Meet & Greet

[Krishna]

Thank you, Sara! I’d love to take the lead. Hello everyone! I’m Krishna, a Research and Production Associate here at the MAP Academy. I share a passion for art, performance, and the diverse cultural histories of South Asia. I’ll be overseeing our discussions here in the forum, and I eagerly look forward to learning more about each of you – your interests, experiences with craft, and what aspects of this course thrills you the most.

[Shilpa]

Hi Krishna,This is Shilpa.I am interested in Heritage,and would love to attend the lectures.

[Krishna]

Hi Shilpa, welcome to our course community! We’re excited to have you here. Hope you enjoy the lecture recordings, and happy learning!

[Shrinidhi]

• Hi, I am Shrinidhi Sunder, a textile designer from NID, Ahmedabad. I have always fascinated and intrigued by the different flavours of the country, which makes me try out new recipes. I love to cook and bake. And so with the crafts. I belive that crafts are more that just a practise. It is an IDENTITY of a place and has alot to say in terms of its culture, geography, school of thought and much more.

[Krishna]

Hello Shrinidhi, we’re delighted to have you here. Thank you for enrolling in our lecture series. We hope you find it engaging and insightful. Happy learning!

[Megha]

Hello everyone!

I am Megha, a PhD student at Nottingham Trent University. My research revolves around exploring the immaterial relationships between textiles and nature. Craft, creativity, and the possibilities their stories embody have always been subjects close to my heart. As a co-founder of Again and Again Agency, I work with design and craft organisations and communities in the UK and India in the context of sustainability and well-being.

The series has been an enriching experience so far. I am particularly interested in the upcoming session – ‘Drawing, Collecting and Colonial Modernity in India’. I look forward to connecting with fellow craft enthusiasts! Feel free to reach out if you share similar interests.

[Krishna]

Hi Megha, thank you for sharing your interests and experiences with us, and welcome aboard! Hope you find what you’re looking for on craft and its connected histories. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback with us on this forum. Happy learning!

[Sana]

Hello everyone! I’m Sana from Karachi, currently working as a filmmaker with an academic background in History, pop culture and arts in medeival South Asia. I’m excited to start the course and know more about the topic w a focus on crafts, which isnt smth I’ve previously looked at. Feel free to shoot me a msg or discuss anything else

[Krishna]

Dear Sana, thank you for choosing our lecture series. We’re delighted to have you with us here. We trust that the lectures will add value to your knowledge. Hope you find them insightful and engaging!

[Priyanka]

I am Priyanka Baweja, a Design Educator and an artist from Jaipur, Rajasthan, INDIA…..presently I am doing PhD on “Thewa Craft”. My journey mostly covers the Gem and Jewellery area and I believe crafts hold stories, stir feelings, and display the distinct touch of human hands. Thank you for this wonderful initiative to discuss and learn about rich cultural heritage and appreciate the unique value of handmade creations in today’s increasingly digital world. Looking forward to hear from the experts.

[Krishna]

Welcome to our community, Priyanka! Thank you for sharing your contributions and insights on craft with us. We hope you find this course to be an enriching experience. Happy learning!

[Anoukshya]

Hello everyone, I am Anoukshya. I am doing my Masters in Photography Design at NID, Gandhinagar. I am from Odisha, India. I share a great interest on working with analogue Photography & processes. Currently I am planning on doing my Graduation Project which is related to craftmanship and folklore of Odisha. So far the sessions with Dr. Garimella is quite insightful and I am looking forward to learn more. Thankyou for this opportunity.

[Krishna]

Dear Anoukshya, we’re excited to have you with us. Thank you for sharing your interests with us. We hope that the lectures will be a valuable addition to your learning journey. Please feel free to share the course with your network.

[Karthikeyan]

In contrast to most of the students or artists who have introduced themselves before in this forum, I am a finance professional who is interested in Indian arts & philosophy. I enrolled in this course because of my understanding that craft is applied art & would like to know more. I have thoroughly enjoyed both the lectures & look forward to the rest of the course.

I would also like to bring to attention some of the adverse reactions against Crystal Palace, which Dr Annapurna may very well cover in the rest of the course. But here is a link about how the Palace was seen in Russian literature, both positively & negatively. All I knew about the Crystal Palace before this course was from Notes from the Underground by Dostoevsky.

https://sarahjyoung.com/site/2010/04/20/crystal-palace-russian-literature-1/

https://sarahjyoung.com/site/2010/04/22/the-crystal-palace-in-russian-literature-2/

[Krishna]

Welcome to the MAP Academy community, Karthikeyan! We’re thrilled to be a part of advancing your interest in Indian art. Thank you for generously sharing new resources with us. I’m sure our learners will find valuable insights in them.

[Shruti]

Namaste from Juhu, a coastal neighbourhood in bustling Bombay! I’m Shruti a jewellery designer, jeweller and amateur photographer. A quest for celebrating humanistic values and sustainable practices form the heart of my current projects. I look forward to deepening my awareness here with all of you and Dr Garimella

[Krishna]

Thank you for joining us, Shruti! It’s wonderful to have you with us and bring your unique perspective as a jewellery designer. We hope you find the lectures meaningful to your journey. In case you have any queries or thoughts that you wish to share with the community, feel free to use this space.

[Nandini]

Hi everyone – My name is Nandini Sampat and I am an architect based out of Mumbai. The work of our studio has involved collaborating with artists and crafts people from different parts of our country. Being a research based studio the historical context and understanding has always been of great interest and I am always looking to learn more from people working in the space. I also look forward to interacting with everyone in the group!,

[Krishna]

Delighted to have you with us here, Nandini! Thank you for choosing our course and for sharing your interests and experience in craft. We hope you find your journey with us enriching. Looking forward to hearing your feedback and takeaways from the course!

[Akhil]

Hi everyone, this is Akhil, from the coast of Kerala, working on Trade and Crafts of Coromandel coast at Centre for Historical Studies, JNU. I thoroughly enjoyed the introduction of Dr. Garimella, however missed the second lecture because of fieldwork and travelling. I am looking forward to hear more ideas and build a network to document the history of craft on the coast of Coromandel and in the South India and challenge the existing notions of it., to produce an account of knowledge. Hoping for more and more ideas!

[Krishna]

Hi Akhil, welcome aboard! We hope the sessions will add value and allow you to bring fresh perspectives to your own research. Feel free to share your thoughts and insights here on this thread. Thank you for choosing to be a part of our learning community!

[Rikimi]

Hello everyone! I am Rikimi Madhukaillya. I have completed my History of Arts graduation from Viswa bharati-Santiniketan, MA (Arts and Aesthetics) from JNU and PhD from Kurukshetra university. I have been writing & curating Arts as well as teaching History of Arts, Design and Architecture for almost 17 years now. Presently serving MIT ADT University as an Associate Professor.

[Krishna]

Hi Rikimi, thank you for choosing our course and welcome to the community. Hope the lectures add value to your knowledge. Happy learning!

[Shweta]

Hello all, I am Shweta Dehury a graduate in art history from University of Hyderabad, I did my dissertation in the craftsmanship of uniforms. I wish to broaden my field and indulge myself more to keep working on my research and I am very thankful for this course.

[Krishna]

Hello Shweta, your research are sounds fascinating. Thank you for sharing it with us and for choosing to be a part of this course. Feel free to leave your feedback and thoughts on this thread!

[Asiah]

Hi, this is Asiah from Karachi, Pakistan. I am a textile designer and an academic. I’m associated with the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture Karachi (https://www.indusvalley.edu.pk/home). All these lectures were extremely insightful. Thank you for making this wealth of knowledge accessible.

[Krishna]

Hello Asiah, welcome to our learning community! We’re glad you have been finding the courses informative. If you have any specific feedback or thoughts that you’d like to share, please feel free to write to us here. Happy learning!

[Nisha]

Hi, I’m Nisha, an architect based in Nepal. I was introduced to Indian craftsmanship during my internship in India. The firm worked closely with artisans to design metal and wood artefacts for home décor. Since then, I’ve been fascinated with the crafts. When I came across MAP’s course on the history of the Indian craft, I eagerly joined.

[Sayali]

Hello hello ! I’m Sayali, an architect from Pune. Always interested in doing hands-on work, I completed a woodworking course at AWTC, Bangalore, subsequently working with craftsmen from Saharanpur and prachinkari artisans to design upcycled teak furniture. Currently on a sabbatical, I’m completing my masters in World Heritage Studies from Cottbus, Germany. The course has been super interesting, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the lectures. Thank you everyone at mapacademy and Dr. Garimella for organising this series and sharing such valuable knowledge.