Air India puts its museum plan on hold
With Air India in talks of privatizing its carrier, it faces major hurdles in funding and thereby stalls its state-of-the-art museum. The museum, which was once a much talked about affair as it has some gem collections worth exhibiting will be now biting the dust. Following government's announcement to privatize it, AI will divest its stakes in it rather than investing in the museum.
Air India's museum: A trip down the lane
AI decided in 2015 that it would exhibit its collection of arts, paintings and curate it into a museum which would be open for public viewing. Since then, AI had been modelling its project thus floating a Rs. 3.5 crore tender for development of 'Air India Museum of Arts and Crafts'. AI officials were in midst of talks when government's unlikely announcement cropped up.
The AI collection of art
The AI's collection of artefacts is nothing short of a grand assortment of selective pieces of art carefully curated over a period of six decades. Simply grandeur is what comes through when one sees the eclectic collection. Known as the Maharaja's art collection, it's a bevy of contemporary art, jewels, handlooms and much more. It also includes works of celebrated artistes like MF Husain.
How did AI amass a massive assorted collection?
As said by an AI official, AI bequeathed this eclectic legacy from Tatas, which the company had acquired over the years. Many art pieces also came from Mumbai's JJ School of Art. It also inherited artworks from around the globe when it expanded its offices worldwide. Air India boasts of a well documented collection which has only become better over the years.
Art connoisseurs to be deprived
The Air India museum had evoked quite a lot of questions in the civil aviation ministry which had its doubts regarding ownership and funding; but such a move deprived the art lovers of a museum which would have been one of a kind. The museum would have been a treasure but looking at the state of things the plan looks shaky.
