Stamp of Quality

This year, the prestigious International Quality Crown (IQC) Award will be awarded to Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Tasneem Mehta, director of the museum speaks to The Mumbai Age...

Mumbai’s oldest and the country’s third oldest museum, which dates back to 1872, stands tall on its iron cast pillars. In 1975, the erstwhile Victoria & Albert Museum was renamed Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum in honour of the first Indian Sheriff of Mumbai, a philanthropist, historian, physician, surgeon and secretary of the Museum Committee when it was first instituted. The museum recently announced that it is being awarded the prestigious International Quality Award in the Gold Category at the International Business Initiative Direction (BID) Quality Convention, which will take place in London on November 20, 2016.

For the museum that nearly resurrected from its dilapidated condition, it has not been smooth sailing. By the year 1997, it had fallen into a state of disrepair. After an intensive restoration by INTACH, it was reopened to the public on January 4, 2008.

Behind this rebirth are Tasneem Mehta and her dedicated team of staff who worked tirelessly to bring back the lost glory of the museum. “This is a tight ship that I run, and my staff are extremely proud to be a part of the institution,” says Tasneem, managing trustee and honorary director. Sitting in her office at the museum, she elaborates on the philosophy of the museum. “It’s an institution for the public and the idea is that this should become independent and become like an international institution because I don’t want this to collapse in my absence. I want the government to understand that.” Earlier this year, the museum was in the eye of the storm when the BMC alleged contract violations on the trustees’ part. Things have taken a turn for the better since then but Tasneem also adds that there’s no escaping the concerns that looms large, which in her words has got “something to do with the election politics.”

The museum showcases the city’s cultural heritage and history through a rare collection of 19th century fine and decorative arts that highlight early modern art practices and craftsmanship in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency and beyond. The permanent collection includes miniature clay models, dioramas, maps, lithographs, photographs, and rare books that document the life of the people of Mumbai and the history of the city from the late 18th to early 20th centuries. Additionally, the museum also has been actively involved in organising educational programmes and workshops for various schools and colleges. It even offers a postgraduate diploma in Modern & Contemporary Indian Art & Curatorial Studies. “I felt very strongly that there was nothing on art history as a pedagogy, so in this course the whole emphasis is on the philosophy of aesthetics,” she explains.

She assures that more things are in store and she feels positive about the outcome. “The next big thing that I’m trying to incorporate Braille in the text. We’ll also work on prototypes of the artefacts on display so as to give them a touch-and-feel experience,”

Tasneem says adding that there’s another a big interactive in the works but it’s not time yet to reveal the details. The museum has already collaborated with the Google Arts Project that enables anyone from any part of the world to take a virtual tour of the museum.

Tasneem rues the way museums are not given their due respect by the government. “The government owns most of the museums and because they have not been able to pay the salaries, they have downgraded the quality of the museums. Internationally, a museum director is a very important member of the society. For instance, Neil McGregor (former director of British Museum) accompanied the then Prime Minister (David Cameron) as the cultural ambassador in his foreign tours. And here we are treating our museum directors and curators as some junior little babu that you can clap your hand and say do this, do that. No self respecting artist or art historian would like you to treat them that way, particularly if you are a good academic. There are hundreds of universities where you can use your skill!”

Speaking of her own journey with the museum, she says it was not a designed move. “With me it happened accidentally, it was not something I had planned. To sustain something of this nature one has to be passionate. In my case, I have always been passionate about the art,” she concludes.