While shopping for furniture in Delhi in 1999, an art-loving couple happened to meet Amol Vadhera from whom they bought two works by MF Husain. This is where the seeds of one of the most fabulous collections of Indian art were sown...
A first-generation entrepreneur, Rajiv Savara along with his wife Roohi, has compiled a museum-worthy selection of works from the late-19th and mid-20th centuries onward. The Roohi & Rajiv Savara Family Collection is appreciated for its focus on artists who the collector couple believes will, ‘five decades hence, define pre-Modern and Modern art of India.’
The comprehensive collection is an outcome of their insight, erudition and instinct to collect finest of artworks. It comprises historically significant and rare works, including a large private portfolio of exquisite Raja Ravi Varma paintings and the Tagore family (Rabindranath, Gaganendranath and Abanindranath) works. The Savaras’ admiration for artists like VS Gaitonde, FN Souza, SH Raza, Ram Kumar and Akbar Padamsee reflects in their selective acquisitions. Applauding their effort, a curator of Indian & Himalayan art at the Philadelphia Museum, Dr. Darielle Mason, has stated:
“The collection tells the story of Indian Modernism on a level not yet presented, and is be able to communicate the originality and vitality of it to a global audience because of the quality of each work.”
The Savaras’ approach since then has been driven by a belief that works of select great artists suffice to reflect the Modern Indian culture in its entirety. The duo seeks inspiration from art patrons in the west like Duncan Phillips, Mellon and Samuel Guggenheim. Elaborating on his philosophy, Mr. Savara has stated: “Private enterprise created some incredible institutions in America. That is what required here too!”
His belief that the collection actually belongs to the people of India sums up his vision as a collector.
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