on the eve of the launch of the nita mukesh ambani cultural centre at bandrakurla complex isha ambani piramal speaks to namita devidayal about the vision behind it and how it plans to celebrate both indian and global talentq besides its incredible scale how does this arts centre differentiate itself from other such spaces in the citya over the years my family particularly my mother has reimagined ways to protect promote and sustain indias heritage and make art and culture relevant to the younger generation nmacc will provide a platform for emerging talent and also celebrate the masters our hope is for it to be democratic yet aspirational the rich diversity of programming as well as the diversity of audiences at our centre will reflect this intent i believe thats what sets it apartq the lotus seems to be a theme throughout the arts complex what was the thought behind ita while conceptualising the design philosophy my mother and i were certain the inspiration must stem from indiaits culture aesthetics and people the spaces have been structured as a tribute to indias rich heritage reflected in recurring motifs of the lotus the national flower symbolising purity beauty and prosperity we have tried to interpret this traditional indian motif as a global symbol of modernity q do you have any plans to draw in young and emerging talent especially from smaller towns and is there an educational component to the centrea yes along with bringing the best of india and the world on one global stage our aim for the centre is to groom emerging talent from across the nation we plan to start residency programmes with maestros and experts and eventually uplift indias artistic community we plan to introduce communitynurturing initiatives including interschool and intercollege competitions for art music dance and moreq tell us about the exhibition that unspools indias contribution to world fashiona india in fashion is a costume art exhibition that will showcase indias everlasting impact on global fashion since the 18th century and how some of the most iconic global brands have been inspired by our textiles it makes me immensely proud to tell you that over 140 historic indiainspired costumes from around the world have been assembled for this exhibition which is curated by author and costume expert hamish bowles the majestic set that will host this exhibition is every bit as magical as the art pieces it housesq personally what is your favourite part of the centre a we have been fortunate to work with a fantastic team both indian and global it is difficult to pick a favourite when the entire centre is so close to my heart but if i had to i would go with the art house just for how beautifully it blends in the city with the entire experience as the sunlight peers through the external facade and interacts with the art on display on a personal note my deepest wish is to support new and contemporary artists from around