Observer Research Foundation Mumbai

Ideas and Action for a Better India

A Culture & Arts Policy

For MahaMumbai (Mumbai Metropolitan Region)
(A region that is nearly ten times the size of the island city,
and is almost a state within a state with a population of 20 million)

Development of Culture.
Culture for Development.

Say No to Marathi Mumbai versus

Cosmopolitan Mumbai.
Say Yes to Marathi Mumbai,
Cosmopolitan Mumbai!
Mumbai for all.
All for Mumbai.

Index
INTRODUCTION
Why culture and arts matter in national development..................................................................................................... 1
Cultural and artistic wealth is superior to material wealth .............................................................................................2
Culture as a post-2015 goal in UNs sustainable development agenda: Why Mumbai must take the lead..............3
Religion: a source of culture and a powerful support to sustainable development......................................................4
Cosmopolitanism is the DNA of Mumbais culture and identity ....................................................................................5
Marathi Mumbai vs Cosmopolitan Mumbai: Need to bury this hurtful debate ...........................................................8
Mumbai: A city that is losing its sheen due to authorities indifference to art and culture..........................................8
Mumbai is fast emerging as MahaMumbai: Holistic planning needed for the MMR..................................................10

GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF THE CULTURE POLICY FOR MAHAMUMBAI....................................................11

COMPONENTS OF THE CULTURE POLICY FOR MMR .......................................................................................13
Expansion/ modernisation of cultural infrastructure and facilities................................................................................14
Open and green spaces, streets, beaches, forts, precincts, etc...........................................................................................16
Projection of the cultural heritage of Maharashtra in Mumbai........................................................................................18
Promotion of languages ...............................................................................................................................................18
Culture for national integration ..................................................................................................................................19
Culture for global understanding ...............................................................................................................................19
Memory institutions: Museums, libraries and archives.....................................................................................................20
Festival culture.........................................................................................................................................................................23
Arts and culture in public spaces..........................................................................................................................................23
Arts and culture at work places.............................................................................................................................................24
Cultural sensitisation of law enforcement and municipal officials.................................................................................24
Technology for the promotion of arts and culture.............................................................................................................25
Housing for artists, cultural and literary personalities.....................................................................................................25
Culture for peace, social harmony and riot-free Mumbai-MMR.....................................................................................25
Women and Culture................................................................................................................................................................26
Children and Culture..............................................................................................................................................................26
Promotion of culture to boost the economy and employment generation.....................................................................27
Promotion of culture and arts in slums................................................................................................................................30
Funding/Taxation...................................................................................................................................................................31
Capacity and competency building......................................................................................................................................31
Education in arts and culture ......................................................................................................................................32
Promotion of Bollywood .............................................................................................................................................33
Arts, culture and religion for sustainable development ............................................................................................33

ANNEXURE 1: CITIES THAT LEAD BY EXAMPLE .................................................................................................35

ANNEXURE 2: MUMBAI AND ITS SISTER CITIES ................................................................................................51

A Vision and a Plan for the Central/State Governments

and Municipal Corporations in MMR

To make MahaMumbai one of the most liveable cities in the world

by improving the quality of life, especially housing and transportation,
for all and by investing culture as capital for inclusive and sustainable
development;
To fulfil the life-enriching cultural needs of every community and every citizen by increasing the cultural vibrancy, in all its diversity, in
every part of MMR;
To retain the spirit of Mumbai as a cosmopolitan city, a proud contributor to Indias national integration;
To harness the power of culture as a vital asset to promote peace,
harmony and a shared sense of pride and belonging to the city;
To put MahaMumbai on the global map of culture and arts.

Introduction
Why culture and arts matter in national development
The Indian Constitution mandates that the State shall endeavour to provide for its citizens a decent
standard of life and full enjoyment of leisure, social and cultural opportunities.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who was Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, recognised
culture to be the main determinant of Indias fundamental unity, her national identity as well as her
civilisational continuity. In 1941 he wrote:
India is a single geographic unity. Her unity is as ancient as Nature. Within this geographic unit, and covering the whole of it,
there has been a cultural unity from time immemorial. This cultural
unity has defied political and racial divisions.
Sane Guruji, a widely respected Marathi author, teacher and freedom fighter, has described the
meaning of culture most perceptively.

(Indian culture means compassion. Indian culture means diversity

and expansiveness. Indian culture means experiments with truth.
Indian culture means taking stock of extant knowledge and marching forward. Indian culture blossoms by accepting all that is beautiful, divine and truthful from all over the world.)
The same noble thought has been expressed in a poem by Kusumagraj, a revered Marathi poet,
playwright and novelist,

(Love is the essence of human culture. It is the outcome of all human

history. And it is the only hope for human renaissance in the future.)
Sadly, culture, which has given India the power to weather all the storms in history and which
is the ONLY hope for Indias future, has not received the prime place and priority it deserves
in our countrys post-Independence development strategy. In the current discourse on Indias
development, there is excessive and one-sided focus on economic growth to the near-total exclusion of attention to our peoples cultural and artistic needs. Neither political leaders nor the
decision-makers in government seem to think that culture and the arts need a special policy;
high-quality cultural infrastructure that is socially and geographically inclusive; substantially
higher financial support for the protection of Indias priceless cultural and artistic heritage,
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and also for the promotion of activities in arts and culture; willingness to partner with and
empower peoples own diverse cultural organisations; encouragement to artists and cultural
workers in multiple ways; mainstreaming arts and culture in the system of education at all
levels; and recognising arts and culture as a unique and highly productive form of capital to be
invested in all human development initiatives.
Indeed, the ministry of culture has come to be regarded as one of the unimportant and low
priority areas of the government both at the centre and in almost all the states. Most municipal
corporations in India do not have a separate department for arts and culture. Even when such
departments do exist in some cities and towns, they are under-funded, under-staffed and generally regarded as minor and marginal appendages in the structures of municipal governance.
This is highly disconcerting.

Cultural and artistic wealth is superior to material wealth

In the hierarchy of human needs, culture and arts are as basic as the essential requirements
of material development. Indeed, they are in some sense more basic. They satisfy the higher
evolutionary needs of human beings and human societies, insofar as they humanise all facets
of personal and social life. They are the wellspring of creativity and innovation.
Ananda Coomaraswamy, the legendary art historian and philosopher, whose name is borne
by a magnificent hall at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of
Wales Museum) in Mumbai, has this to say about the seminal role of art and culture in human
life.
Art contains in itself the deepest principles of life, the truest guide to the greatest
art, the Art of Living. The true life, the ideal of Indian culture, is itself a unity and
an art, because of its inspiration by one ruling passion, the desire to realise a spiritual inheritance. All things in India have been valued in the light of this desire
Great art or science is the flower of a free national life pouring its abundant energy
into ever new channels, giving some new intimation of a truth and harmony before unknown or forgotten.
This makes it clear that human development cannot be synonymous only with economic
growth. A nations progress can never be measured solely by its material wealth, important
though it is for meeting certain essential needs of its citizens. Rather, its true wealth, indeed its
very national identity, resides in, and expresses itself through, its unique cultural, artistic and
spiritual heritage. Which is why, thought leaders around the world have come to regard soft
power the power of a nations cultural and artistic treasure as more important than hard
power represented by GDP and military might. The respect, admiration and goodwill that civilisational India has always enjoyed around the world is primarily on account of its cultural,
artistic and spiritual wealth.
Culture encompasses both tangible and intangible cultures expressed in diverse forms such
as: visual and performing arts, living traditions, poetry and literary pursuits, libraries, local
history archives, festivals, built heritage, traditional, contemporary and folk arts and crafts,
gaothans, forts, markets, khau gallis, museums and new media expressions. It is inclusive of
all languages and all demographics of producers and consumers. Cultural richness makes for
an improved quality of life. Culture is the most effective way of fostering peoples participation for balanced and meaningful development indeed, for ensuring that development is for
the people and by the people.
Therefore, governments at all levels national, state and city should have a special policy
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Mumbai, like each of Indias metros represents a microcosm of the countrys diverse and composite culture. Provision for artistic
expression of citizens of Mumbai must be an integral part of urban planning and management.  Photo: Husain Ujjainwala/ Flickr

to promote culture and arts as life-enriching resources, with high-quality infrastructure and
substantially higher financial support.
In a rapidly urbanising India, cities are the engines of national development, attracting people from the hinterland with their myriad opportunities and promise. Each of Indias metros
represents a microcosm of Indias diverse and composite culture. Provision for the cultural
and artistic expression of citizens must therefore be an integral part of urban planning and
management. Opportunities to express, and participate, in cultural, artistic and spiritual activities considerably reduces the feeling of alienation that people of all classes, especially migrant
workers, experience in impersonal, crowded and heartless urban conglomerates.
We therefore believe that Mumbai must place arts and culture at the very centre of its own present
and future plans for urban development and peoples welfare. Hence this document for an Arts
and Culture Policy for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region for the consideration of the relevant authorities at the central, state and local levels, and also of other non-governmental stakeholders.

Culture as a critical Post-2015 goal in UNs Sustainable

Development Agenda: Why Mumbai must take the lead
There is also a broader global context which has impelled us to prepare this policy document.
The United Nations, UNESCO in particular, has been consistently urging nations, provinces
and cities to place culture at the heart of sustainable human development policies, be they
related to education, health, environment, tourism or poverty alleviation. The UNESCO declarations underscore the enormous contribution that cultural heritage and creativity can make
to conflict-resolution, social cohesion and building resilient cities and societies. They recognise
culture, in all its diverse manifestations, as an essential investment in the worlds future and a
pre-condition to make globalisation work for all.
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Culture was completely absent from the United Nations document on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were set in 2000 with a 15-year horizon. Currently there is a worldwide debate on the need to revise them. In the coming months the UN is likely set the new
Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, a major point of consensus
is that culture should be included as the fourth fundamental principle of the post-2015 UN
development agenda, along with human rights, equality and sustainability.
The UN Conference on Sustainable Development (The Future We Want; Rio de Janeiro, June
2012), highlighted the importance of cultural diversity and the need for a more holistic and
integrated approach to sustainable development. It reaffirmed that culture should be considered to be a fundamental enabler of sustainability, a source of meaning and energy, a wellspring of creativity and innovation, and a resource to address challenges and find appropriate
solutions. The extraordinary power of culture to foster and enable truly sustainable development is especially evident when a people-centred and place-based approach is integrated into
development programmes and peace-building initiatives.
In 2010, United Cities and Local Governments approved the document Culture: Fourth Pillar
of Sustainable Development in its World Congress held in the City of Mexico. This document
engages local governments to explicitly include culture in their policy and model of development.
In its Hangzou Declaration (2012), UNESCO appealed to the international community: We believe that the time has come for the full integration of culture through clear goals, targets and indicators into agreed development strategies, programmes and practices at global, regional, national
and local levels, to be defined in the post-2015 UN development agenda. Only such a concrete
political and operational framework can ensure that all development initiatives lead to truly sustainable benefits for all, while securing the right of future generations to benefit from the wealth of
cultural assets built up by previous generations. The cultural dimension should be systematically
integrated in definitions of sustainable development and well-being, as well as in the conception,
measurement and actual practice of development policies and programmes.
Of special significance to India and Mumbai is the 2005, UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Some of its provisions are:
celebrating the importance of cultural diversity for the full realisation of human rights and
fundamental freedoms; taking into account that culture takes diverse forms across time and
space and that this diversity is embodied in the uniqueness and plurality of the identities and
cultural expressions of the peoples and societies; recognising the importance of traditional
knowledge as a source of intangible and material wealth, and in particular the knowledge
systems of indigenous peoples, as well as the need for its adequate protection and promotion.
In short, the thought that is gathering momentum all over the world is captured in the slogan:
The future we want includes culture.
Neither India nor Mumbai can be an exception to this. Indeed, our city should take the lead
in formulating, and implementing, a comprehensive and forward-looking policy for arts and
culture and thus show the way to the rest of India.

Religion: a source of culture and a powerful

support to sustainable development
Unlike in the West, religion plays an extremely important role in the lives of our people. Much
of the beliefs, values and distinctive features of the socio-cultural life of Indias various faith
communities are strongly defined by religion. Similarly, the common and intersecting cultural
4

If religion is properly understood, practiced and promoted, it provides unmatched inspiration and mobilisational energy to bring
in people of all backgrounds for the welfare of all. 
Photos (from left): Nilofar Haja/ Flickr, Tanya Nagar/ Flickr, Creative Commons

currents, which are nourished by the universal human values contained in all religions, bring
various faith-communities together in a shared geographical and social space.
Therefore, contrary to how the West defines and promotes culture, India simply cannot ignore
the multi-religious yet uniting foundation of our national culture in the debate on development.
Religion unites, and does not divide, multi-religious communities. If religion is properly understood, practiced and promoted, it provides unmatched inspiration and mobilisational energy
to bring in people from all backgrounds for the welfare and development of all. Religious tolerance and co-existence of different faiths and beliefs has been a cornerstone of MahaMumbai
through its developmental history and should continue to be the hallmark of the city.
Therefore, India and Mumbai too must incorporate guidance from religion and multi-religious culture in its various initiatives for development and peoples welfare. Here is an
indicative, and by no means exhaustive, list of religion-inspired activities in Mumbai for the
pursuit of various development goals. Many of the leading institutions of the city were founded by members of the Parsi community. Christian organisations run some of the best schools
and colleges in the city. The best mid-day meal programme for school children in Mumbai
is run by ISKCON. Every gurudwara runs a community kitchen for the poor and the hungry. Many Ganeshotsav mandals in the city use the festival for propagating socially useful
messages. Brahmakumaris conduct a wide range of programmes for womens empowerment.
Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, is the main source of support from rich Muslims to their
poor brethren. The most effective campaign against drug abuse among youth is conducted by
Maulana Hazrat Moin Miyan, a widely respected Muslim cleric. The plays of Mujeeb Khan,
one of Mumbais most versatile and socially committed theatre personalities, address a wide
range of social issues from communal harmony and national integration to womens safety
and education of the girl child. The songs and street plays by Dalit cultural groups powerfully
propagate the message of social equality and social justice.
This shows that the potential to harness the religious inspiration and the highly committed
human resources of various religious institutions for development, peoples well-being and
peoples creative self-expression is enormous and still largely untapped.

Cosmopolitanism is in the DNA of

Mumbais culture and identity
Historical awareness is critically necessary for any city or nation to know its true identity and
to chart the path of progress for its present and future. In the case of Mumbai, its true identity
is its cosmopolitanism, of which its Marathi personality forms an inseparable part. Indeed,
our citys cosmopolitanism is so large, entrenched and widely cherished that, for the longest
5

period of its existence, it could not be captured in a single name of the city. Thus, even though
Mumbai is the official name of the city since 1995, the nomenclatural pluralism of Mumbai,
Bambayi and Bombay defines its identity harmoniously, both to its own inhabitants and to the
outside world.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) has a rich history dating back to the 3rd century
BCE. Many dynasties the Mauryans, Rashtrakutas, Vakatakas, Chalukyas, Shilaharas, Siddis,
Gujarat Sultanate, and in modern times the Portuguese and British established their suzerainty over this region. The historic caves in the region bear witness to its glorious Buddhist
past. To this day, the eclectic cultural ethos of modern MMR shows the imprints of these historical events occurring through the centuries. The Kolis, the original inhabitants of Mumbai,
are still a distinct community here. The many temples (including the temple of Mumba Devi,
who has given the city its name), Zoroastrian fire temples, Jewish Synagogues, mosques and
jamaatkhanas and churches in Bhuleshwar, Kalbadevi and Nagpada, which form one of the
oldest precincts of Mumbai, show how different religious and linguistic communities lived
together harmoniously.
Under British rule, Mumbai was opened to global economic and cultural influences like never
before, all of which contributed to its growth as Urbs prima in Indis, a position it proudly retains today as the financial and commercial capital of India. The contribution of the Parsi community to Mumbais industrialisation and also to the establishment of numerous philanthropic
institutions is unparalleled. Although the British colonial rule was indeed oppressive, exploitative and unjust, we cannot forget that Mumbai owes a debt of gratitude to many dedicated
British architects, town planners and Indologists, who have left behind a precious heritage that
continues to define a large part of Mumbais identity.
Mumbai has made a glorious contribution to Indias Freedom Struggle, right from 1857 to

To this day, the eclectic cultural ethos of modern MMR shows the imprints of these historical events through the centuries. The
Kolis, for example, the original inhabitants of Mumbai, are still a distinct community here.. 
Photos: Creative Commons
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1947. Mumbais working class participated valiantly in it, as attested by the martyrdom of
Babu Genu. It is here that the transition of the leadership of the Swaraj Movement from Lokamanya Tilak to Mahatma Gandhi took place. Gandhiji stayed in Mumbai for the longest
period of his adult life (outside his ashrams at Sabarmati and Sevagram). Mumbai was also
the karmabhoomi for Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, whose Samadhi at Chaityabhoomi is now
a major site of pilgrimage. Swatantrya Veer Savarkar made Mumbai his home. This was the
birthplace of the Khilafat Movement, which promoted Hindu-Muslim solidarity. Mumbai was
also home to Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who in the earlier phase of his political career was hailed
as an Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim Unity. The Partition of India, on the specious Two Nations theory that Jinnah later propounded, left deep scars on Mumbai, not all of which are still
healed. However, it also caused an influx of a large population of Sindhis and Punjabis, who
have enriched the economic and cultural life of the city.
In the late 19th and 20th centuries, Mumbai became the centre of cultural renaissance with a
surge of literary and social activities kindling progressive thinking and reform. The establishment of the University of Bombay, Asiatic Library, institution of the Ganpati festival by Lokmanya Tilak were some of the important cultural milestones in the 19th century. The 20th century saw the emergence of organisations such as the Mumbai Marathi Sahitya Sangh with its
emphasis on Marathi literature and theatre; the Mumbai Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya which
set up libraries for Marathi literature; Prarthana Samaj, a movement for religious and social
reform; Gandharva Mahavidyalay, an institution for the promotion of classical music; Girni
Kamgar Union for organising textile mill workers; Bombay Arts Society, Bombay Progressive
Artists Group, for the promotion of art; Indian Peoples Theatre Association (IPTA), etc.
For many decades before and after Independence, Mumbai has provided a fertile ground for
the growth of literature and culture in Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Sindhi, Konkani, Kannada and other languages. Mumbai became home to numerous eminent writers, poets, playwrights, singers and cultural personalities in these languages. It remains home to a large film
industry that has contributed to the soft power of Indian cinema across the world.
A defining milestone in the citys history was the formation of Maharashtra as a separate state
in the Union of India, with Mumbai as its capital, on May 1, 1960. The Samyukta Maharashtra
Movement that resulted in this development was in conformity with the democratic aspirations of people all over India for the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines. This movement,
which was led by the likes of Acharya Atre, Prabodhankar Thackeray and Senapati Bapat, and
drew inspiration from folk poets like Lokshahir Annabhau Sathe and Amar Shaikh, had strong
cultural and literary dimensions. In later decades, Mumbai became the base for the Dalit Panther movement, which gave rise to a new social re-awakening.
Mumbai has thus made a rich, multi-faceted and proud contribution to the all-round development of modern India. Although Mumbais contribution to Indias economic development is
rightly, and widely, recognised, our citys influence on the nations cultural and artistic progress is no less marked. Bollywoods contribution, for example, to national integration and to
spreading Indias cultural influence around the world has been phenomenal. This contribution
received only marginal support from central, state or city governments. Much is owed to the
spirited strivings of Mumbais creative and enterprising people, who came and settled here
from different parts of India.
Mumbais prosperity, social life, cultural vibrancy and the citys special place in Indias national life have been made possible by its cultural large-heartedness that has always welcomed the
arrival of people of diverse linguistic, religious and professional backgrounds from all over India, and indeed the world. Indias Constitution guarantees the right to such mobility, notwithstanding the reorganisation of states on linguistic basis. Nationalism and cosmopolitanism in
7

Mumbai have always triumphed over chauvinism, communalism, casteism and narrow-mindedness of all kinds; and so it must remain in the future.

Marathi Mumbai vs. Cosmopolitan Mumbai:

Need to bury this hurtful debate
Any reflection on the past, present and future of Mumbai must take into account the harm
done to the overall interests of the city and by extension, the interests of Maharashtra by
the divisive debate that has pitted the Marathi character of Mumbai against its cosmopolitan
character and vice versa. This divisive debate has debilitated the citys economic, social, cultural, intellectual and political life and made it vulnerable to identity politics at the regional level,
when the focus could be moved more constructively to reclaiming Mumbais position at the
national and international stage.
For the good of Mumbai and Maharashtra, the time has come to consign this debate to the
past and affirm strongly that Marathi Mumbai and Cosmopolitan Mumbai are mutually complementary, and not contradictory. Marathi language and culture are not outside Mumbais
cosmopolitanism; rather they are integral and proud components of it. Being the capital of
Maharashtra, Mumbais Marathi character must be preserved and strengthened. All efforts
must be made to promote the fabulously rich, and also internally diverse, Marathi culture,
arts, literature and social life not only within Mumbai, but also beyond the boundaries of Maharashtra, nationally and internationally.
At the same time, Mumbai has been blessed with a proud national and international profile, in the evolution of which non-Marathi communities, along with the Marathi community,
have made, and are continuing to make, enormous contributions. Therefore, Mumbai can deny
or disown its multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural cosmopolitan character at its
own grave peril. Since Mumbai in its new MMR avatar has the potential and the ambition to
become one of the leading global cities, it is even more necessary to further strengthen and
proudly project the citys linguistic, cultural and religious diversity.
What this means in policy terms is that the interests of Marathi Mumbai and Cosmopolitan
Mumbai must be promoted simultaneously and synergistically.

Mumbai: A city that is losing its sheen due to

authorities indifference to arts and culture
Sadly, the governments continued, and growing, neglect of culture and arts has begun to hurt
Mumbai badly. In spite of being one of the most populous metropolitan regions of the world
the combined population of MMR is 20 million the governing establishments at the centre,
state and in the city have displayed little vision or understanding about the cultural needs of
Mumbai and Mumbaikars. They have also displayed little interest in the citys huge potential
to further increase its contribution to our national life and to Indias soft power abroad.
In Mumbai itself, the development debate is mostly about infrastructure and economic growth.
This debate is indeed necessary, since the citys physical infrastructure is neglected and the
state of civic amenities to common Mumbaikars, especially slumdwellers, is shocking. However, somewhere in all its rush of unbalanced economic activity, Mumbai seems to be losing its
cultural richness, belittling the cultural needs of its people, and neglecting the development of
cultural vibrancy, which is as necessary for it to become a global city as the modernisation of
physical infrastructure.
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Further, little thought has been given to making the best use of Mumbais rich and diverse
cultural resources for addressing the citys myriad development challenges. Its as if the
authorities are deaf to the global debate on placing culture at the heart of sustainable
development. Lets see just three examples. The most effective way of mobilising people for the
success of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is by invoking their cultural and spiritual traditions,
all of which underscore the importance of cleanliness. If the enormous corruption and wastage
in the Mid-Day Meal programme is to be stopped, a reliable strategy would involve an appeal
to the peoples culture-induced reverential attitude towards food. To stem the rising cases of
crimes against women, nothing works better than societal initiatives rooted in the cultural and
ethical dos and donts. In short, there is enormous wisdom contained in our cultural and spiritual heritage, and it is still alive in the lives of common Indians. Our political and governance
systems, however, have no use for this wisdom.
No wonder then, that neither the state government nor any of the eight municipal corporations in
the MMR area, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), has a culture policy
for Mumbai. They need to be more proactive towards providing a better quality of life, and spaces
and fora for cultural activities. They require an imaginative approach to using popular festivals and
cultural events that attract lakhs of people for creating mass awareness on important social issues.
Worse still, the authorities in Mumbai have put in place a highly repressive permission regime
for the use of public spaces such as parks, gardens, streets, promenades, etc., for shows of
various kinds. There is a need to offer a hassle-free single window clearance to organisers of
prestigious cultural events like the Kala Ghoda Festival by law enforcement and other government agencies. Even though the Kala Ghoda Festival has been going on for 16 years, the authorities have still not standardised routine regulations, as a result of which the organisers of the
festival have to seek separate permissions from various authorities each year, a process rife
with harassment, delays and uncertainty.
The annexure to this document presents useful information on how culture and arts are
promoted by global cities around the world. For example, London has a dedicated cultural
officer for each of its boroughs. Here is another startling fact: creative industries (industries that have their roots in cultural identity and draw sustenance from it) contribute GBP
19 billion to Londons economy. The BMC neither has a dedicated department, nor a single
officer, to look after this vital sector. We need qualified specialists to be part of the civic and
government departments who can be facilitators to create the link between citizens and the
government.
Avenues for cultural activities have shrunk over the decades, given the acute shortage of spaces that offer a platform for such activities in the city. Cultural provision in Mumbai, both in
terms of financial support and provision of spaces and infrastructure, has been left either to
neglect or to private initiatives with highly inadequate government support. This has had an
exclusionary impact on a majority of Mumbaikars.
It is high time the governments recognised that culture is a fundamental enricher of life. The
poorest of poor should also have opportunities to access it, experience it, express it and enrich
it. It is also a great tool to enhance the brand value of Mumbai. As such, a vibrant cultural
life can attract investments of various natures, generate much-needed employment opportunities in large numbers, and enhance the citys global visibility. This will have a great spin-off
effect on domestic and foreign tourism in Mumbai, which is abysmally low at present. In this
day and age when the entire world looks at India as a nation on the rise, our policy makers
at the national, state and city levels must look at culture and arts as key drivers of Mumbais
all-round transformation.
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Mumbai is fast emerging as MahaMumbai

Holistic planning needed for the Mumbai Meropolitan Region
Not many people know there are eight municipal corporations (Greater Mumbai, Thane,
Kalyan-Dombivali, Navi Mumbai, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi-Nizamapur, Vasai-Virar and Mira-Bhayandar) and nine municipal councils (Ambarnath, Kulgaon-Badalapur, Matheran, Karjat, Panvel, Khopoli, Pen, Uran, and Alibaug) in MMR. In addition, there are more than 1,000
villages in Thane and Raigad districts in this region.
Further, few people are aware that the area of MMR is 10 times that of the area under MCGM.

Area of Greater
Mumbai
437.71 sq km

Area of MMR:
4,354.50 sq km

Population
of Greater
Mumbai
12 million

Population of
MMR:
20 million

This means that nearly half the population of MMR lives in nine-tenths of its area, and the
other half lives in one-tenths of its area. This fact itself shows the immense possibilities and
opportunities to re-imagine MahaMumbai, develop it in a balanced manner, and make it one
of the most prosperous and culturally vibrant urban conglomerates in the world.
The establishment of MMRDA in 1975 was a visionary decision that anticipated the future
development of Mumbai in the larger geography of the metropolitan region. However,
MMRDA has so far focused mainly on the development of physical infrastructure within the
region. In the past few decades, the region has become far more well-connected than before. It
is bound to become even more integrated in the years to come. Therefore, the time has come to
envision a policy for the much-neglected area of culture and arts that can enrich the lives of the 20
million people living in MahaMumbai and give it an energetic new personality.

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Guiding principles of the

Culture Policy for MahaMumbai
The vision that will guide the Culture Policy will have the following components.

The Culture Policy for MahaMumbai will adhere to the principles of justice and
human dignity for all, serving the ends of socio-geographic and linguistic equity,
inclusiveness and integration. It will respect India, and Mumbais, rich diversity and cultural
traditions of the various communities that have made it their home. It will promote
national pride, pride in Maharashtra and city-pride among its inhabitants by making
them feel Mumbai for All. All for Mumbai.

The Policy, based on the principle Development of Culture, Culture for Development,
will seek to fulfil the life-enriching cultural needs of every community, every citizen,
and invest in culture as a vital asset and capital for ethical, inclusive and sustainable
development. It will especially seek to broaden the opportunities and capacities of marginalised and migrant groups, strengthen their resilience and rootedness, and encourage citizen participation among all sections of society.

The Policy will harness the power of culture to foster intercultural and inter-community
dialogue for conflict resolution and cooperation, and to promote peace and harmony
among diverse sections of society.

The Policy will prioritise environment protection and the protection of open spaces
because natural, social and cultural diversity are inextricably linked. It will raise
citizens awareness of their own ecological responsibility, while urging government
bodies to de-pollute Mumbais air, sea, rivers and other water bodies, keep its beaches
and sea fronts clean, and protect its forests, mangroves and green cover.

The Policy will aim to increase the cultural vibrancy, in all its diversity, in every
part of MMR by supporting a 100% increase in the number of culture, arts and
creativity programmes, and also a 100% increase in the number of citizens who are
actively involved in cultural practices, within the next five years. It will aim to have
both a neighbourhood focus and a city-wide focus, so that it strengthens community
bonding, promotes civic responsibility and deepens a sense of belonging to the city.
Towards this end, it will aim to substantially expand the footprint of culture and
arts in the city by increasing the number of performance spaces, events, festivals,
institutions, modernising their infrastructure, increasing peoples awareness, and
mainstreaming culture and arts in the system of education at all levels.

The Policy will insist on culture-led urban revitalisation, heritage conservation

and development of Mumbai and MMR. Towards this end, it will give priority to
expansion and modernisation of cultural infrastructure and facilities in a timebound manner. It will mandate improving the cultural quality of all kinds of public
spaces through meaningful use of public art, distinctive architecture, design,
and landscapes, etc. Towards this end, it will popularise the art and science of
placemaking, which is a series of imaginative, inclusive and participatory design
interventions for the transformation of public places into more democratically useful,
socially and culturally vibrant, aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable
destinations.
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A Culture Policy for Mumbai will raise citizens awareness of their own ecological responsibility, while urging government bodies
to de-pollute the citys air, sea, rivers and other water bodies.
Photo: Scrolleditorial/Flickr

The Policy will aim to create improved frameworks and action points to identify, protect, promote and sustainably use tangible and intangible heritage in all its forms and
diversity in Mumbai and MMR. Tangible and intangible heritage manifests itself in
built heritage, monuments, historic neighbourhoods and heritage precincts, landscapes,
knowledge systems, language and literature, arts and crafts, food culture, among other
things. The policy will also underscore the importance of raising peoples awareness
about the importance of heritage.

The Policy will aim to support the growth of sustainable tourism, to make Mumbai a
major centre for domestic and foreign tourism. It will also seek to boost creative
industries that can serve as strategic tools for revenue, income and employment
generation. The aim should be to enable thousands of talented artists and cultural
workers, including people of all genders, socio-economic groups and ethnicities to have
a secure and attractive livelihood.

The Policy will aim to, besides maximising the use of the traditional media, encourage
full integration of new technologies and the social media into the promotion of culture
and arts in Mumbai.

The Policy will aim to put Mumbai on the global map of culture and arts. It will aim
to encourage adoption of best practices elsewhere in India and abroad. It will preserve
and further enhance Mumbais attractiveness for creative talent, especially young talent,
from all over India and abroad. It will also encourage eminent personalities in Mumbai
to become influential thought leaders and policy makers at the national and international levels. Mumbai should be seen as an important participant in cultural diplomacy to
promote world peace, and peace and cooperation within the SAARC region.
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Components of the
Culture Policy for MMR
1. Governance
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra should constitute an empowered committee to oversee the
implementation of the Culture Policy for Mumbai and MMR. There is already an empowered
committee, under the Chief Ministers Office, that is exclusively focused on the economic and
infrastructure development of Mumbai and MMR. Its members include eminent businessmen.
In addition to appointing good officers on this committee, it is high time the Government gave
equal importance to matters of culture by including specialists, experts, practitioners, institutions, NGOs from the field of culture and education.
The proposed Empowered Committee should bring together all stakeholder organisations
government entities, reputed private/philanthropic bodies, cultural institutions and prominent cultural personalities, thus maximising opportunities for strategic planning and decision
making. It should look into, and resolve, problems and challenges faced by private cultural
organisations and civil society/philanthropic/corporate bodies supporting them, and also
problems and challenges faced by artists and cultural personalities.
Opportunities for public-private partnership in the promotion of arts and culture should be
maximised. Best PPP models should be recognised and widely publicised.
Every municipal corporation in MMR should have a separate department for the promotion of
culture and arts with adequate staffing of professional and qualified people who can actively
facilitate and promote culture fora and cultural spaces. These should be headed by eminent
cultural personalities with strong non-governmental participation.
There should also be a full-fledged Culture Office in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). This office should closely coordinate with all the municipal
corporations in the region for the promotion of culture and arts.
The Culture Policy should result in de-bureaucratisation and freeing from the bane of red
tapism, all government-owned and government-run cultural institutions, by ensuring empowered participation of cultural organisations and personalities.
There should be an autonomous Mumbai Culture & Arts Commission with a mandate that is
larger than that of the Delhi Urban Art Commission. It should focus on comprehensive cultural
planning, advocacy, global and national brand-building, drawing up of major annual cultural
programmes for the city, promoting professional development of artists and the arts, identifying funding opportunities, bringing together different government departments to serve
specific cultural goals, broad-based debate on cultural issues, etc. The Mumbai Culture & Arts
Commission should be patterned after the UK Arts Council, which stands for championing,
developing, investing in the arts and culture in England, and supports a wide range of activities across the arts, museums, libraries -- from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to
literature and crafts to collections.
Inter-departmental linkages in the Government of Maharashtra should be identified and established for synergistic functioning. For example, Home department, Education department,
Revenue department, Urban Development department, Environment department, etc. will
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have to work together to achieve convergence on issues of culture.

The existing plethora of rules applicable for a wide array of cultural activities needs to be reviewed and drastically pruned, resulting in a single-window clearance for permissions.
Zoning laws and rules need to be revisited and there cannot be a one- size-fits-all approach.
The Heritage Committees in BMC and other municipal corporations should function better, with
greater transparency, for the conservation of built and other forms of urban heritage in MMR.
Through a consultative process, the problems faced by culture-promoting bodies and individuals need to be heard, understood and resolved. Similarly, constructive and creative ideas
from them need to be heard and acted upon.

2. Expansion / modernisation of cultural infrastructure and facilities

The government, along with municipal corporations in MMR, should commit itself to
substantial expansion and modernisation of the cultural infrastructure in the region
with a vision to create multiple centres of excellence.
It should seek to enlarge the footprint of culture and arts by increasing, at least by 100%
over the next five years, the number of performance spaces (both auditoria and open
spaces), museums, events, festivals, institutions, increasing peoples awareness, and
mainstreaming culture and arts in the system of education at all levels.
There should be a comprehensive mapping and audit of the existing cultural infrastructure in the MMR, their current utilisation and issues faced, if any. If certain existing facilities are underutilised or closed down, reasons for the same should be identified and
addressed expeditiously. The audit should be an ongoing, transparent process, where
the findings are placed in public view.
The planning and funding for cultural infrastructure should be comprehensive and artists and technical experts alike should be consulted while such infrastructure is being
designed.
As Mumbais Development Plan (DP) for 20 years (2014-34) is getting finalised, the
time for making adequate provisioning for infrastructure for various cultural purposes, amenities, etc., is NOW. Similarly, the planning process for Mumbai Metropolitan
Region should take into account the long-term spatial needs for the development of
culture and arts in the entire region.
Government should establish at least three world-class and global-scale cultural complexes in MMR one in the island city, one in Thane and one in Navi Mumbai. These
should be designed by the best architects in the world.
The ideal place for the world-class cultural complex in the island city as well as the
cinema centre is the 400-acre open space at Juhu Aerodrome. Since a new greenfield
airport is being established at Navi Mumbai, the city should reclaim this prime open
space near the sea (which is anyway not being used for any critical aviation activities)
and use it as a park along with some major transformative cultural projects. It may be
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(From left) NCPA, Prithvi Theatre, Gadkari Rangayatan: If existing cultural institutions wish to expand their performance areas and facilities, they should be permitted
to do so by relaxing FSI norms. 
Photos/Flickr: Holger, Manish Sampat , Dinesh Valke

called Bollywood Park.

Since plans are afoot to redevelop the large tract of port trust land along the eastern
coast of Mumbai, ample provision must be made for cultural infrastructure in that area.
The redevelopment plan itself must incorporate best design principles, so as to avoid
the mediocrity that marks Nariman Point, Bandra-Kurla Complex, Juhu Vile Parle Development (JVPD) scheme and other such places.
Every municipal ward area in MMR should have a new multi-use cultural complex,
built primarily with public funds.
Every cooperative housing society in MMR must have provision for a community centre for holding cultural events to strengthen community-bonding.
All multiplex cinema halls and malls should be encouraged to create performance places for cultural and arts promotion activities.
If any of the existing cultural institutions (such as NCPA, Shanmukhananda Hall, Gadkari Rangayatan, Prithvi Theatre, Tejpal Hall, etc.) wish to expand their performance
areas and facilities, they should be permitted to do so by relaxing FSI norms.
Cultural institutions should be supported to improve and upgrade their facilities to
world-class levels more spaces, improved infrastructure, open spaces, comfortable
seating, acoustics, lighting, on-stage requirements, back stage and green-room facilities, rehearsal halls, storage space for costumes and props, space for utilities, parking
for vehicles and space for interaction amongst people from various fields of arts.
A major problem faced by theatre and music groups is the lack of space for rehearsals.
Corporations in MMR should make available their school (or other) buildings in the
evenings and on Sundays/holidays.
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3. Open and green spaces, streets, beaches, forts, precincts, etc.

Open and green spaces are the drawing rooms of ordinary city-dwellers, especially in a city like
Mumbai where nearly half the population lives in slums. The number of open and green spaces
should be substantially increased, while zealously protecting the existing ones. These should be
made available for cultural and artistic activities in a hassle-free manner. The management of
these places should be entrusted, with strict accountability norms, to civil society organisations
that have a track record of service to society. Mumbai already has several successful models of
Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in this field Priyadarshini Park at Napean Sea Road, Oval and
Cross Maidans at Churchgate, Horniman Circle Garden near Hutatma Chowk, and Bhau Daji
Lad Museum in Byculla, to name a few.
In the case of government-owned open and green spaces where old leases to private bodies have
expired, these must cease to be used exclusively by elite minorities and given back for cultural and
recreational activities of common Mumbaikars.
A mega-sized open space in the island city is the Mahalaxmi Race Course occupying 225 lush green
acres. Since the lease to the Royal Western India Turf Club Limited (RWITC) has expired, this space
should be preserved as a public asset and developed on the pattern of the Central Park in New
York. And like the Central Park, it should be used for a variety of arts and cultural events.
The 250-acre Central Park of Kharghar, built by CIDCO, is a welcome addition to the open and
green spaces in MMR. It is one of the largest gardens in Asia. However, it needs to be promoted bet16

Oval Maidan is an example of successful public-private partnerships in tthe management of open spaces in the space-starved city.


Photo: David Brossard/ Flickr

ter. Also, like the Central Park in New York, it should be maintained by a non-governmental body.
In a space-constrained city like Mumbai, the central, state and local governments should have a
coordinated and innovative approach to make available spaces for cultural activities. For this, the
Archaeological Survey of India, Department of Archaeology & Museums Govt of Maharashtra, the
Bombay Port Trust (MbPT), the Railways, Airports Authority of India, Defence establishments and
other agencies need to work cooperatively with MMRDA and the municipal corporations of MMR.
All the railway stations in MMR should be upgraded, restored or redeveloped with attractive designs, as multi-functional complexes with ample spaces, facilities and opportunities for cultural
and artistic activities as is indeed the case in many great cities around the world.
All the forts in Mumbai should be conserved, safeguarded, freed of illegal encroachment and
developed as tourist destinations and spaces for cultural activities. Priority should be given to
the development of Bandra, Mahim and Worli forts overlooking the sea. These provide excellent backdrops to cultural performances, food festivals, exploratory walks and so on. Development of these places should be done in such a way as to bring maximum benefit to the local
communities.
Ballard Estate is one of the most enchanting heritage precincts in Mumbai. Sadly, it becomes lifeless
after office hours. It should be holistically developed as a hub for street food, cultural activities and
recreation and the heritage buildings appropriately conserved as a premier heritage precinct.
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Constraints of space also necessitate innovative thinking and flexibility in the use of existing facilities. For example, the Equal Streets experiment in Bandra making available the nearly 6 km of
road for pedestrian-only use on Sunday mornings has been a roaring success. The road-space
has been used by a large number of local socio-cultural organisations. It needs to be replicated in
other parts of the city. Similarly, some major railway stations like CST, Bandra, Andheri, Thane and
Vashi may be made available at night for theatre rehearsals or even for musical concerts.
Street music, street plays, street gymnastics, street art, street food festivals, etc, should be strongly
promoted on Marine Drive, Worli Sea Face, Bandra Sea Face, Bandra Lake, Thane Lake, and all
such promenades, precincts, plazas, parks, railway stations, etc. Organisations such as the National
Streets for Performing Arts, which are promoting such activities, should be fully supported.

4. Projection of the cultural heritage of Maharashtra in Mumbai

The Government should establish a magnificent Maharashtra Darshan Museum in Mumbai
to showcase the rich diversity of the cultural heritage of Maharashtra and also the achievements of the state in various fields. An ideal place to locate this would could be the magnificent Elphinstone Technical Institute building near the BMC headquarters, which is poorly
maintained. Rang Bhavan, situated behind this building, can be revived by turning it into an
open-air or enclosed concert hall. Since this place is close to both CST and Churchgate railway
stations, it is sure to attract large number of tourists.
Financial support to reputed institutions that have been serving the cause of Marathi literature,
drama, cinema, music, arts, folk arts and other aspects of culture should be considerably enhanced.
Suitable facilities should be created in Mumbai/MMR for the projection of region-specific cultural heritage of Vidarbha, Marathwada, Khandesh, Konkan and Western Maharashtra.
Marathi theatre is one of the most vibrant components of theatre in India. The Government
should fulfil all its requirements for growth.

5. Promotion of languages
The Culture Policy should promote language and literary pursuits in a big way and in a multilingual format by developing language learning facilities and translation capabilities for both
national and international languages.
Marathi should be promoted and encouraged through greater support to Marathi literature,
theatre as well as cultural activities.
Government bodies such as the Hindi Academy, Urdu Academy, Gujarati Academy and Sindhi Academy, which are meant for the promotion of language and literature of these respective
communities living in the state, should be adequately supported. At present they are being
badly neglected. For example, the State Governments contribution to the Maharashtra Sindhi
Academy is merely Rs. 65,000 annually, which is not enough to fund even an office peons
salary for one year!
Sanskrit is the mother of most Indian languages. It is also the repository of Indias precious
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heritage in culture, arts, spirituality and scientific-technological knowledge. The Government should therefore establish a Sanskrit Academy to support language learning and
research.

6. Culture for national integration

The Government of Maharashtra should make space available for every other state in
India to locate their Bhavans in MMR, to promote arts and culture of their
respective states. Existing non-governmental institutions such as Karnataka
Bhavan, Tamil Sangham, Andhra Mahasabha, Bengali Association, Punjab Association,
Uttar Bharatiya Sangh, etc. in Mumbai should be supported to expand their cultural
activities. The Government of Maharashtra should invite other state governments to
increase their culture promotion programmes in Mumbai.
Gujarati community has made an immense contribution to the historical evolution of the
city. Indeed, the Bombay Presidency and later Bombay State included large parts present-day Gujarat before 1960. Even today the large Gujarati community in Mumbai and
MMR is playing a major role in the citys economic, educational and cultural life. Therefore, there should be a grand multi-functional Gujarati Cultural Centre in Mumbai built
under a public-private partnership format.
Similarly, Hindi language and the culture of Hindi-speaking people have been a cherished
and inseparable part of Mumbais identity. Indeed, MMR has more Hindi-speaking people
than any city in north India, barring Delhi. The main centre of Hindi cinema (and entertainment TV) is not in Hindi states, but in Mumbai. Therefore, there should be a grand
multi-functional Hindi Cultural Centre in Mumbai built under a PPP format.

7. Culture for global understanding

The Government of Maharashtra should support the consulates of all those countries that wish
to open their cultural centres, or expand their cultural activities, in MMR. Foreign missions
should be encouraged to regularly organise festivals to showcase tourism, cuisine, contemporary arts, culture etc.
Mumbais sister-city relationships with major cities around the world should be strengthened.
The regional office of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) in Mumbai should further expand its activities by organising cultural performances by visiting foreign delegations
and facilitating outgoing cultural delegations from Mumbai to foreign countries. It should
also support, in collaboration with local groups, cultural activities of international students in
Mumbai.
All those cultural and educational institutions in Mumbai that are working for strengthening
Indias friendship with countries around the world, especially countries in the SAARC region,
should be supported.
The Government of India decided in 2004 to develop Jinnah House at Malabar Hill as a SAARC Cultural Centre. This decision should be implemented soon. Government should take proactive mea19

sures to get the legal dispute over this property resolved. Among other things, this centre should
contribute to the revival of the close ties that Mumbai had with Karachi in pre-Partition days.

8. Memory institutions: Museums, libraries and archives

8.1 MUSEUMS
The government should increase its support to all the existing museums (such as CSMVS,
BNHS, Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Nehru Centre, Port Museum, BEST Museum, Railway Museum, Discovery of India Hall, etc) and also take steps to further popularise them among the
local people and tourists. In addition, it should also establish, in partnership with civil society
organisations, several new museums. Here is only an indicative list of the new museums the
city needs
Swaraj Museum to honour Mumbais glorious contribution to Indias Freedom Movement.
On a parallel track, all the places associated with the Freedom Movement (Raj Griha, Sardar
Griha, Khilafat House, Babu Genu Memorial, etc.) should be spruced up and popularised.
A beginning must be made by undertaking a comprehensive spatial transformation of Azad
Maidan and August Kranti Maidan, which preserve the hallowed memory of Mumbais contribution to the historic struggles in 1857 and 1942. (A plan for the spatial transformation of
these two iconic maidans has been prepared by ORF Mumbai and submitted to the government in its India@70 report.)
Cricket Museum to celebrate Mumbai as the birthplace of the most popular sport in India and
to honour all the great cricketers the city has produced. This should ideally be located on or
near Azad Maidan, where the Indian team played the first Test match on Indian soil in 1933.
There should be a spectacular statue of Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar on the maidan as a
major attraction for tourists. (The statue of Don Bradman at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide,
Australia, draws cricket lovers from all over the world.)
Textile Museum to bring alive the seminal contribution of the textile industry and textile
workers to the historical evolution of Mumbai.
Civil Aviation Museum to show the birth and evolution of Indias civil aviation industry in
Mumbai.
Bollywood Museum (Mumbai International Cinema and Cultural Centre) to showcase Mumbai as the cradle of Indian Cinema. This should ideally be located in Bollywood Park, proposed
at the large open space where Juhu Aerodrome exists at present.
Theatre and Literary Museum to demonstrate the vibrancy of the multi-lingual theatre traditions in Mumbai and to honour the great literary personalities who made Mumbai their home.
Mumbai Business and Trade Union Museum to record the enormous contribution the city
has made to Indias progress in trade, commerce, industry, banking, financial services and
workers rights.
Mumbai Social History Museum to present the fascinating contributions that diverse linguistic, religious, professional and other sections of society have made, through their mutual interactions, to the citys progress.
20

A cricket museum will ensure the celebration of Mumbai as the birthplace of the most popular sport in India and to honour all the
great cricketers the city has produced.

Mumbai Media Centre and Museum to visually chronicle Mumbais multi-lingual contribution to the growth of journalism in India. This should ideally be located at Azad Maidan, by relocating the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh and the Press Club of Mumbai into a new, worldclass, substantially bigger and aesthetically designed structure as proposed by ORF Mumbai
in its India@70 report.

8.2 LIBRARIES
All government-run libraries and reading rooms in Mumbai and MMR should be restored and
refurbished, and equipped with digital tools. Non-government libraries and reading rooms
should be incentivised to do the same.
There should be a Mumbai Public Library Network, with common membership that enables
members to access the facilities in different parts of the city.
There should be special facilities for children in all libraries.
Institutions organising book exhibitions, including mobile exhibitions, should be incentivised
to do so in different parts of the city.
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The Town Hall Building (built in 1830) in which the Asiatic Society library is located is one of the grandest structures
in the city.
Photo: Vikram Walia/Flickr

Parks and open spaces should be encouraged to hold regular literary events.
A Read Mumbai Movement should be launched as a Public-Private Partnership initiative to
promote reading habit among people of all ages.

HELP ASIATIC SOCIETY REGAIN ITS OLD GRANDEUR

The Asiatic Society of Mumbai (established in 1804) occupies a proud place in the intellectual and cultural history of the city. The Town Hall Building (built in 1830) in which its library is located is one of
the grandest structures in the city. Its library has a precious collection of books. The Government must
move all its offices out of the precincts of the Town Hall Building, restore the place to its original glory,
and use it for major civic receptions and other appropriate purposes.

8.3 ARCHIVES
The Government must take immediate steps to improve the condition of the State Archives,
currently located at Elphinstone College, Kalaghoda. The plan to relocate it in a larger building
somewhere in MMR should be executed soon.
BMC and all other corporations in MMR should set up their own archives.
All the corporate houses, trade unions, educational institutions and cultural institutions should
be encouraged to set up their own archives. (Tatas and Godrej have pioneered this in a commendable manner.)
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9. Festival culture
India is a land of festivals. In addition to imparting a cosmic dimension to human existence,
connecting human life with the mysteries of after-life, ensuring civilisational continuity, and
serving as carriers of the spiritual messages of their respective faith traditions, festivals also
have unmatched power of strengthening intra-religious and inter-religious community bonding. This is evident from Mumbais cherished tradition of celebrating Ganesh Utsav, Krishna Janmashtmi, Christmas, Chhath Puja Festival, Eid, Urs of Makhdoom Shah Baba Mahimi,
Mount Mary Bandra Fair, Zoroastrian New Year (Navroz), Buddha Purnima, Mahavir Jayanti, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and other festivals. Government should, in consultation with community organisations, provide greater support to these festivals, raising their national and
international profile.
Mumbai also has a rich tradition of non-religious festivals such as Konkan Festival, Malvan
Festival and other region-specific festivals. There is a lot of scope for enhancing the cultural
and tourism promoting potential of these events.
All necessary support should be given to inter-college and inter-school festivals.
All necessary support should be given to area-specific festivals such as the Kala Ghoda
Festival, Worli Festival, Bandra Festival, Thane Upavan Festival, etc. Indeed, every area in
the city should be encouraged to organise their own annual festivals. Extra support should be
given to festivals in slum areas.

10. Art and culture in public places

Art installations of great aesthetic value and diverse forms should adorn public places throughout the city. The notion that works of art should either be in museums and art galleries, or in
the homes of the rich, must be discarded. Mumbai should say No to privatisation of beauty
and make it the common and shared property of society.
Roads, road-dividers, road-junctions, bridges, foot-paths, sky walks, foot-over bridges, bus
shelters, municipal and government buildings, police stations, public hospitals, market places,

Art installations of great aesthetic value and of diverse forms should adorn public places throughout the city.
23

etc., indeed, all such places that have high footfalls and high interface with common people
must be aesthetically designed.
All dirty and poorly maintained public toilets and community toilets in slums should be reconstructed or retrofitted aesthetically with attractive art installations, so that they become destination places for common people. This is one way of combining the Swachh Bharat mission
with the Sundar Bharat imperative.
No new government buildings, including buildings to house employees and officers, should
be allowed to be constructed unless they adhere to high architectural standards.
Public authorities who fail to comply with this rule and continue to promote mediocrity and
ugliness in the city should be punished. Government personnel who take decision in these
matters should be required to undergo orientation courses in art and culture.

11. Art and culture at work places

Art and culture should be integrated into all work places in MahaMumbai, especially those
belonging to government, municipal corporations, corporates and other major businesses.
The exterior and interior of industrial estates should be refurbished with art installations, wall
paintings, murals, landscapes, etc., so that workers have a pleasant environment to work in.

12. Cultural sensitisation of law-enforcement and municipal officials

A big stumbling block in the promotion of culture and arts in the Mumbai and MMR is the
cultural illiteracy, insensitivity, arbitrariness and high-handedness of law enforcement and
municipal officials. This is best illustrated by the fact that, in a highly space-constrained city
like Mumbai/MMR, most open spaces and parks are just not permitted to be used for cultural,
arts and literary activities. When permissions are granted, they come after long, exhausting,
humiliating and de-motivating efforts by cultural organisations, who, in most cases, also have
to meet demands for bribery. All this must end.
Arbitrary, rigid and unnecessary regulations serve as serious disincentives to people who organise cultural events in the city. Rules for permission and licenses need to be rationalised.
May archaic laws from the 19th and 20th centuries are still in force and need to be re-assessed
and modified. If a single-window concept is deemed necessary for economic development, it
is equally necessary and useful for cultural development.
The Culture Policy should be liberal and progressive in its support to artists. The bureaucracy and law enforcement machinery need to be sensitised to ensure that artists freedom of
expression is protected. At the same time, as required by law, there should be clearly defined
parameters of cultural expression to avoid objectionable content hurting public sentiment and
vitiating peace in society.
Sometimes courts also give rulings in cultural matters without taking into account the need to
develop Mumbai/MMR as a major hub of culture and arts.
Therefore, a suitable mechanism should be evolved to sensitise law-enforcement and munic24

ipal officials, and also the judiciary, on Mumbais vision and goals for the development of
culture and arts.

13. Technology for the promotion of arts and culture

The advent of the social media and digital technologies has opened up immense new opportunities for the promotion of arts and culture in innovative and impactful ways. They are especially a boon to improve the work of memory institutions museums, libraries and archives.
For example, there are mobile apps that send users a piece of art every day. The best museums and
art galleries around the world are promoting interactive experiences to museum-going by using
flash-based multimedia presentations, animation and 3-D technologies. There are powerful online
management tools designed to strengthen arts and cultural organisations, which allow the users to
benchmark themselves against comparable organisations around the world. There are open source
publishing platforms for the display of library, museum, archives and scholarly collections and
exhibitions. There are software tools for digital preservation that help organisations build their
open digital repositories and to share digital resources. Culturally vibrant cities like Tokyo, New
York, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Barcelona Beijing, etc., are supporting their creative industries
through collaborations between arts/cultural organisations and digital technology providers.
Cultural institutions in Mumbai and MMR should be modernised along these lines. Towards
this end, the Government should constitute a Task Force for the integration of technology into
the promotion of culture and arts.

14. Housing for artists, cultural and literary personalities

On the lines of Kala Nagar and Sahitya Sahavas housing colonies in Bandra (where eminent
artists and cultural and literary personalities such as P.K. Atre, Jnanapith Award winner poet
Vinda Karandikar, K.K. Hebbar and Ramesh Tendulkar, father of Sachin Tendulkar, lived),
the government should create new colonies in different parts of MMR providing affordable
apartments to artists, cultural workers and literary personalities, especially those belonging to
poorer backgrounds.
Government should encourage establishment of hostels and paying guest accommodation for
upcoming artists, cultural workers and students pursuing careers in creative fields.

15. Culture for peace, social harmony and a riot-free Mumbai/MMR

Mumbai has a long and proud tradition of peace, tolerance and cooperative living among various caste, religious and linguistic communities. However, sadly, incidents of violence and tension have also marred this tradition and harmed the citys image globally. Therefore, Mumbai
must aim at becoming a city without riots and terrorist violence.
Towards this end, among other societal and administrative initiatives, the power of culture
and arts should be fully mobilised to spread mutual goodwill, understanding and cooperation.
Inter-community and inter-cultural dialogue, cultural programmes and educational activities
25

both at neighbourhood and suburb/city levels should be actively promoted to create respect
for diversity and build more inclusive, stable and resilient society.
Mohalla Committees linked to every police station should actively involve cultural and arts
organisations in their areas. In addition, influential cultural, spiritual and social personalities
in each police station area should be designated as Peace and Goodwill Ambassadors.
The housing policy in Mumbai/MMR should promote mixed housing and habitat, without
discrimination towards any community.

16. Women and Culture

Social prejudices and hurdles that prevent talented women from pursuing careers in culture
and arts should be removed.
Meritorious women should have full opportunities to occupy decision-making positions in
culture and arts establishments.
Cultural and arts resources should be mobilised for building a strong societal force to counter
sexual crimes and prejudices against women. Mumbai and MMR must be made safe for women and girls everywhere, 24X7.
In addition to promoting womens participation in cultural and arts activities, there should
also be encouragement for women-only activities in traditional and modern formats, such as
haldi-kumkum and other community-specific ceremonies.
March 8, International Womens Day, should be observed in more expansive and celebratory
ways with mass participation.
There should be creches for working women in all government and institution offices

17. Children and Culture

Opportunities to develop the creative faculties of children should be regarded as their fundamental need and right. Therefore, no child should be without access to cultural and arts activities and resources in schools, communities and public spaces. This need can be met only
through the collective effort of families, schools, communities, governments and non-government organisations.
All municipal corporations and councils in MMR should have a separate and adequate budget
for this task. These resources should be augmented by CSR and other contributions from society to support reputed NGOs and CBOs that are working for childrens welfare and all-round
development.
Gifted children who show extraordinary talent in arts and culture should be identified, supported and trained in a fast-track mode so that they achieve their full potential as they grow
up.
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18. Promotion of culture to boost the economy

and employment generation
18.1 CREATIVE INDUSTRIES
Creative industries in culture and arts represent one of the most rapidly expanding sectors
in the global economy, growing at an annual increase of between 5 and 20 percent. They also
bolster the soft power of nations. Countries like Japan, China, South Korea and Turkey are
consciously promoting the national and global footprint of their cultural industries. India possesses a priceless heritage in diverse creative pursuits. Yet neither India as a whole, nor Mumbai (the original home of many creative enterprises) is doing enough to develop its creative
industries to match the fabulous wealth of this heritage. Therefore, Mumbai should once again
take the lead in this regard.
The policy should fully support the ambitious growth of various creative industries tourism,
cinema, music, performing arts, gems and jewellery, food, fashion, animation, handicrafts and
handloom, conservation, exhibitions, etc., thus enhancing their potential to generate incomes
and create attractive livelihood opportunities on a large scale. The growth of creative industries will also have a cascading effect on the overall socio-economic development of Mumbai
as a global city.
The policy should aim at further increasing Mumbais capacity to attract promising cultural
and artistic talent from other parts of India indeed, from all over the world.
The policy should encourage cultural entrepreneurship among all sections of society. It will
especially support those entrepreneurs who bring new technologies and innovative management practices to boost creativity and visibility of traditional arts and cultural activities.
A specific and important objective of the policy to promote creative industries should be to
create opportunities for jobs and income-enhancement for youth, women, senior citizens, and
disabled persons by promoting small and medium-sized enterprises that are based on materials and resources that are affordable, renewable and environmentally sustainable.
In order to monitor the contribution of creative industries to the citys development and its
employment potential, extensive data should be gathered and collated. Through research and
study, the income-generating role of creative industries in the citys economy needs to be assessed. Such a study will help dispel notions of culture being a cost centre for the government.

18.2 TOURISM
Mumbai and MMR have immense potential for tourism development, but the success in tapping it has been very low so far. The Government should establish a Mumbai Tourism Promotion Council as an empowered body, separate from the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC). It should be a non-bureaucratic body with strong and broad-based
stakeholder representation.
The Mumbai Tourism Promotion Council should be tasked with preparing, and implementing, a comprehensive plan for development of Mumbai as a world-class destination for domestic and foreign tourists.
The plan should aim at increasing the number of foreign and domestic tourists by 500% over
the next five years. Towards this end, a creative brand-promotion campaign along the lines of
27

The caves of Mumbai (Elephanta, Kanheri) should be adequately conserved and provided with better visitor infrastructure to
transform them into more attractive places of tourism.

Incredible India should be launched both in India and abroad.

The tourism promotion plan should have a strong component of arts and culture.
Realising the full potential of tourism development in Mumbai and MMR depends much on
the success of the Swachh Bharat mission. Therefore, it must be implemented vigorously with
a strong focus on sanitation for all and scientific solid waste management based on the 3-R
principle Reduce, Recycle, Reuse.
Given that Mumbai is blessed with the sea on three sides, water-based transport and tourism
should be developed by creating marinas and facilities for water sports, harbour cruises, floating restaurants, etc. These should be accessible not only to the rich but also to the common
people.
Mithi River, which flows through the heart of the island city, should be cleaned up and restored. The project should also involve development of a beautiful waterfront on its banks all
along the course of the river, plus development of a 400-acre mangrove park near Mahim Bay
where the river meets the sea. A wonderful model to learn from is the restoration of Cheonggyecheon River in Seoul, which has become a world-class destination for waterfront tourism,
and a hub of numerous cultural and arts activities.
The Maharashtra Nature Park in Mahim should be improved and made into a major destination for environment tourism. Similar parks should be created elsewhere in MMR.
28

The caves of Mumbai (Elephanta, Kanheri) should be adequately conserved and provided with
better visitor infrastructure to transform them into more attractive places of tourism.
The 104-sq km Sanjay Gandhi National Park near Borivli, which is the worlds largest national park within citys limits, should be renamed as Dr. Salim Ali National Park, after Mumbai-born Dr Salim Ali, a world-renowned naturalist and ornithologist and the key figure behind
the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), who rendered immense service to the cause of
environment protection. To begin with, all illegal encroachments into the park must be immediately removed. Also, best global practices in park management should be adopted.
Preserving and further increasing the green cover, as well as bio-diversity, in Mumbai
and MMR is critical to sustainable urbanisation as well as sustainable tourism. Therefore,
activities of organisations like the World Wide Fund for Nature, National Society of the
Friends of Trees, Soonabai Pirojsha Godrej Marine Ecology Centre (SPGMEC) should be
fully supported.
A new and innovative feature of this plan can encourage intra-MMR tourism promotion for
people living in the region. There are numerous tourism destinations in MMR which people
living in the region either do not know about or have not visited. Also, these destinations have
not been developed with a view to maximising recreation, eating and entertainment facilities.
There are very few places in MMR where families and friends can go for an outing for a full
day, half day or after office-hours, even though people of all income categories crave for such
outlets. Developing such destinations as happening places will not only give a big boost to
local economies and to local cultural talent, but also attract out-of-Mumbai domestic tourists
and foreign tourists.
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19. Promotion of culture and arts in slums

More than half of the population of Mumbai and MMR lives in slums of different kinds. Recognising the right of slumdwellers to have good housing in healthy environments, and to live a
life of dignity and justice, is the bedrock of inclusive development. While efforts to achieve this
goal must be accelerated, immediate steps should also be taken to improve the quality of life
of slumdwellers. Peoples own cultural and arts traditions provide rich resources to empower
them, enabling them to discover and augment their own intrinsic wealth.
A principal aim of the Culture Policy should be to substantially expand/modernise the infrastructure and increase the opportunities and facilities in slums for peoples cultural and artistic
expression.
Towards this end, all the cultural and community organisations, religious organisations, youth
groups, womens groups, community centres, etc., in every slum in Mumbai/MMR should be
mapped and suitably supported.
The cultural life of slumdwellers shows amazing vibrancy. They also have rich artistic and
cultural talent. Government bodies, NGOs and CBOs (community based organisations) should
jointly organise imaginative cultural events in each and every slum in Mumbai/MMR, linking
them to themes and goals of sustainable development. For example, SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education & Health Action), a reputed NGO, has been organising the Dharavi Biennale
under the four themes of art, health, recycling, and vitality. It uses art to make people think
about urban health in fresh and exciting ways. Each of the Biennale-commissioned projects is
developed by people from Dharavi collaborating with a mentor artist. One such collaboration
called Dharavi Food Project uses art to focus on food, womens labour, and the hunger for art.
Every slum community should be supported to organise their own cultural and arts festivals
in multi-faith and multi-lingual formats.
The promising talent discovered in such local festivals should have opportunities to grow and
perform in bigger events in the city and elsewhere. TV channels, both local and national, can
make a major contribution to this endeavour.
A specific aim of promoting culture and arts in slums should be to benefit migrant workers and
those living without their families.

Recognising the right of slumdwellers to have good housing in healthy environments, and to live a life of dignity and justice, is the
bedrock of inclusive development.
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Another aim of promoting culture and arts in slums should be to enable communities to
strengthen their rural roots. Many families in slums have retained their organic links with their
villages in Maharashtra and other states. These linkages can be used to bring the best of rural
culture and arts traditions to Mumbai.
Every slum should have public libraries and common newspaper reading centres.
There should be a Placemaking in Slums project which brings together best artists, architects and designers in the city, in collaboration with local talent, to undertake transformative
interventions in public places in slums (and also create new public places) with a view to add
beauty and augment multiple functionalities of such places for the use of local communities.
Priority should be given to creating places where children can play and study, women can feel
safe, and senior citizens can have opportunities for recreation.

20. Funding/Taxation
All the corporations in MMR should earmark 2 per cent of their annual budgets to the promotion of culture and arts. In the case of BMC, whose 2014-15 budget was of Rs 31,178 crore, this
works out to approximately Rs. 600 crore. The State Government should make an additional
investment of equal amount from its own resources.
Funding mechanisms for cultural institutions and activities need to be broadened. Philanthropic activities need to be further incentivised by the government via liberalised laws/rules. The
ambit of activities under CSR, and also under the funds available to MPs, MLAs and municipal
corporators, needs to be broadened to include spending on arts and cultural activities.
The existing Entertainment Tax and Service Tax rules need to be reviewed in the interests of
equity and clarity.
Effort should be made to develop and rationalise taxation mechanisms to support cultural
activities which include physical infrastructure, capacity and competency building measures,
and pension policy for artists.

21. Capacity and competency building

Institutions that promote culture need to be run by people with competence and passion. A
strong impetus needs to be given for capacity and competency building of those running these
organisations.
Culture-promoting institutions should be incentivised to train librarians, archivists, museologists, etc. Such programmes should be certified and credits accruing to students from attending such courses should be transferable to universities and colleges. This will open up the field
of cultural studies to more young people and help capacity building for cultural promotion.
Art and culture appreciation courses should be held for audience development.
All the civil society institutions in the city promoting training and education in music, dance
and other forms of art should be supported to expand their activities
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22. Education in arts and culture:

The state should establish a Mumbai School of Art to train artists and help citizens develop
cultural and research capabilities.
Colleges and cultural institutes should run well-designed certificate programmes for training
and sensitising the existing staff from government organisations to perform their tasks competently.
Mumbai has many private schools to teach music, dance, theatre and other arts. These should
be supported to expand their activities.
Government should draw up a plan to make Mumbai a global hub of education in arts,
culture, architecture, design and innovation. It should encourage more international
institutions like the recently established Indian School of Design and Innovation (ISDI) in
Mumbai.
Colleges and educational institutions should institute scholarships and fellowships to encourage research in preservation and promotion of all aspects of culture. By establishing a close
connect with the community and industry, the learnings from such research need to be absorbed in the planning for cultural revival and promotion.
The history of Mumbai from ancient times to the contemporary period should be taught from
the school level onwards. This will help people appreciate its culture better and care better for
the citys cultural heritage.
Cultural literacy in schools must be regarded as an integral part of quality education. Therefore, art appreciation courses must be introduced at all levels of school and also in all streams
of higher education.

ELEVATE SIR J. J. SCHOOL OF ART AND

ARCHITECTURE AS A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Sir J.J. School of Art, established in 1875, is one of the pioneering and most prestigious institutes of fine art education in India. The heritage building and precinct in which it is located is
itself a piece of art. A large number of the great names in Indian art were associated with this
School, and they include K.K. Hebbar, Shankar Palsikar, M.F. Hussain, K.H. Ara, Newton
Souza, S.H. Raza, H.G. Gade, Sadanand Bakre, J.D. Gondhlekar, P.A. Dhond, Shankar Palsikar, Madhav Satawlekar, Baburao Sadwelkar, Vasudev Gaitonde, Akbar Padamsee, Tyeb
Mehta, Jeram Patel, Prabhakar Barve and Prabhakar Kolte.
Sir J.J. School of Architecture, which is located in the same campus, is Indias preeminent
institute for education in architecture.
The time has come to elevate these two institutions, which are the pride of Mumbai, as Sir
J.J. National Art & Architecture University, so that they gain a higher global recognition and
ranking. The State Government should also provide land for the university to establish a
satellite campus.

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23. Promotion of Bollywood

Mumbai, which is home to Bollywood, deserves a world-class cinema centre like the Cinematheque in Paris, Cinema Center in Busan (South Korea) or Nandan in Kolkata, with year round
activities, screenings and festivals. This cinema centre should be located in the Bollywood
Park, which should also feature a Bollywood Walk of Fame, on the lines of the Hollywood
Walk of Fame, to honour all the greats of Indian cinema nurtured by Mumbai.

24. Arts, culture and religion for sustainable development

The Policy will aim to integrate culture within all development schemes, programs and initiatives such as education, healthcare, environment, economy, justice, law enforcement, etc. For
this, it will suggest effective institutional coordination mechanisms at city, MMR, state and
national levels.
MMRDA, each of the municipal corporations, police departments, as well other development-related government bodies in MMR should have advisory committees comprising socially committed artists, cultural personalities and religious leaders belonging to different
linguistic, caste and faith communities. These committees should give advice, and also help
mobilise operational teams of artists, cultural workers and religious volunteers, for introducing arts, culture and spiritualism as resources for effective implementation of development
goals, policies and programmes.
Artistic, cultural and religious resources can be highly effective in achieving success, through
peoples participation and voluntary service, in important development initiatives such as
Swachh Mumbai, Swasth Mumbai, Surkshit Mumbai (with a focus on making the city safe
for women), Sundar Mumbai and Sushikshit Mumbai. They can help in mass campaigns for
communal peace and harmony, water conservation, environmental protection, mid-day meal
programmes, promotion of better work culture in government offices, etc.
They can be used for creating a culture of civic discipline and responsibility, and protecting
public properties against vandalism. They also have unmatched power to mobilise charitable
resources for the care of differently abled children, orphans, senior citizens and animals.
Separate and adequate budget provision should be made for achieving the above-mentioned
objectives.

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Annexure 1:
Cities that lead by example

Mumbai aspires to be a global city. But is it doing what it takes to be a global city? Even
if it takes the solo parameter of promotion of culture and arts (leaving out other parameters such as housing, quality of public transport, cleanliness and sanitation, quality of
public and green spaces, promotion of tourism, number of foreign students, population of
expatriates, etc.), how does Mumbai compare with other major cities around the world?
A city cannot thrive without a viable development model that is based on commerce
and economics, but can it survive without a distinctive identity rooted in heritage and
culture? More importantly, can the two co-exist? Striking a fine balance between economic
development and enrichment and projection of cultural heritage may not be very hard; but
the challenge lies in embracing change as normal, while preserving the original sanctity of
a megalopolis.
Like any other booming metropolis, Mumbai too is juggling a number of internal and
extraneous factors, the difference being that our city faces a stark choice between two paths.
One path, on which it stands today, leads to further stagnation, decline and decay. The
other path leads to self-renewal, all-round improvement in the quality of life for all
citizens, and a vastly heightened global profile.
The following snapshot of what a select number of cities have been doing to promote their
cultural heritage shows that Mumbai has a lot to learn from its global counterparts.

35

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, UKs largest urban park in the last 150 years, has become the hub for a range of cultural
activities, from visual arts to music, as well as new festivals like the Great British Carnival. 

LONDON
London is the powerhouse of global arts and culture. As part of the UK governments effort to
make culture accessible to all, it has set up the London Cultural Strategy Group, a high-level
body that advises the Mayor on shaping the development and provision of cultural activities across the capital. The purview of this advisory group ranges from encouraging new and
young talent to promoting the classics among the youth.
Mayor Boris Johnson used the Summer Olympics the city hosted in 2012 not only to further
raise the global profile of London but also to burnish the brand of the UK. In 2012, he commissioned the World Cities Culture Report a landmark study on culture in 12 great cities, updated in 2013 to include six more cities. The report showed not only the scale of Londons cultural
strengths, its renowned museums, galleries, heritage and monuments, but also the dynamism
and diversity of its commercial creative industries. As the accompanying infographics show,
culture is the lifeblood of this great city as important to its success as finance and trade.
The London Cultural Strategy Group has commissioned world-class sculptures in the city,
supported the worlds largest urban history museum, and given the city the Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park, the largest urban park created in the UK in the last 150 years. The park, in addition to the many other famous parks in London, has become a hub for a wide range of cultural
activities, from visual arts to music and live events, as well as new festivals like the Great British Carnival. The British Museum attracts nearly seven million visitors, while Tate Modern,
which only opened in 2000, has become the worlds most popular contemporary art museum.
The Mayor has launched the Love Libraries initiative, which has led to 4,000 people registering to volunteer in Londons libraries. The Mayors Music Fund awards nearly 250 four-year
music scholarships.
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Source: CULTURAL METROPOLIS: The Mayors

Cultural Strategy - Achievements and next steps

London also organises the annual Liberty Festival, as part of the National Paralympic Day,
which allows the hearing-impaired and differently-abled artists to showcase their talent.
Further, the Royal Opera Houses free outdoor screenings are another crowd puller, which in
turn helps make art and culture accessible to all in the city.

In numbers:
16.8 million overseas visits to London in 2013, up 43.5% in 10 years, according to the
UK governments Office for National Statistics
6,97,000 creative jobs (one in every six jobs) are created in London every year
$25,996,000 (approximately Rs 1.61 billion) had been approved by the UK government
for the promotion of culture in London in 2013.

SHANGHAI
Glass faade skyscrapers, eight-lane roadways and glitzy architecture was the centre of Chinas
focus during the initial years of their development narrative. It was only in the latter half of the
1990s, after majority of Shanghais heritage structures had been replaced with tony high-rises,
did the City Government of Shanghai shift focus to preserving its natural culture and heritage
in what is known as the post-expo phase of development.
Developing the Shanghai Bund a waterfront on the Huangpu River was one such crucial move that led to the rebirth of its cosmopolitan culture. Along the Bund there are majestic
buildings that have been influenced by various styles of architectures from around the world.
In 2012, two major cultural institutions China Art Palace and the Power Station of Art
were opened for the public. In an attempt to make art accessible to all, both the state-run institutions do not charge an entry fee.
Besides this, the annual China Shanghai International Arts Festival, which is the only state-level International Arts Festival hosted by the country, serves as an important platform to present
the countrys dance, drama and music to rest of the world, while also acting as a market for a
37

global cultural exchange.

In 2010, the city was listed as a UNESCO Creative City for Design. As part of the Creative Cities Network, Shanghai emphasises on design to create the new model and path for its creative
economy. Further, it is one of the first few cities in the world to implement creative industry
clusters within its geographical limits. By the end of 2010, there were about 90 creative clusters
in Shanghai, with more than 6,110 creative enterprises from across 30 countries.
The city also has a batch of creative parks at some old factory buildings and warehouses that
house thousands of artists from all over the world. Bridge 8 and Tian Zi Workshop, both former factories, now function as two such creative industrial parks, and serve as a platform for
artisans. As part of its endeavour to preserve the citys historical heritage, the municipal government has named 44 historical and cultural zones, including 12 in downtown area which
cover an area of 27 square kilometres, and 32 in the suburbs which cover an area of 14 square
kilometres.

In numbers:
63 universities with schools or majors on creativity and design exist in Shanghai
The gross output of the creative industries in Shanghai in 2009 was 390 billion yuan
(CNY)
There were 260 million domestic tourists and 7.57 million overseas tourists who
visited Shanghai in 2013
About 14.6% of per capita expenditure of urban households in Shanghai was on recreation, culture and education in 2013.

Developing the Shanghai Bund a waterfront on the Huangpu River was a crucial move that led to the rebirth of Shanghais
cosmopolitan culture. 
Photo: Jrme Kedzierski/ Flickr
38

PARIS
From Pablo Picasso to Ernest Hemingway, there are few cities in the world
that have produced such a steady stream of cultural icons over the centuries.
Art, architecture, history, theatre, gastronomy Paris truly is a centre of
creative excellence.
When the metropolis was accused of catering only to the bourgeoisie, French
officials came up with new initiatives and new, fringe art forms to make
culture and heritage more accessible.
The World Cities Culture Report 2012 cites two such interesting examples.
The first, under the aegis of the Greater Paris of Culture project, the
Territoire de la cration was set up to provide a comprehensive support
service for film production, giving an AZ of film production on one site. The
second example is the Le Centquatre, which is home to a mix of spaces and
to a range of artists, who are given studios in the building for several months
in return for allowing the public to see their works in progress.
The outdoors form an essential part of the citys culture. With more than
400 parks and gardens, Paris is the most wooded capital in Europe.
Further, since the summer of 2013, the Berges de Seine feature, which is a
2.3-kilometre stretch covering 4.5 hectares, allows children and adults to
take part in leisure and sport along the freely-accessible promenade.
Sustainable and safe tourism is an important part of the Parisian effort to
promote culture. This includes providing green stays to tourists and
spreading environment awareness through such accommodation. In 2013,
the Paris Tourist board launched a unique campaign in which 55,000
pamphlets titled Do You Speak Touriste? were handed out in cafes,
hotels, shops, and taxi ranks, offering tips on how to make travellers
feel more welcome.

In numbers:
15.6 million international visitors came to the city of Paris in 2013,
while 32.3 million visited the Paris Region
2,63,212 salaried workers in the city of Paris, or 18.4 per cent of the
total number, were engaged in tourism-related sectors: hotels,
catering, transport and leisure, in 2013
17 billion dollars (13.58 billion Euros) was spent by those
visiting the city in 2014.

39

The West Lake was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having influenced garden design in the rest of
China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries.
Photo: Jess Lau/ Flickr

HANGZHOU
At a time when the rest of the world is grappling with the impact of globalisation on culture,
the Chinese city of Hangzhou teaches us a simple lesson in how to leverage heritage for the
economic well-being of people.
By effectively promoting tea the staple crop in the region this metropolis also draws
thousands of tourists every year. Natives, too, continue to pass on legends, stories, poems
and dance forms related to the Longjing tea from one generation to another, thus keeping its
cultural assets alive. The China National Tea Museum, located in the city, is the largest such
museum in the world where various kinds of tea are on display for visitors. The local government has effectively used tea as a bridge between foreign high culture and more traditional
oriental culture.
The West Lake is one of Hangzhous most important tourist destinations. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having influenced garden design in the rest
of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries and reflecting an idealised fusion
between humans and nature. The West Lake area is estimated to attract more than 35 million
travellers every year.
Local authorities of Hangzhou heavily invest in promoting tourism and the arts, with emphasis placed upon silk production, umbrellas, and Chinese hand-held folding fans. The China
National Silk Museum is one such initiative that was started in 1992 and documents the 5,000year history of Chinas silk culture.
40

In numbers:
The tourism and leisure industry in Hangzhou grew 17 per cent from 2010 to 2012,
contributing CNY 139.2 billion in revenue to its economy
3.31 million international tourists visited Hangzhou in 2012, in addition to 82.37 million domestic ones
The total revenue earned by star-rated hotels in the city in 2012 was CNY 14.9 billion
CNY 200 billion is the projected revenue of the tourism and leisure industry for 2015

BUSAN
As one of the busiest seaports in the world, Busan could have easily been a victim of
globalisation. Instead, the city chose to weave in multiculturalism into its social ethos
by embracing one of the most dynamic art forms cinema.
Synonymous with the culture of this South Korean city is the Busan International Film
Festival (BIFF), touted to be one of the most popular film festivals in Asia. The city
uses the platform to engage with new filmmakers and artistes across the world, while
also showcasing works of the local Korean industry. The film festival, over the past 18
years, has been pivotal in promoting local talent, and encouraging the study of cinema,
thus putting the city and the nation on the culture map.
Opened to the public in 2011, the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City, which is the
permanent location of BIFF, is an architectural masterpiece and landmark. Designed
by an Austria-based architecture collective, the centres Big Roof is the largest roof in
the world (2.6 times larger than a soccer field). It has the distinction of being the only
culture complex worldwide to combine movie theaters and a performing arts centre in
one building.
The Asian Film Academy, housed in one of BIFFs former venues, is to open in Busan
in 2015 to offer educational programmes for not only fostering film professionals from
all over Asia, but also reaching out to the local community. Over the past 10 years,
the AFA has hosted part of the Busan International Film Festival, Dongseo University
and Busan Film Commission to foster young Asian talent and establish a network for
Asian filmmakers. The programme has seen 241 alumni from 29 countries presenting
outstanding work in prestigious film festivals throughout the world.

In numbers:
$85 million was invested by the Busans metropolitan government in 2002 to develop
and manage human capital after the city was selected as a model region by the Korean
Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development
2,17,865 people attended the 18th Busan International Film Festival in 2013, during
which 299 films from 70 countries were screened
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CAPE TOWN
In his inaugural address on May 10, 1990, Nelson Mandela had expressed his vision of creating
a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world. Nearly 25 years later, post the era of white
supremacy and separate development, Cape Town continues to fulfil his dream. From overcoming
the apartheid tourist gaze to being declared the World Design Capital 2014, the metropolis has
come a long way.
In 2014, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport produced a retrospective design exhibition
that would help promote the Western Cape within South Africa as well as at international events.
Once the Cape Town Museum is ready, it will also serve as a venue for such exhibitions associated
with Cape Town as the World Design Capital 2014.
Cape Town has made good use of the regions rich wildlife and interesting natural terrain (like Table Mountain) to attract tourists year after year. Set against the eastern slopes of Cape Towns Table
Mountain, Kirstenbosch is the first botanic garden in the world to be included within a natural
World Heritage Site. In 2004 the Cape Floristic Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To herald the 100th anniversary of Kirstenbosch in 2013, the Centenary
Tree Canopy, a 427-feet-long Walkway, touching the forest floor in two places, and raising visitors
42

The Centenary Tree Canopy in Cape Town is a 427-feet-long walkway built 39 feet above ground.Photo: Meraj Chhaya/ Flickr

to 39 feet above ground was built and opened to the public in 2014. The structure was pre-fabricated in 6-metre lengths that were hoisted by crane and bolted together on site. This caused minimal
disruption to the trees during assembly and reduced construction time in the Garden.
Estimates suggest the tourism industry of Western Cape accounts for nearly 9.8% of the GDP of the
country. In fact, the preservation of South African heritage find its roots in cultural tourism, which
it uses to showcase to the world its ethnic and geographical diversity.

In numbers:
Rands 626 million was the 2014-15 budget for Cape Towns Cultural Affairs and Sport
12,73,072 foreign tourists visited Cape Town in 2012
Rands 14.6 billion was the total economic value of tourism for Cape Town in 2012
34,600 permanent employees and around 15,000 temporary employees are employed
in Cape Towns tourism industry
Rands 6.6 million is the estimated budget to set up the proposed Cape Town Museum
43

Istanbuls magnificent architecture, reminiscent of a city of transition, draws tourists to it every year.

Photo: M Reza Faisal/ Flickr

ISTANBUL
Its location on the river Bosphorus makes Istanbul the perfect seat for the transition of culture
from the east and west.
The citys magnificent architecture, also reminiscent of Istanbul as a city of transition, draws
tourists to it every year. Its Roman relics, such as the Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern and Column of Constantine, together with the Byzantine and Ottoman buildings, define the city and
its cultural heritage.
While the onus to promote culture and arts in the city is on the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, its culture policy is determined by numerous other bodies that partake in organising performing arts concerts, exhibitions and festivals. One such example is that of the International
Istanbul Biennial that aims to provide a platform to artists from diverse cultures, from within
Turkey as well as the rest of the globe.
Istanbuls magnificent heritage of Byzantine churches and Ottoman pleasure palaces
come alive each year during the International stanbul Music Festival (held in June/July
each year), the biggest event on the citys cultural character, sought after by locals and
visitors alike. Organised by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts, it presents
tourists a unique opportunity to hear world-class performances in historic settings. The
festival includes in its programmes the finest examples of artistic creativity in the fields
44

of classical music, classical ballet and contemporary dance, opera, folklore, jazz/pop,
cinema, drama and visual arts from both Turkey and abroad, as well as seminars, conferences and lectures.

In numbers:
10.474.867 international tourists visited Istanbul in 2013
USD 32.3 billion was the tourist spending in Turkey in 2013, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat)
49 per cent of visits to museums and 30 per cent of cultural performances in Turkey
take place in Istanbul, according to the World Cities Culture Report 2012.

KUALA LUMPUR
The capital city of Malaysia is multicultural, mutlilinguistic and multi-ethnic. Against this
background, the culture policy of Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the country, which was
adopted in the year 1971, is aimed at three broad objectives:
1.

The national culture must be based on the indigenous culture of the region

2.

Suitable elements from other cultures may be accepted as part of the national culture

3.

Islam is an important component in the formulation of the national culture

Like many other emerging economies in the region, Kuala Lumpur, too, has started to
focus on creative industries in its promotion of arts, culture and heritage. The country has
successfully used the concept of industrial tourism at the Royal Selangor pewter factory in Setapak,
where tourists can watch skilled craftsmen fabricate artifacts and souvenirs. Such activities are in
tandem with the Vision 2020 plan, to convert the country into an industrialised nation by the end
of this decade.
As part of the Vision 2020 plan and the Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley (GKL/KV) development initiative, nine Entry Point Projects have been established which include the rejuvenation of
the Klang River that flows through the city and the creation of a series of walkways (total 42 km)
linking the tourism trail. The aim of the project is to make Kuala Lumpur one of the most livable
cities in the world.

In numbers:
It is estimated that 8.9 million tourists visit Kuala Lumpur every year
83 per cent of Kuala Lumpurs total employment comes from the service sector, which
includes restaurants and tourism
9.3 million foreign tourists and 4.7 million domestic tourists brought in revenue of
Ringgits Malaysian 19.8 billion to the city in 2013. This revenue was projected to rise
to Ringgits Malaysian 24.9 billion by the end of 2014
Target 2020: 36 million tourist arrivals with RM 168 billion tourist receipts.
45

YOKOHAMA
For Yokohama, overcoming the challenges posed by a rapidly aging population has been one
of the greatest development hurdles. However, the approach taken by this prominent port city
to focus on the creative value of its economy has helped keep it relevant in changing times.
In its bid to make culture accessible to everyone, the Yokohama Citys policy regarding Culture, Art and Creative City Measures stresses the need to develop the artistic projects from
within local communities. One such example is the Creation and Voice of the Woods programme that was held within the richly forested Yokohama Animal Forest Park in 2012. The
event involved the exhibition of artwork made using forest resources as well as workshops for
children and adults utilising materials from the forest.
Crowned the Culture Capital of the East for 2014, local government authorities in Yokohama are
doing their best to promote comprehensive services to meet the needs of artists. This includes not
just space for studios and practice venues, but also artist-in-residence programmes and artistic exchanges or intercity exchanges that provide artists with opportunities to work overseas.
The Yokohama Triennale, an international modern art exhibition in Japan, is when the entire
town comes alive through cooperative efforts with local citizens and communities.
To attract more tourists to the city, in 2013, a unique initiative was rolled out, by means of
which overseas travellers are given free access to WiFi at select places in the city. The plan will
be available till 2016.
The citys growing tourist inflow has prompted local residents to form a Convention
Supporters group, which runs information desks around town and holds Japanese culture
programmes for delegates at event venues.

The Yokohama Triennale, an international modern art exhibition in Japan, when the entire town comes alive through cooperative
efforts with local citizens and communities.
Photo: Hideo/ Flickr
46

Strict safety and hygiene regulations make street food in Singapore safe to eat and inexpensive while conforming to
high standards of taste and authenticity.
Photo: Choo Yut Shing/ Flickr

SINGAPORE
Considered one of Asias tigers, Singapore is one of the youngest, yet most prosperous cities in
the world. Although the Chinese account for the largest part of the population, the multitude of
languages and cultures that are also part of the citys social fabric make it a truly cosmopolitan
metropolis.
With the emergence of a new Singaporean culture, the government, in 2012, set aside
S$20 million for a Cultural Diplomacy Fund to provide local artists with overseas exposure,
while strengthening cultural diplomacy with other countries. Further, a Cultural Matching
Fund has also been set up by the government, to match private donations to the arts on a
dollar-for-dollar basis. According to the Ministry for Culture, Community and Youth, this
Matching Fund has so far disbursed more than S$30 million to about 60 arts and heritage
groups.
According to the World Cities Culture Forum, the past 10 years have witnessed a revival in Singapores cultural industries, all aimed at improving its economic prowess. The number of arts
companies in Singapore has seen a 400% increase in this time, ranging from publishing firms, to
production companies and arts schools, the report states.
One unique initiative started by the government is the Cultural Medallion, which is a national
honour for the highest achievements in culture. In its silver jubilee year in 2015, the National
Gallery of Singapore is also expected to be opened to public.
Strict safety and hygiene regulations make street food in Singapore safe to eat and inexpensive, while conforming to high standards of taste and authenticity. The World Street Food
Congress, to be held in the city in April 2015, is another important initiative that will give
hawkers a chance to show off their culinary skills to the world. Further, the government
plans on promoting Singaporean cuisine to the world through research and documentaries
about popular dishes and food habits.
47

In numbers:
15.6 million international visitor arrivals were recorded in the city in 2013, according
to the Singapore Tourism Board
$23.5 billion of tourist receipts were recorded in 2013, according to the Singapore
Tourism Board
$1.3 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth in 2013.

RIO DE JANEIRO
After years of being prone to violence and crime, Rio de Janeiro has finally started to reinvent
itself through culture, which acts as a pacifier in times of conflict. The Carioca Landscapes
between the Mountain and the Sea being declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2012 has
given the city newer opportunities to showcase its art and culture to the world.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup and preparations for the 2016 Summer Olympics have played an
important role in strengthening cultural tourism in the city. According to the World Cities
Culture Forum, a large scale urban redevelopment programme has been taken up in the harbour area to revitalise public spaces, build new water, sewer and drainage networks, and improve the provision of urban public services. In fact, months before Rio hosts the Olympic and
Paralympic Games, it will also host the World Culture Summit 2015.

Synonymous with the heritage and culture of Rio de Janeiro are its annual carnivals, where costumed revelers from across the city
converge before the start of 40 days of Lent.
Photo: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo/ Flickr
48

The Rio De Janeiro Art Museum and the Museum of Tomorrow, for promoting arts, and hightech science and the environment respectively, exemplifies the coming together of public and
private partners to develop culture infrastructure.
Synonymous with the heritage and culture of Rio de Janeiro are its annual carnivals, where
costumed revelers from across the city converge before the start of 40 days of Lent. From being
a city that was torn by strife, to now becoming one of Brazils prime tourist attractions, Rio de
Janeiro has come a long way.

In numbers:
US $ 14 billion is the estimated revenue Brazil earned from tourists during the FIFA
World Cup, of this $ 1.53 billion was generated by Rio de Janeiro.
850,000 visitors attended the annual carnivals in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, and contributed $628 million to its economy.
977,000 tourists attended the Rio parade in 2015, and contributed US$782 million in
revenue for the city, according to the Secretaria Municipal de Turismo.

VANCOUVER
Vancouvers 10-year cultural policy sets its objective to Recognise Vancouver locally,
nationally and internationally as a city of creative innovation, a city of ideas, a city which
leverages the unique and authentic voices of the diverse, young and growing cultural community, a city which realizes its full creative potential, a city on the leading edge of cultural
activity and development.
The citys 15-member advisory committee on arts and culture meets six times a year, and
develops the way forward to increase public outreach and awareness on civic arts and culture services. Further, through its 2008-2018 Culture Plan, the City of Vancouver is seeking
help from citizens to identify cultural spaces that lie unutilised within the city. Cultural
employment in the Vancouver has increased at a significant rate 23.7% over the period
1996 to 2001, compared to the general Labour Force rate of 5.3%.
The Creekside Community Centre started a unique pop-up piano initiative in 2014 as part
of the Keys to the Streets project that placed free, playable pianos at public places in
Vancouver. The pianos were available from July 1 to August 23, 2014. Pianos were set at
10 different locations in Vancouver. Each had a bench and a watchful, loving community
steward taking care of the piano for the duration of the program. They also included a rain
cover. Passersby were asked to play the pianos between 7.00 am and 11.00 pm. This innovation hub brings staff, university students, and community members together to work
on innovative projects in Vancouver
In an attempt to attract more residents and tourists to explore the city, a few years ago, Translink,
the corporation responsible for Vancouvers regional transportation, started free rides for up
to five acquaintances of passholders on Sundays and statutory holidays. Although the scheme
was later discontinued, the city saw a considerable surge in bus commuters during the period.
Rooted in rich cultural diversity, the city now aims to redefine and expand its identity by
49

Keys to the Streets was a unique pop-up project in Vancouver that placed free, playable pianos at public places across the
city for citizens.
Photo: Ted McGrath/ Flickr

including the heritage of the large immigrant population into theirs. Thus involving communities and embracing local cultures forms the largest part of the cultural strategy for
this metropolis.

In numbers:
Canadian $26,866,000 was allocated for community facilities in 2013, of which $4,462,000
was for culture.
CAD 14,455,000 was the planned expenditure for open spaces and parks in 2013, which
included CAD 835,000 for public art.
CAD 300,000 was the increase in cultural and social grants in 2013.
250 art installations are present across the city of Vancouver.

50

Annexure 2:
Enhancing Global Outreach
MUMBAI AND ITS SISTER CITIES
CITY

NATION

Stuttgart

Germany

London

United Kingdom

Shanghai

China

Los Angeles

USA

Saint Petersburg

Russia

Yokohama

Japan

Johannesburg[citation needed]

South Africa

Busan

South Korea

This city of dreams is perhaps the most complete microcosm of a continental nation and hence it was only natural that it became
the face of India on the global stage the Gateway of India.
Photo: Ramnath Bhat/ Flickr
51

For centuries, Mumbai has been literally and figuratively the Gateway of India -- the chosen
portal of seafarers and merchants that opened up endless avenues and opportunities for cultural and commercial exchange. This city of dreams is perhaps the most complete microcosm of a
continental nation and hence it was only natural that it became the face of India on the global
stage the Gateway of India. This image was sustained well after independence and therefore
the sister cities of Mumbai were far more important to global outreach and image-building of
the nation than similar associations with other aspiring Indian cities. Mumbai has 7-8 sister
cities associations. Each of these is an iconic city on the global stage and most have rich centuries-old cultures to match impressive architecture and heritage.
With Mumbais gradual yet steady downfall as a world-city, all its sister cities -- new and
old -- raced ahead in the quality of life indices and overall global profile. Their association
has become purely symbolic and Mumbais myopic and inward-looking approach to global
associations has resulted in further isolation. No tangible people-to-people exchanges ever
materialised from the eight sister city relationships that Mumbai forged. There was neither
boost to business and commerce, nor education or tourism. Most importantly there were no
meaningful cultural exchanges which could have triggered all of the above and set the wheels
of cooperation in motion.
We believe that rekindling deep and meaningful ties can substantially contribute towards raising the profile of Mumbai as a global city through opening up direct and robust channels of
interaction and exchange with existing sister cities.
Mumbai must first aspire to foster friendship and understanding with different cultures and
encourage trade and tourism which facilitates healthy interaction to bring about citizen diplomacy.
Given the opportunity, Mumbaikars will embrace the rich and diverse cultures of their sister
cities outside India as they have done with other cities in the nation. Besides the sharing of
arts, culture, heritage and tradition, such cooperation will greatly benefit municipal partnerships through scheduled study tours for technical cooperation and knowledge transfers. It will
stimulate environments through which communities will creatively learn, work, and solve
problems together through reciprocal cultural, educational, municipal, business, professional
and technical exchanges and projects.
The objective is also to create an atmosphere in which economic and sustainable development
can be implemented and strengthened; one which encourages Youth and Education Programs
through student and educator exchanges, cross-sectoral internships and sports exchanges. In
recent years, arts, culture and heritage aspects have taken a back-seat and even seemingly disappeared. This needs to change and change soon. Culture has to be preserved to be inherited
by future generations. It must equally be created by its current custodians.

52

SWOT ANALYSIS OF MUMBAIS SISTER CITY SETUP

WAY FORWARD POTENTIAL IDEAS TO BEGIN WITH.

Reciprocal Art installation in sister cities at prominent locations
Planting of Avenue Trees & Renaming Prominent Road (eg. Shanghai-Mumbai Friend ship
Avenue)
Kalaghoda-like festival that lasts for a week creating a world-expo atmosphere
Arts and Culture & History (at Bhau Daji Laad & CSMVS)
Food (in line with restaurant week)
Music (performances across the city with a blend of genres)
Banking and financial sector
Entertainment and media

53

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About ORF Mumbai

Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Mumbai is an independent multidisciplinary public policy think tank started in Delhi in 1990 by the statesman and parliamentarian late Shri R K Mishra. Since 2010, under the visionary leadership of Shri Sudheendra Kulkarni, Chairman ORF
Mumbai has commenced research and advocacy in six broad areas: Education, Public Health,
Urban Renewal, Inclusive and Sustainable Development, Promotion of Indias Priceless Artistic and Cultural Heritage and Youth Development.
The importance of developing a global outlook in todays increasingly inter-dependent world
can hardly be over-emphasised. In appreciation of the connectedness of people and cultures in
a globalised world, and with a view to promote greater people-to-people co-operation among
countries, ORF Mumbai brings out publications, organises talks and interactions with consular dignitaries, politicians, scientists, artists, writers, journalists, students, faculty and senior
administrators from educational institutions, think tank representatives from India and abroad.

Observer Research Foundation Mumbai

Ideas and Action for a Better India

NKM International House, 5th floor, 178 Backbay Reclamation

Babubhau Chinai Marg, Mumbai 400 020, India
Tel: (+91 22) 6131 3800 Fax: (+91 22) 2288 6264
Website: www.orfonline.org