NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The Ministry of Culture, Government of India and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program in 2016. A pilot project was conducted in 2013 to 2016 and as it was found to be successful; hence it was renewed for five years until 2021. Under this agreement The MET will work with Ministry of Culture to impart a broad range of knowledge on modern operations of museums like conservation, planning of exhibitions, etc.

For marking this occasion, the Consulate General of India organized a small reception with the Met Museum officials on Sept 27, 2016. Consul General Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das welcomed the initiative on behalf of Government of India and hope that this will enrich both sides from learning from each other and that it will help Indian conservationists to adopt scientific western methods of conservation and management.

Ms. Carrie Rebora Barratt, Deputy Director for Collections and Administration, the MET, spoke about the rich cultural heritage of India and the need for conserving them and the mutual learning that will come to both sides because of the interaction of the people in the program here and abroad. Representing the Mellon Foundation, the chief sponsors for the Indian Conservation Fellowship Program, was Ms. Mariët Westermann, Executive Vice President for Programs and Research, who has expressed her happiness to be a part of the program and hoped that it will help conserve the rich cultural arts and artifacts of India.