“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” ― Albert Einstein
BW Businessworld, India’s leading business fortnightly for over four decades, put the spotlight on the dynamically growing Indian contemporary art market with the inaugural edition of Masterpiece 40 Under 40 and Art Excellence Conference & Awards 2025.
The day-long conference celebrated visionaries, innovators, and pathbreakers shaping India’s dynamic art landscape. Experts shared insights on trends shaping the robust growth of the market over the last few years. The day closed with the much-anticipated 40 under 40 & Art Excellence Awards. The conference curated by Jyotsna Sharma, Sr. Associate Editor, BW Businessworld was held on February 9 at Watercrest in New Delhi.
Speakers at the conference included, Kumarmanglam Vijay, Senior Partner & Head of Practice, Direct Tax, JSA Advocates & Solicitors. Siddhartha Das, Designer, Curator, Visual Artist & Educator, Founder, Siddhartha Das Studio. Ayesha Seth, Artist. Arjun Butani, Young Collector, Partner, BMR Legal & Gallery Director, Pristine Contemporary. Harpreet Narula, Co-founder & Creative Director, Rimple & Harpreet. Shalini Passi, Artist, Art Collector & Philanthropist, Founder SPAF & MASH. Amrita Guha, Founding Partner, Untitled Design. Founding Partner, Furgonomics. Akshat Bhatt, Principal Architect, Architecture Discipline. Vineeta Singhania Sharma, Founder Partner & Principal Architect, Confluence . Samyukta Madhu, Artist. Anubha Laroiya Aneja, Co-Founder, HomeGaatha. Milan Chokshi, Chairman, Gem & Jewellery Skill Council of India. V. Sunil, Designer Thinker, Brand Architect. Co-founder, Motherland. Founding Trustee Kochi Biennale Foundation. Vasundhara Tewari Broota, Artist. Dr. Alka Pande, Curator, Author & Art Historian. Reena Lath, Founder, Director, Akar Prakar. Renu Modi, Founder & Director, Gallery Espace. Uday Jain, Director, Dhoomimal Gallery . Dinesh Vazirani, CEO & Co-founder, Saffronart and Co-founder, Art Mumbai. There was also a special address by Jury Chair, Masterpiece 40 under 40 & Art Excellence Awards 2025, Kiran Nadar, Founder & Chairperson, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.
“The awards are a way to acknowledge and support young achievers from the world of Indian art. At BW Businessworld, we take great pride in showcasing young talent across sectors. I firmly believe that Masterpiece will be a platform synonymous with the best of the best in the world of Indian contemporary art,” said, Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld.
The Awards
After a rigorous jury process, winners were chosen based on technique, composition, creativity, and ability to elicit emotion through their work. The jury members included, (Jury Chair) Kiran Nadar, Founder & Chairperson, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art. Prof Pradyumna Vyas, President - elect, World Design Organization (WDO) & Former Director, National Institute of Design. V Sunil, Design Thinker, Brand Architect. Co-Founder, Motherland Joint Ventures, Founding Trustee, Kochi Biennale Foundation – India. Arjun Sawhney, Managing Director, The Communication Council & Green Goose Design. Pier Paolo Peruccio, Architect, Author, Professor of Design, Politecnico di Torino, Italy. Board Member, World Design Organization (WDO). Pooja Irana, Artist. David Abraham, Abraham & Thakore. Rakesh Thakore, Abraham & Thakore
Winners
BW Masterpiece 40 Under 40
Award
Name
Categories
Gold
Debashish Paul
Artist
Silver
Arpita Akhanda
Artist
Special Mention
Harsha Durugadda
Sculptor
Debashish Paul works across performance, sculptural costumes, and multimedia art to navigate the intricate layers of identity, emotion, and desire. “For the past five years, Varanasi has profoundly shaped my work. The Ganga River, rituals, and bustling life along the ghats serve as an enduring source of inspiration, where my performances bridge the sacred and the every day.” said the artist.
Arpita Akhanda works across diverse mediums, such as paper weaving, photography, performance, installations, drawings, and video. “Born into a family shaped by the trauma of displacement during the Partition of India in 1947, my artistic practice explores the complex relationship between present experiences and inherited pasts. I engage with intergenerational memories, family archives, and the search for belonging to navigate this intricate landscape”, said Akhanda.
Harsha Durugadda is a contemporary artist who works with sculpture and performance. “As an emerging sculptor, I find inspiration in the natural world, sustainability, and societal issues. My sculptures are crafted from sustainable materials like reclaimed wood and recycled metals, celebrating imperfection and organic forms”, said Durugadda.
BW Art Excellence
Award
Name
Categories
Gold
Anindita Bhattacharya
Artist
Silver
Rahul Kumar
Artist
Bronze
Ruchi Bakshi Sharma
Artist
Anindita Bhattacharya’s practice has been influenced by the linguistic tropes of Mughal and Persian miniatures. “My practice intricately weaves a captivating tapestry that beckons viewers to traverse millennia of art history interlaced with diverse cultural and traditional influences. My oeuvre embodies paradoxical content that transcends boundaries and challenges conventional norms”, said the artist.
An artist, journalist, and curator, Rahul Kumar uses clay as a medium to explore and express deep personal emotions. “My large-scale installations were in the first Indian Ceramic Triennale and at The Sculpture Park at Nahargarh Fort (Jaipur) curated by Peter Nagy. A selection of my work was auctioned by Sotheby’s London in 2012, and collaborative work with Raqs-Media Collective was included in their solo exhibition at NGMA, Delhi”, said Kumar.
Ruchi Bakshi Sharma is a filmmaker, artist and toymaker. She works with multiple mediums - Lenticulars, paper and video assemblages inside shadow boxes, optical and animating toys, puzzles and handmade zines. “More recently, I have been interested in making interactive ritual objects. I am inspired by folklore, totems, mystical diagrams and timeless stories that have shaped human identity and experience across millennia. Play and motion are dominant elements in my work”, said Sharma.
Performances: Bharatanatyam Dance by Arupa Lahiry and a Kathak Dance by Deepti Gupta presented by Sangeet Shyamala
Exhibitors: Mangrove Collective, Abraham & Thakore, Siddhartha Das Studio, Furgonomics by Untitled Design
