Hello Mumbai National Desk
On the occasion of World MSME Day 2026, Hello Mumbai News had the privilege of conducting an exclusive interview with IAS Nidhi Choudhari, Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA). In an insightful conversation with Editor-in-Chief Aleem Shaikh, the dynamic IAS officer shared her perspective on the vital role of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in shaping India’s economic and cultural future. She also highlighted how the NGMA is fostering creativity, promoting artisans and traditional crafts, and supporting the growth of MSMEs through art, innovation and cultural initiatives. Here is the full conversation.
Hello Mumbai News
World MSME Day highlights the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation. How do you see the role of art, culture and creative industries in strengthening India’s MSME ecosystem?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
Art, culture and creative industries are among the strongest pillars of India’s MSME ecosystem. A large number of artisans, weavers, craftspersons, folk artists, independent studios, galleries, designers, creative startups and cultural enterprises operate within the MSME space. They generate employment, preserve traditional knowledge, promote local identity and contribute significantly to India’s soft power.
In a country like India, creativity is not confined to galleries or museums. It exists in villages, workshops, handloom clusters, craft traditions, performing arts and, increasingly, on digital platforms. When this creativity is supported through training, branding, technology, market access and institutional partnerships, it can become a powerful engine of employment and entrepreneurship.
The creative economy also has a strong multiplier effect. It supports tourism, hospitality, retail, design, fashion, publishing, media and digital content. Therefore, strengthening creative MSMEs is not only about preserving culture, but also about building an inclusive, innovative and self-reliant economy.
In my own administrative journey, I have seen this very closely. In Raigad, especially in Pen tehsil, Ganpati sculpture-making is a major local creative economy. In Palghar, Warli art continues to thrive in Dahanu and Talasari. Institutions like NIFT Kharghar demonstrate how fashion, design and textile traditions can come together. I have also had the opportunity to work closely with TISSER, an artisans’ trust that promotes local artisans through sustainable fashion. These examples show how art, culture and enterprise can meaningfully strengthen the MSME ecosystem.
Hello Mumbai News
.The National Gallery of Modern Art preserves India’s artistic heritage. How can traditional artisans, craftsmen and creative MSMEs benefit from greater collaboration with NGMA?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
NGMA has an important role as a custodian of India’s modern and contemporary artistic heritage. While its primary mandate relates to modern art, we also recognise that modern Indian art has always drawn strength from India’s craft traditions, folk practices, regional aesthetics and indigenous knowledge systems.
At NGMA Mumbai, we have tried to build these connections through exhibitions, workshops and public programmes. In the past, NGMA has organised a major exhibition focused on Indian textiles. During my tenure, we celebrated National Handloom Day through a three-day event in collaboration with Khadi India and TISSER. We have also organised events for tribal artists in the auditorium. In children’s workshops, we regularly introduce indigenous art forms such as Madhubani, Gond, Cheriyal, Phad and Warli. We also partner with platforms such as the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, which promotes local arts and crafts.
Greater collaboration between NGMA and traditional artisans or creative MSMEs can create meaningful opportunities. Museums provide visibility, credibility and intellectual context to creative practices. Through exhibitions, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, curated displays, public programmes and educational outreach, institutions like NGMA can help artisans reach new audiences.
Such collaborations also encourage dialogue between artists, designers, scholars, students and craft communities. When traditional knowledge interacts with contemporary design and museum practices, it creates new possibilities without diluting authenticity. NGMA can act as a bridge between heritage and innovation, between the artisan and the urban audience, and between local practices and global conversations.
Hello Mumbai News
The Government of India is promoting the Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. What opportunities do these initiatives create for artists, designers and handicraft entrepreneurs?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
Vocal for Local, One District One Product, Stand-Up India and Atmanirbhar Bharat have created a renewed sense of pride in Indian products, Indian skills and Indian knowledge systems. For artists, designers and handicraft entrepreneurs, this is a very important moment.
These initiatives encourage people to value locally made products, handmade objects, traditional crafts, regional art forms and indigenous design. They open up opportunities for branding, innovation, cluster development, digital marketing, exports and cultural tourism. They also allow creative entrepreneurs to position Indian aesthetics in contemporary and globally relevant ways.
Handloom, handmade textiles, tribal art, folk painting, pottery, metal craft, woodwork, natural dyes, sustainable products and heritage-inspired design all have immense potential. The challenge is to connect tradition with quality, design innovation, storytelling, packaging and market access.
A recent example is the discussion around Kolhapuri chappals in international fashion. Even though it began as a controversy, it eventually brought wider attention to our indigenous artisans and traditional footwear. This shows that Indian craft has global appeal, provided it is presented with dignity, authenticity and proper recognition.
Hello Mumbai News
How can museums and cultural institutions contribute to creating sustainable livelihoods for artisans and creative entrepreneurs across India?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
Museums and cultural institutions can contribute by becoming active platforms for knowledge, visibility and engagement. They should not remain only spaces of display. They must also become spaces of dialogue, learning, collaboration and livelihood support.
This can happen in several ways. Museums can organise artisan-led workshops, craft demonstrations, curated exhibitions, museum shops, design collaborations, training programmes and public talks. They can also help create informed audiences who understand and value the labour, skill and cultural meaning behind handmade and artistic products.
Audience development is very important. When visitors understand the story behind a craft, the labour behind an artwork and the cultural context of a tradition, they are more likely to value it. For example, in one of our exhibitions titled *Shakti*, Chamba Rumal works were displayed, which generated meaningful interaction around their history, significance and revival. Similarly, Kashmiri handloom works carried stories that resonated deeply with visitors. In an exhibition on Jammu and Kashmir, photographs of Kashmiri artisans helped create dialogue around their craft. In another exhibition related to the Parsi Panchayat, Parsi handloom saris on display generated considerable public interest.
Museums can create this important connection between the maker and the viewer. This emotional and intellectual connection can eventually translate into sustainable demand, better recognition and stronger livelihoods for artisans and creative entrepreneurs.
Hello Mumbai News
What role can digital technology, online exhibitions and e-commerce platforms play in helping artists and creative MSMEs reach global markets?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
Digital technology has democratised access in a significant way. Earlier, artists and artisans were dependent largely on physical markets, exhibitions or intermediaries. Today, online platforms allow them to showcase their work directly to national and international audiences.
Online exhibitions, virtual galleries, social media, digital catalogues, storytelling videos, e-commerce platforms and digital payment systems can transform the reach of creative MSMEs. They can help small entrepreneurs overcome geographical limitations and connect with buyers, collectors, designers and institutions across the world.
The Government of India has also created important digital platforms. The ONDC platform allows MSMEs to access broader digital markets. Similarly, the GeM portal enables MSMEs to participate in government procurement. These platforms can be powerful tools for creative entrepreneurs if they are supported with awareness, training and handholding.
At the same time, technology must be used thoughtfully. Digital presence should be supported by good photography, authentic storytelling, transparent pricing, reliable logistics and protection of intellectual property. For cultural products, the story is as important as the product. Digital platforms can carry both the object and its cultural meaning to the world.
Hello Mumbai News
Women entrepreneurs are making remarkable contributions to the creative economy. What steps can be taken to further encourage women-led enterprises in the arts and cultural sector?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
Women have always been central to India’s creative traditions. In many communities, they are the bearers of textile traditions, embroidery, painting, weaving, pottery, folk songs, ritual arts and design practices. However, their contribution is often invisible or undervalued.
To encourage women-led enterprises, we need focused support in skill development, financial literacy, access to credit, branding, digital training, market linkage and mentorship. NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform is a useful initiative where women entrepreneurs can register and access support. State governments, including skill development and entrepreneurship departments, also regularly organise events and training programmes for women entrepreneurs. There are several financial schemes, subsidies and bank credit programmes that specifically target women-led enterprises.
Women artisans and creative entrepreneurs also require safe workspaces, childcare support, collective platforms and better recognition of their intellectual and artistic contribution. Institutional platforms can play a powerful role by showcasing women-led practices, organising exhibitions and workshops, documenting their work and connecting them with designers, buyers and younger audiences.
At NGMA Mumbai, we organised *Shakti*, an exhibition of women painters, sculptors and photographers in June 2024. Later, we organised *Nabha Sparsh*, which showcased the work of 150 women printmakers. In our ongoing exhibitions *Lens & Legacy* and *Marathi Chitrapat*, Neha Kamat from Kamat Photo Studio is one of the key participants. We are also planning a dedicated photography exhibition of women photographers in August 2026.
At a very personal level, I make efforts to visit female artists shows to support and encourage them irrespective of my hectic schedules. Because women’s creativity is recognised and celebrated, it strengthens families, communities and the larger economy.
Hello Mumbai News
Young artists and creative startups often face challenges in funding and market access. What advice would you offer aspiring entrepreneurs in this field?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
My advice to young artists and creative entrepreneurs would be to combine passion with discipline. Creativity is important, but it must be supported by professionalism, consistency and clarity of purpose.
They should understand their own artistic language, but they must also study the market. They should document their work well, build a strong portfolio, use digital platforms effectively, understand pricing, protect their intellectual property and learn the basics of financial management. Collaboration is also very important. Artists, designers, technologists, curators, galleries and entrepreneurs can create powerful models together.
I would also advise them not to lose authenticity in the race for visibility. Trends keep changing, but sincere and original work has long-term value. India has a deep reservoir of stories, forms, materials and traditions. Young entrepreneurs should draw from this richness while speaking in a contemporary language.
Creative enterprise must be rooted in both imagination and responsibility. Success comes when artistic integrity, professional discipline and public engagement come together.
Hello Mumbai News
How is NGMA working to engage with educational institutions, startups and creative innovators to promote India’s cultural economy?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
At NGMA Mumbai, we are trying to make the museum more interactive, accessible and participatory. We regularly engage with schools, colleges, ITIs, art institutions, cultural organisations, creative professionals and young audiences through guided walks, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, film screenings, panel discussions and artist-led sessions.
We are also exploring the meaningful use of technology. In recent exhibitions, we have used QR-based digital interpretation, immersive displays, projections and virtual exhibition formats so that visitors can experience artworks in a more engaging manner. These initiatives help young people connect with art not as something distant, but as something living, relevant and contemporary.
Our effort is to position NGMA not only as a museum of collections, but also as a cultural hub where students, artists, scholars, designers, innovators and the public can come together. Such engagement contributes directly to India’s cultural economy by inspiring creativity, awareness, research and future entrepreneurship.
Museums must become spaces where young minds do not merely observe art, but also engage with it, question it, learn from it and create new possibilities from it.
Hello Mumbai News
In your view, how can stronger partnerships between government, industry, cultural institutions and MSMEs accelerate India’s vision of becoming a global creative powerhouse?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
India has all the ingredients required to become a global creative powerhouse. We have heritage, diversity, craftsmanship, young talent, digital capacity, entrepreneurial energy and a large domestic market. What we need is stronger convergence.
Government can provide policy support, infrastructure, schemes and institutional platforms. Industry can bring investment, design inputs, marketing, logistics and global networks. Cultural institutions can provide credibility, research, curation and public engagement. MSMEs can bring creativity, skill, local knowledge and production capacity.
When these four forces come together, the result can be transformative. We can build creative clusters, design-led enterprises, museum-linked products, cultural tourism circuits, global exhibitions, export-ready crafts and strong digital platforms. Such partnerships can create jobs, preserve heritage and strengthen India’s global cultural presence.
India’s creative future will depend not only on individual talent, but also on collaborative ecosystems. Government, industry, museums and MSMEs must work together to take Indian creativity from local communities to global platforms.
Hello Mumbai News
Director of the National Gallery of Modern Art, what are your key priorities for promoting Indian art and supporting the country’s creative ecosystem in the coming years?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
My key priority is to make NGMA Mumbai a vibrant, inclusive and intellectually engaging cultural space. A museum must preserve the past, respond to the present and inspire the future.
We are focusing on high-quality exhibitions, stronger public programming, educational outreach, improved visitor experience, digitisation, accessibility and institutional collaborations. We want more students, young artists, families, researchers, tourists and general audiences to feel connected with the museum.
Another priority is to bring Indian modern and contemporary art into wider public conversation. Art should not remain confined to a small circle. It must become part of public life, education, cultural tourism and the creative economy.
By creating meaningful exhibitions, interactive experiences and partnerships, NGMA can contribute to the larger ecosystem of artists, scholars, designers, artisans and creative entrepreneurs. Our aim is to make the museum a living cultural institution, one that protects heritage while also encouraging innovation, participation and new creative thinking.
Hello Mumbai News
How can India’s rich artistic heritage be transformed into economic opportunities while preserving authenticity and cultural values?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
The key is to create economic value without reducing culture to a commodity. India’s artistic heritage carries memory, identity, philosophy, community knowledge and spiritual depth. Any economic opportunity must respect this foundation.
If we could truly assign value to cultural wealth, India would already be an economic superpower. But culture cannot be reduced merely to numbers. It carries a sacred human value that goes beyond geographical boundaries and belongs to the entire humanity. This belief is deeply connected with the Indian idea of *Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam* and remains central to cultural governance in India.
This balance can be achieved through ethical collaborations, proper documentation, fair compensation, geographical identity, intellectual property protection, skill transmission and community participation. Designers and entrepreneurs must work with artisans, not merely use them as suppliers. The artisan’s name, story and knowledge must be acknowledged.
At the same time, heritage must not be frozen. Traditions survive when they adapt. Contemporary design, technology, new materials and global markets can strengthen traditional practices, provided the core values remain intact. Authenticity and innovation are not opposites. When handled sensitively, they can support each other beautifully.
Hello Mumbai News
. Finally, What is your message to India’s MSMEs, artisans, creative entrepreneurs and young innovators on the occasion of World MSME Day 2026?
Nidhi Chaudhari NAGMA Director
My message to India’s MSMEs, artisans, creative entrepreneurs and young innovators is that you are not merely producers of goods or services. You are carriers of India’s imagination, identity and future.
Every handmade object, every artwork, every design and every creative enterprise tells a story of skill, resilience and innovation. In your hands lies the strength of local economies and the beauty of India’s cultural diversity. The world is looking at India with renewed interest, and this is the time to bring our creativity to the global stage with confidence.
Stay rooted, but do not be afraid to innovate. Preserve your authenticity, but embrace technology. Respect tradition, but speak to the future. India’s creative economy will grow when its artists, artisans, entrepreneurs, institutions and citizens move forward together with pride, purpose and imagination.
