Instead of showcasing the Incredible India, our museums display what is wrong with our culture of governance. Proper planning coupled with some funding can help us (and the world) connect with the country’s true heritage

With countless mu­seums, heritage sites and immea­surably immense resources, some on the brink of being lost, there is a tremendous opportunity to raise the bar, train and educate a new generation of cultural resource profes­sionals to lead the change in transform­ing the way we appreciate, preserve and present our heritage. India’s soft-power, in effect, is woven into this fabric and is in need of a radical shift in the way our cultural resources are governed.

It is estimated that there are over 750 registered museums in India (including 131 under the central government out of which about 33 are autonomous organi­sations, 238 under state control, 70 pri­vate, 86 with universities, 10 with munic­ipalities and 80 with trusts and societies) and several other private and corporate institutions performing similar func­tions. Out of the 911 World Heritage Sites listed by UNESCO, India is home to 28. In the zealousness to chase the mirage of becoming an economic powerhouse, we are ignoring our most precious asset: our culture that defines us. Museums are col­lective souls of civil societies that give us a sense of place, a sense of history that gives us the strength to lead our aspira­tions into the future.

The 2011-12 budget for the ministry of culture is a mere Rs 1,338 crore out of which a paltry Rs 135 crore or so is set aside for all the museums (excluding sci­ence museums) across the country that includes the National Museum absorb­ing nearly Rs19 crore of this sum. With a total of about Rs 90 crore spent towards planned overheads and payroll, the re­maining resources are woefully inad­equate to even begin to think of basic improvements and upkeep of crumbling facilities and premises, let alone their staggering priceless collections.

However, fiscal resources are only part of the problem. A bigger concern is hu­man resources. India needs a world-class museum-studies based training institute for excellence and much-needed cul­tural awareness for the people manag­ing and leading its cultural resources. It is evident from the poor state of its na­tional and state-run museums flounder­ing for budget and vision at many levels. Adequate awareness of best practices and international museum standards is needed for the bureaucracy that is often entrusted with caretaking as well as for those young professionals who will be the future cultural ambassadors to In­dia’s heritage within India and overseas. The approach to both levels of training programmes, will address the growing need for effective management and lead­ership while leveraging cultural resourc­es for diverse audiences and overcoming the challenges of addressing contempo­rary stakeholders through old methods and traditional practices.

As India lacks a comprehensive mu­seum policy that addresses the changing needs of a globalised workforce and has an indigenous population-base that is in­creasingly looking beyond the material measures of success, the time has come to create a think tank. With the prime minister finally appointing a minister of culture late last year after holding on to the portfolio for many years, the cen­tral and state governments need to now precipitate a nexus between corpora­tions and individual resources to trigger a workable strategy for a 2020 vision in line with the best in the world.

It is essential to recognise the issues at hand and engage in introspective thought to chart a constructive way for­ward on a multitude of fronts. It is equal­ly important to be aware of the immense opportunity that the current state of af­fairs presents – to reinvent, reach out and bring about a renaissance within India’s cultural institutions and museums that will transform the way we learn, un­derstand and present our living heritage in times to come.

A five-pronged approach may perhaps be a good starting point to drive the re­surgence and revival of our cultural in­stitutions (see box). These initiatives will provide the necessary platform for spawning cultural communication, edu­cation, outreach and research.

There is a growing need, now more than ever, to address the needs of muse­ums and their diametrical congruence with tourism, economic, regional devel­opment coupled with foresight and lead­ership to truly capture the spirit of “In­credible India!”

Noveau museums, art galleries and similar destinations of non-formal learn­ing, experimentation and visual reposi­tories of lifestyle, are vehicles of econom­ic regeneration and inspiration in civil societies. Often leisure destinations with interesting contemporary twists attracts not only tourists, but other investment in allied sectors and industry keen on offer­ing the quality of life that the ambience offers. Apart from generating direct reve­nues, employment, e-commerce, tourism and restaurant investments, real estate, retail and rentals, museums serve as cul­tural ambassadors for political, strategic and a range of community benefits.

A working formula that offers a com­bination of tax incentives and targeted philanthropic edge at regional and na­tional levels, can aid India harness a sig­nificant portion of its national taxable in­come towards a higher societal purpose. Imagine what a fraction of the current Indian GDP can unleash! Such an invest­ment in the non-profit sector of contem­porary museums has the potential for strengthening our social fabric and trig­gering the need for infrastructural de­velopment, offering new destinations for both Indian and foreign tourists looking beyond the ancient bastions of heritage.

While it is true that India is a young nation, the museums hardly offer any content that resonates with this miss­ing swathe of our teens and youth. The cultural landscape provides signifi­cant investment opportunities in capi­tal improvement and new projects that could have tremendous public interest and support. Untapped subject fields of fashion, design, music, cinema, health awareness, culinary arts et al can all be transformed into rich museum exhibit experiences with travelling avatars in circulation at international venues. Ex­amples of such initiatives with invest­ment opportunities, urban planning, community revitalisation and economet­rics of success abound in various parts of the globe.

The dapper doyen of urban chic, Ber­nard Arnault, who runs the $39 billion empire of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy recently extended his brand of ‘time­less modernity’ commissioning architect Frank Gehry known most for the ‘Bil­bao-effect’, to float a cloud-like museum experience designed to inspire dreams. Aptly christened the Louis Vuitton Foun­dation for Creation, this stunning con­temporary museum in the green heart of Paris will house his corporate collection against the backdrop of the ne plus ultra world of French fashion, when it unveils itself in 2012. In a world significantly influenced by the brand vocabulary of Fendi, Donna Karan, Emilio Pucci, Given­chy and Dior, the $127 million muse­um is an expression of a living tradition spawned by the great artiste of haute couture Arnault who employs 76,000 creative ambassadors worldwide! Mean­while, his rival Francois Pinault who drives the Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent flagships of fashion is commissioning a $195 million contemporary museum at Palazzo Grassi in Venice to house his modern art collection.

From the Cologne Chocolate Museum that celebrates the palette, the Mercedes- Benz Museum that celebrates engineer­ing excellence, the Newseum focused on the production, broadcast and eth­ics of news media, the International Spy Museum that explores the clandestine world of espionage, Museum of the Mob in Las Vegas that exposes the underbel­ly of the mafia and organised crime be­hind the greatest gambling destination in the world, to the Museum of Music at Bethelwoods that relives the epic musi­cal immersion of Woodstock, countless museums of contemporary culture en­gage audiences in immensely popular narrative increasingly relevant to pres­ent times.

Where is the Indian museum of the eternal evocative Sari, the ultimate un­stitched fashion statement blended into the sheer functionality of this universal garment worn by millions? Where does one go as a tourist or a local resident to learn about Indian cuisine and spices that has impacted culinary traditions around the world? Where is the living museum of Indian dance and theatre? Literature and poetry? Hall of Fame for our sportsmen and scientists? Where is our memorial museum to honour those who lost their lives in Kargil defend­ing our borders upholding our national pride? There are countless contempo­rary events awaiting a spatial, experi­ential narrative that dispels the con­ventional notion of museums and their relevance to our present day lives, from the celebratory to the serious.

With more Indians travelling abroad and visiting cultural institutions, there is an increasing appreciation for qual­ity facilities and programmes. This is an encouraging trend which could catalyse public interest in applying standards of cleanliness, care, creativity and charac­ter towards the betterment of our cul­tural institutions. Globalisation is be­ginning to affect cross-cultural dialogue at many levels and their impact on the future of museums is yet to be fully dis­cerned. The catalytic coordination of professional resources and implemen­tation dynamics is expanding possibili­ties of reach and outreach resulting in remarkable optimisation of financial and intellectual resources. Intercultural dialogue is changing the way architects and museum designers are approaching the visual manifestation of modern mu­seums with increasing emphasis on the subtle aesthetic laced with fresh think­ing that resonates with contemporary society.

Museum designers from different con­tinents are cross-pollinating their cre­ative rigours on to the creation of na­tional museums obtuse to their own cultural backgrounds. Not only has the last decade seen an increased blurring of the local vernacular and national identities, it has experienced an unprec­edented fluidity of resources that has re­shaped the manifestation of culture and heritage. From conventional leanings of curatorial practices to the frayed edges of neo-economic colonialism, museums face a plethora of challenges as they seek relevance while engaging diverse audi­ences. The seamless integration of com­munication between museum clients, architects, designers, curators, museum educators, fund-raisers, board members, trustees and potential donors, is already generating a transformational impact in the ways museums are being conceived, funded and built.

This change in governance could hap­pen in a finite, time-bound manner in the near foreseeable future, if there is a will. It is a matter of changing our mind-set that could set off a sustained chain reaction for the better.

If there was ever a solution to trans­forming India truly from inside out, it lies in awakening the kundalini of its heritage – the unturned key to creat­ing cultural capital with museums. It is an industry like no other beyond the oft perceived in the myopic inflow of tour­ism dollars and increased footfall related revenues. Its impact transcends the very perception of India – the land, the people and those who visit to be transformed or transfixed irreversibly.