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While she is an expert on the life and work of Raja Ravi Varma, Rupika Chawla is also extremely well versed with other forms of Indian art and artists. Her soon to be released book on the art in the Ajanta Caves will be testament to that fact. We speak to this prolific author and scholar on what she found fascinating about the Ajanta Caves and try and gather more information from her on the focus area of her book.

Raja Ravi Varma & His Contemporary Artists Rupika Chawla is an expert on the art of Raja Ravi Varma. She has written the most comprehensive volume on his life and his work titled 'Raja Ravi Varma: Painter of Colonial India'. She is also one of India's finest conservators and restoration specialists. Her forte includes restoring the works of Raja Ravi Varma and other classic paintings done on canvas, board and paper.  Her knowledge on Ravi Varma, his style, technique, subjects and life is incomparable for she has more than two decades worth of research on the artist to her credit. 

In this episode we speak to Aditya Sindhi, senior advocate Karnataka High Court and Supreme Court of India, on copyright laws around art. Mr Sondhi is also an art enthusiast and loves to spend his time learning more about new art and artists.

Dr. Caleb Simmons specializes in religion in South Asia, especially Hinduism. His research specialties span religion and state-formation in medieval and colonial India to contemporary transnational aspects of Hinduism. His book Devotional Sovereignty: Kingship and Religion in India (Oxford University Press, 2020), examines how the late early modern/early colonial court of Mysore reenvisioned notions of kingship, territory, and religion, especially its articulations through devotion. He teaches courses on Hinduism, Indian religions, and method and theory of Religious Studies at the University of Arizona. Dr Simmons has also published several other books and papers and is an expert on Mysore, its history and culture. 

Prolific author and historian Manu S. Pillai releases his fourth book in five years, 'False Allies: India's Maharaja's in the age of Ravi Varma'. After having closely examined his growth and success over the years, Sandeep & Gitanjali Maini Foundation was delighted to give the author a research grant for this new book. We speak to him about this new twist that he has given an often jaded narrative, his favourite Ravi Varma painting and what his plans are for his next book. 

She’s dabbled in it all - art, food, wine, fashion, travel, culture, spirituality and writing.  Shoba Narayan wears many hats, but what she’s known for most are her eclectic written works - more specifically non-fiction memoirs. Her varied experiences reflect brilliantly in the words she pens, her thoughts are deep, yet easy to grasp.  Shoba Narayan is the author of five books. She has been a journalist and columnist for 30 years, writing for national and international publications. She has won a James Beard Award and a Pulitzer Fellowship. She has taught and lectured at universities in India and abroad. She is interested in Indian aesthetics– and has researched its influence on jewellery, music, textiles and scents. She is a birdwatcher, wine-drinker and gadget geek.  Her lifelong mission is to get fit without exercising and lose weight without dieting.

In this episode of the Expert Hour we address some specific questions on Dr. Girija Kaimal's practices. All questions have been sent in by listeners.  Dr. Girija Kaimal is an Associate Professor in the PhD Program in Creative Arts Therapies at the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions and Assistant Dean for Special Research Initiatives. In her Health, Arts, Learning and Evaluation (HALE) research lab,  she examines physiological and psychological outcomes of creative visual self-expression. Girija currently leads studies examining arts-based approaches to health among cancer caregivers, active duty military service members and veterans 

Dr. Girija Kaimal is an Associate Professor in the PhD Program in Creative Arts Therapies at the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions and Assistant Dean for Special Research Initiatives. In her Health, Arts, Learning and Evaluation (HALE) research lab,  she examines physiological and psychological outcomes of creative visual self-expression. Girija currently leads studies examining arts-based approaches to health among cancer caregivers, active duty military service members and veterans  In this episode of the Expert Hour we introduce Dr Girija Kaimal, who leads studies examining arts-based approaches to health among cancer caregivers, active duty military service members and veterans.

Shobha Tharoor Srinivasan is a children’s author, poet, translator, editor, and voice-over talent. She is also a former non-profit development professional who spent two decades as an advocate and fundraiser for persons with disabilities. She has published children’s books in India and the United States, including A Pie Surprise and Other Stories, the award-winning Indi-Alphabet (, and How Many Lines in a Limerick. Her newest book that hit the stands in April 2021 is called Prince with a Paintbrush: The Story of Raja Ravi Varma.

How many of you know and understand the significance of the story of the 'Churning Of The Ocean of Milk' and how many of you know that the temple complex of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, displays a spectacular 49 meters of intricately sculpted bas-reliefs that are part of a larger ensemble of scenes from the Battle of Kuruksetra, the Ramayana, the 37 Heavens and the 32 Hells.  Professor Vasudha Narayanan from the Department of Religion, University of Florida, is an expert on Hindu Traditions: Iconography in Temples in Cambodia. She explains the significance of this iconic bas-relief work based on Indian and Khmer culture.

Having authored several popular books on jewellery, including ‘Treasures of the Deccan: Jewels of the Nizams’ and ‘Dance of The Peacock: Jewellery Traditions of India’, Dr Usha Balakrishnan is also the Chief Curator of the World Diamond Museum.  Sandeep & Gitanjali Maini Foundation has engaged with Dr Balakrishnan several times over. She has been a speaker for events conducted by Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation and is also a well wisher of the institution.

Deepanjana Pal an author and a journalist who writes about culture and society, and is particularly interested in art, literature and cinema. Her biography of Raja Ravi Varma, titled The Painter: A Life of Ravi Varma, was listed among the best non-fiction books of the year, when it was published in 2009. She is also the author of the crime thriller, Hush A Bye Baby, and two books of children's fiction. She speaks about Fiction and Roles it Plays in a Society - the things we imagine, the ideas we preserve through stories, the way stories are reshaped through retellings and how things make stories cultural artefacts.