for skill development, marketing, and networking to help sustain these artistic traditions.
SCALE: Can you elaborate on the conceptualisation, process, and meaning behind the paintings, with some examples?
Aakansha: Each collection we curate is a window into the rich, often unseen, world of Indian art. Let me elaborate on this through some examples:

Kangra Miniature painting as a part of the ‘Remnants’ collection by Mukesh Dhiman – 10×12 inches
Remnants: ‘Remnants’ captures fleeting moments of legacy art that risk fading away amidst modernity. The collection focuses on end-of-an-era artists whose crafts are slowly disappearing. Whether it’s the intricate Chamba Rumal from Himachal or the sacred Pichwai from Nathdwara, this collection preserves, celebrates, and commemorates art forms that represent not just frozen imagery but rituals, communities, and shared histories. It is a tribute to the enduring beauty of Indian traditional art, a glimpse into a world where art is a living connection to the past, captured in time for future generations.

“Lover’s Divine Unrest” Shines at India Design 2024 with an immersive journey with Master Artists Vakil and Soni
Lover’s Divine Unrest: ‘Lover’s Divine Unrest’ is a journey through the divine love portrayed in Indian art, as seen through the eyes of two master artists, Dinesh Soni and Padma Shri Lalita Vakil. This collection brings forth timeless depictions of Krishna, blending masculine and feminine devotion in the exquisite forms of Pichwai and Chamba Rumal. The artworks, created by these legacy artists, are mirrors of their dreamscapes, inviting us into a world where Krishna is both lover and beloved, the playful Govinda woven into the very fabric of devotion. This collection is an ode to Bhakti Rasa, showcasing the early works of these celebrated artists.
Ibtida: ‘Ibtida’ traces the ancient roots of Indian painting, exploring its evolution from temple murals to the illustrated manuscripts of the Sultanate courts. This collection delves into the pan-Indian style that shaped the regional schools of art over centuries. ‘Ibtida’ showcases the transformation of Indian painting, from being bound to text to becoming an independent art form. It celebrates the early stages of Indian painting, capturing the birth of a new age in Indian art, where traditional styles merged with imported influences, creating a unique artistic legacy.

A symphony of modern intertwined with the traditional
Dor: ‘Dor’ tells the stories of artists like Mastu Devi from Chamba, who has practiced the needle art of Chamba Rumal for over 35 years, and Kalyan Joshi from Bhilwara, who revived the 700-year-old Phad Chitra art. These are stories of perseverance, of artists keeping alive the visual tales of history, nature, music, and mythology that are deeply rooted in Indian culture. ‘Dor’ is a celebration of these visual stories, bringing back the tales we grew up with, the tales that are integral to our cultural heritage.

Traditional Pichwai Art by Dinesh Soni, 2.25 x 3.25 Ft., Natural Colors & Gold Pigments on Cotton Cloth, Unframed
Divinity: ‘Divinity’ explores the myriad forms of the Divine as depicted in Indian art. From the sacred tradition of painting Shrinathji in Nathdwara to the Vaghari tribe’s Mata ni Pachedi, this collection showcases the deep spiritual significance embedded in these art forms. These artworks go beyond mere visuals; they are integral to rituals, communal practices, and the reverence for the Divine that permeates Indian culture. ‘Divinity’ is a journey through the sacred, a collection that connects us to the spiritual heritage of the Indian subcontinent.
SCALE: What is the oldest artwork you’ve preserved, and which community does it belong to?
Aakanksha: We began our journey by focusing on more well-known art forms, but the true mission of Bridge Bharat has always been to preserve and spotlight the lesser-known, endangered art forms that might otherwise fade into obscurity. One such form that stands out is Assamese Manuscript art.

The Assamese Manuscript art
These intricate paintings, crafted on dried palm leaves, are found throughout the Northeast, not just in Assam. Each community offers its unique interpretation of this ancient art form, yet despite their historical significance and artistic brilliance, these works have remained largely unnoticed outside their native regions. This realization led us to connect with Sujit Das, a contemporary manuscript artist. Sujit dedicated nearly two and a half years to traveling with us across the North-East, meticulously documenting this stunning and fragile art form. His work has been instrumental in our efforts to preserve and share these masterpieces with a broader audience.
SCALE: Have you documented or preserved any vulnerable or endangered crafts?
Aakanksha: While Pichwai art is more widely recognized than many traditional Indian art forms, its rich diversity often goes unnoticed. Each region in Rajasthan—Nathdwara, Jaipur, Kishangarh, Udaipur, Jodhpur—has its unique take on Pichwai, rooted in local culture and history. Originally, Pichwai began as intricate miniatures, using natural pigments like indigo, not the large, elaborate pieces seen today.
Our work at Bridge Bharat has been to uncover these regional nuances, preserving and presenting them in their authentic forms. It’s been a privilege to shine a light on these subtleties, ensuring that each community’s contributions are recognized as the masterpieces they are, rather than being lost under the broad label of “Pichwai.”
SCALE: Can you elaborate on your latest initiative of creating Digital Passports for Indian art paintings?
Aakanksha: In India, art has evolved through centuries, from palatial murals to manuscript illustrations. As these traditional forms have flourished, tracing their authenticity has become increasingly complex. We tackled this challenge head-on with digital passports to preserve and verify the provenance of Indian artworks, which historically lack formal documentation.
Digital passports serve as comprehensive records, using blockchain technology to authenticate and track artworks. Each digital passport (in the form of a QR code) includes details such as the artist’s identity, the pigments used, and the artwork’s history through a digital ledger. This system combats forgery and ensures that buyers receive accurate, verifiable information. By documenting and verifying over 80 works, including Assamese manuscripts and Chamba Rumaal, we offer a transparent solution that enhances the value of these treasures across generations.
This process is the need of the hour as if the invoicing is not formalised, then it is difficult to get a certificate of authenticity, especially if it is sourced locally. Moreover, this is an excellent storytelling device.
SCALE: What do you see as the biggest challenge in the art preservation industry? Is there sufficient demand to match the vast supply that India’s rich heritage offers?

Bridge Bharat celebrates Indian art at Magnetic Fields Festival 2023
Aakanksha: India’s vibrant art scene faces significant challenges: limited market awareness, balancing tradition with innovation, and ensuring fair compensation for artists. The country’s diverse art forms often struggle with visibility, impacting demand and sustainability. Key issues include the need for greater education on India’s artistic heritage, modernizing traditional practices without dilution, and improving access for rural artsists. Fairtrade practices and global competition further complicate the landscape.
SCALE: How does India’s art ecosystem differ from those in the rest of the world, and is there a distinct mindset that influences this difference?
Aakanksha: India’s art ecosystem is distinctively shaped by its unique integration of art into daily life. Unlike many parts of the world where art is often confined to galleries or cultural events, Indian art is intertwined with daily rituals, festivals, and spiritual practices, reflecting a profound connection to community and tradition. The use of specific techniques and materials, such as gold foil in Tanjore paintings or natural colors in Pattachitra, underscores India’s unique artistic identity. This emphasis on preservation and communal identity contrasts with global practices where art may be viewed more through individual creativity or commercial value. In India, art is not only a means of aesthetic expression but also a vital aspect of cultural and spiritual life, influencing how it is created, appreciated, and valued.
SCALE: Where do you envision Bridge Bharat in the next decade, and what does the future hold for the organization?
Aakanksha: At Bridge Bharat, our guiding question has always been, “What will the next 100 years of Indian art look like?” We began by curating traditional paintings from top legacy artists but are now expanding into sculptures, wall installations, and diverse materials like terracotta and brass. We take it our responsibility to pave the way for the next 100 years through digital expression and adaptation to the changing trends of interior design and architecture. If we try to preserve the traditional without modernisation, it will cease to exist. Having said that, we are conscious of the boundaries in art and have a subtle and informed way to contemporarise it – respecting the original art.
All Images Courtesy Bridge Bharat