India's failure to tap its heritage potential highlighted at Mysore varsity's Foundation Day lecture
Mr. Shah was delivering alecture on the topic 'Learning from Heritage: The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum and the University' Role as a Cultural Catalyst'.
Mr. Shah, who in January 2024 donated ₹30 crore through Harish & Bina Shah Foundation for the restoration of Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum at the University of Mysore, highlighted the need to reimagine heritage spaces not just as repositories of the past, but as dynamic centres of cultural engagement that inspire future generations.
Drawing a contrast with how France was tapping its heritage, Mr. Shah pointed out that a single museum in Paris attracts more tourists annually than the entire country of India.
'This stark gap highlights how far we are from engaging with, and showcasing our own treasures. We have the heritage, but not the infrastructure, prioritisation or the narrative to match them,' he added.
He said that the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum, located within the university campus, was more than just a museum — it was a repository of stories waiting to be preserved and shared.
Mr. Shah said that his family foundation, in partnership with the Deccan Heritage Foundation, is supporting the project and envisages not only restoration of the museum to its original glory, but to transform it into a vibrant cultural centre.
'It should be a space for exhibitions, workshops, and collaborations between artists and researchers, and a place where school children can connect with their heritage — an experience no guidebook can offer,' he added.
He underlined the imperatives of showcasing the heritage and legacy of the Deccan region, which, he said, was under-represented. India's historical narrative continues to be disproportionately focused on the North — Delhi, Mughals, and other imperial histories, he added.
'To correct this imbalance, we need to actively highlight the contributions of the Chalukyas, Hoysalas, Vijayanagara Empire, Bahmani Sultanate, Wadiyars, and many more,' he said.
Mr. Shah began his academic journey 50 years ago when MIT, Manipal, was affiliated to the University of Mysore, and hence he had expressed his desire to fund the conservation project of the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum.
He also praised the University of Mysore, and said its contribution goes beyond academics. The university nurtured Karnataka's intellectual identity and preserved the cultural memory of an entire region, he said.
He urged the students to move beyond personal ambition, be aware of environmental and social issues plaguing the world, and strive to uplift those who are less fortunate.
N.K. Lokanath, vice-chancellor, University of Mysore, traced the growth of the varsity since its inception in 1916, and the contribution of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in establishing it. Thanking Mr. Shah for his gesture of funding the restoration project of the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum, Mr. Lokanath said that the mansion is one of the most iconic structures of Mysuru and is an inalienable part of the region's culture and tradition.
Helen Philon of the Deccan Heritage Foundation, which is restoring the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion Museum, presented a slide show on the work in progress and the vision for the museum in future.
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