DW BUREAU / new delhi Curated to celebrate the diversity and inclusivity of Indian Art, 'The Art of India 2022' festival by The Times of India was inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel. Posited as the country's largest art showcase, it will be open for the public at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad till April 15. Taking forward the benchmark set in its inaugural edition, the festival will showcase the country, in its 75th year, in unequalled cultural finery. Furthermore, the festival will present India's art story in a panorama encompassing generations by recognizing grandees of the field, as well as upcoming artists. It will be a congregation of creations of more than 220 artists, muralists, visual communication artists, and sculptors. Spread over 75000 sq feet, the exhibition will showcase the first generation of progressives, the second generation of modernists, and today's shapers of movements. These include stalwarts like Rabindranath Tagore, MF Husain, Nandalal Bose, MV Dhurandar, F N Souza, Krishen Khanna, Sakti Burman, Jyoti Bhatt, Himmat Shah, Sujata Bajaj, Paresh Maity, Jayasri Burman and many more. The event began on April 11 with Meera Warrier welcoming the gathering with a brief introduction to the festival and also shed light on the efforts and commitment of every entity involved in making the festival a possibility. Speaking on the occasion, Bhupendrabhai Patel said: "Bringing India's esteemed artists and their works together under one unique platform at this beautiful initiative by the Times of India group is immensely credible. The festival presents our country's art notables whose works are inspired by India itself. It is one of the largest platforms of its kind. The show has works by more than 250 artists including the top names of the country. Some of them came together to work specifically for today's event. "Noted Art Collectors, sculptors, and galleries from across the country are participating and presenting the masterworks today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is constantly working to bring together all the Indian Artworks from across the world back to India and these artworks depict our rich culture and heritage. It is the state government's duty along with various organisations to preserve our rich heritage and culture." Talking about the curatorial vision for the art festival, Priya Adhyaru-Majithia, the curator said that in India, art is more than luxury and is a celebration that empowers our country and its people. "It is evolving, spreading its wings, and well on its way to achieving new heights. Making Indian art flourish and all the more popular, we look to celebrate the many diverse influences, styles, forms, practices, and traditions seen in the remarkable artwork made by legends. Now is the time where we must encourage art connoisseurs as well as today's generation to come and interact with the arts and expose themselves to this cultural and artistic diversity as much as possible." / IANS / (editor@dailyworld.in)