From rare Tanjore paintings and some of the finest collections of pichwai art, to masterpieces by Olafur Eliasson and Ai Weiwei, these beautiful homes are repositories of some of the most exquisite collections of Indian and international art. Step into the residences of some of the most prolific art collectors in India.

Amit Ambalal’s Ahmedabad House

The main hall of the house with a 19th-century wooden Garuda and other polychrome sculptures from South India, a crow painting by artist Anjolie Ela Menon, a 5th-century Vishwaroop sculpture from Shamlaji, a late-18th-century Gopashtami pichvai, and an M.F. Husain drawing, among other objects.

Bharath Ramamrutham

In the bustling city of Ahmedabad, a magnificent house stands on the cusp of both the traditional and modern, reverberating with memories and countless conversations on life, art, and history. This is the home of artist, scholar, and art collector Amit Ambalal. Born in 1943, Ambalal (lovingly known as Amit bhai) hails from an influential Gujarati mercantile family in Ahmedabad, where his mother’s artistic ingenuity; his visionary father; his guru, artist Chhaganlal Jadav, and his friendships with scholars and artists collectively shaped his life and artistic career. With over 30 solo exhibitions, several publications, expertise on the visual culture of Nathdwara, and a rare, keen eye for art—not to forget his inimitable wit and humour—Amit bhai’s persona is as intriguing as his home and art collection.

Made in 1800, this pichvai in Kamal Chowk shows Annakut, the annual celebration of the narrative about how the people of the Braj region offered food to Mount Govardhan. Liturgically, these are offered as mounds of rice to the different manifestations of Krishna. Note that this pichvai in particular depicts a Zardozi floral motif against a black backdrop.

Bharath Ramamrutham

When French-American architect Bernard Kohn visited Ahmedabad upon the invitation of celebrated architect B.V. Doshi, Amit bhai’s father, Ambalal Himatlal, commissioned him to make their house, Sumeru, which translates to “wonderful Meru”—named after a sacred mythical mountain. A wave of eclecticism pervades across the house, where old traditional Gujarati architectural features have a constant timeless dialogue with their 20th- and 21st-century counterparts. The main hall of the house is dotted with art, from the mighty 19th-century wooden Garuda from South India, paintings of his guru Jadav to works gifted by Atul Dodiya and Jogen Chowdhury—there is a space for everything and a harmony between each work. However, the most ethereal part of this home is the exceptionally-curated pichvai gallery, or Kamal Chowk, as Amit bhai calls it. With marvellously carved wooden brackets from Gujarat and the 16th-century Mughal ceiling from Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur, the interior architecture befits the collection of pichwais and paintings from Nathdwara; arguably the best in the country.

Original text by Vinit Vyas, edited for context.

Vir Kotak’s Vasant Vihar Home

A view of the Rameshwar Broota in the entrance gallery, while seated in the living room. The use of terrazzo and teak for the flooring divides the space.

Suryan & Dang

Three works by Zarina Hashmi hang above a custom-made Diwiks LP unit. On the unit is a light from Lladro. The centre table and rug as mentioned before are from Wriver and Obeetee.

Suryan & Dang

Vir Kotak’s Vasant Vihar home is the latest in a series of projects on which he has worked with the AD100 architecture firm, Studio Pomegranate. The layout and flow are centred around the couple’s art, which includes works by Zarina Hashmi, Ayesha Sultana, Bhasha Chakrabarti and Rameshwar Broota. The work that was initially discussed as an anchor for the house though is a series of 10 woodcuts by Zarina Hashmi which are part of her ‘Home is a Foreign Place,’ suite. It has added resonance given that Kotak’s primary residence is no longer in India, where he grew up, but rather, Singapore.

When designing the home in Delhi, Naik kept two things in mind — the desire to have no white walls and the fact that Kotak wanted to have the series of works by Hashmi as the focal point of the house. However, on the final hang, it was another series by Hashmi, ‘Homes I Made/A Life in Lines’ that occupies pride of place above the green marble fireplace, against a wall that’s a calming shade somewhere between seafoam green and teal blue.

Original text by Aatish Nath, edited for context.

Sonam Kapoor’s Maximal Mumbai Abode

In the living room, a collection of Tanjore paintings hangs on walls painted by artist Vikas Soni. A bespoke sofa by Kavita Singh Interiors lined with Mughal zardozi cushions, crafted from antique textiles, and jamawar cushions surrounds a cluster of brass tables by Ravi Vazirani, over a sarouk wool rug from auction house Astaguru. The brass heads are from Phillips Antiques, Mumbai, and silver heads were sourced by Kavita Singh Interiors.

Sonam Kapoor may be one of Bollywood’s most loved actors, but she is also, with growing stealth, a renaissance woman. With an eye for heritage—belying her age, Kapoor has curated a succession of interiors that startle with her innate sense of craftsmanship and detail. “This house, which I share with my husband Anand and baby son Vayu, represents a new chapter for me, as a woman, a collector—and a mother,” she says. “I had been longing for a base in which to curate all the things I have collected while filming in far-flung parts of India over the years. If I love something, nothing will stop me getting it home,” she recounts, sharing with gusto the adventure of carrying a vast Bikaner durrie, found while filming at Lakshmi Niwas palace, back to Mumbai where it languished in storage. Now it embellishes the entrance hall, a chorus of soulful reds and oranges under foot, in a room made otherworldly with antique Chinese glass paintings and Pierre Frey wallpaper.

Original text by Cosmo Brockway, edited for context.

Karan and Shilpa Bhagat’s Chic Mumbai Home

In the living area, a work from Olafur Eliasson’s Orbital Forces series is seen on the wall. A painting by Meera Mukherjee is seen in the foreground

Pankaj Anand

Ranjani Shettar’s Moon Dancers (2023) is suspended from the ceiling, and an untitled work by Ram Kumar from 1950 is on the wall. A sculptural head by Akbar Padamsee is on the side table next to an On the Rocks sofa by Edra.

Pankaj Anand

Karan Bhagat remembers the exact date when he fell in love with art. It was 5 November 2024. The founder and CEO of 360 One, an asset and wealth management firm, had agreed to sponsor the second edition of Art Mumbai, the city’s premiere art fair. This kick-started his art collecting journey and in less than a year, Karan and his wife, Shilpa, founder of Fitistan, a community-driven fitness initiative, have built up a modern and contemporary art collection that has become the talk of the town. Like many who move into a new home, the Bhagats sought artworks to fill the walls of their 12,000-square-foot home into which they moved earlier this year. What started as a practical impulse quickly deepened into passion—a growing curiosity that drew them into the world of art connoisseurs, galleries, conversations with artists and the thrill of discovery.

On the wall is Anish Kapoor’s Golden Mirage (2021).

Pankaj Anand

Step out of the elevator and you are greeted by a vibrant pop-art installation of The Beatles leading seamlessly into the living area where a Ranjani Shettar sculpture hangs gracefully from the ceiling. Turning further, the eye is drawn to a Spanish gold-and-red-hued Anish Kapoor disc, creating a journey through the home that feels like a curated exhibition. Modern Indian masters—MF Husain, SH Raza and Akbar Padamsee—converse with contemporary luminaries like Nalini Malani, Subodh Gupta, Alwar Balasubramaniam, Olafur Eliasson, Ai Weiwei, Prabhavathi Meppayil and Soumya Netrabile.

Original text by Gayatri Rangachari Shah, edited for context.

Anamika Khanna’s Timeless Kolkata Home

This sculpture in the living room, composed of brass bells, is by Paresh Maity. Art and artisanal objects occupy every wall and corner of the home.

A towering Burmese teak double door leads into Anamika Khanna’s dining room, where every object vies for attention. Dark walls lend a moody look, despite daytime and ambient lighting. Candles and tuberoses pack vases, and lotus blooms. A monochromatic Jayasri Burman painting spans across one side of the room. The ceiling stands out without even trying, a hand-painted temple relic that Anamika sourced from an art dealer’s collection.

The Khannas are avid art collectors, their picks ranging from Japanese masters to contemporary Indian artists. Seen here are works by Manjot Kaur, Pallavi Sen, Buddhadev Mukherjee, among others.

Art occupies every nook and corner of the house, encompassing different periods and genres. “It’s not just about important artists, but also pieces that we love and feel strongly connected with,” says Anamika. That includes for instance, a stupa carved with 108 Buddhas that she sourced from an antique dealer in Thailand. It stands in the company of a Paresh Maity sculpture composed of brass bells in the living room. Anamika’s son Viraj, an artist, has swelled her collections with more acquisitions. Paintings by the likes of Samir Aich, Dhruvi Acharya, and Siddhartha Kararwal line the walls; anyone taking the stairs finds themselves gazing at dozens of Buddhadev Mukherjee paintings as they ascend. Textile artist Gurjeet Singh’s soft sculptures share space with a smart TV and family photographs. Viraj’s own artworks and fibreglass sculptures are also on display, including the terrace which he has painted.

Original text by Sohini Dey, edited for context.

Dara Mehta’s South Mumbai Apartment

A moment of contemplation awaits at the turn in the passage with Ragpicker as Artist (right), one of KH Ara’s seminal works, and an untitled 1950s work by Akbar Padamsee (centre).

Pankaj Anand

The bedroom door is embedded with FN Souza’s Untitled (Nude with Garters), while a wall near the entrance to the bedroom displays a collection of works, from the early to mid 1950s, of the great masters—VS Gaitonde (top), Tyeb Mehta (centre) and GR Santosh (bottom).

Pankaj Anand

The long drawing room of Dara Mehta’s apartment bears a pristine quietude. The house, located on the second floor of a charming art deco building in Mumbai’s heritage precinct, seems wholly impervious to the bustle of Oval Maidan across the road. The globetrotting, racehorse-loving Mehta, managing director of one of India’s oldest brokering and investment banking firms (Darashaw & Co), has made a departure from convention while doing up his home. “I found myself more inclined towards brass, metal work, tiles, and use of dark-coloured flooring instead of traditional choices such as marble and wooden panelling. My brief to the designers [Neterwala Aibara Interior Architecture] was about creating something unique and different from what we usually see in homes. Somewhere along the way, it evolved into a Soho-meets-Upper-West-Side aesthetic,” says the 52-year-old.

The glass wall that runs along the passage imbues generous breadth to the otherwise long, narrow living room and provides a clear view of a massive Jitish Kallat work spread over two walls. One of FN Souza’s earliest works, done when he was 13 and picked by Mehta at the artist’s estate sale, is placed at the curve of the passage.

Pankaj Anand

Aside from being a visual feast, Mehta’s collection packs an emotional sucker punch for any art fiend who walks in. Right at the entrance to the house, a massive glass wall separates the drawing room and the passage, offering a spectacular view of some of the most impressive works in modern Indian art: an MF Husain hanging above the sofa (that was previously in the ownership of legendary Asian art collector Masanori Fukuoka and that Mehta “chased” for seven years); on a side table, Tyeb Mehta’s bronze work, Two Heads, which recently made the world auction record for a modern Indian sculpture; on a wall near the bar, SH Raza’s legendary Haut de Cagnes; casting intriguing shadows on a wall, Adi Davierwalla’s splendid cruciform installation, Crystal and Gold: Monument to Memory, specially made as a tribute to Homi Bhabha; and Jehangir Sabavala’s venerated masterpiece Vespers I.

Original text by Rajashree Balaram, edited for context.

Malika And Chirayu Amin’s Ancestral Home In Baroda

Another wall of the living room is decorated with a large Bhupen Khakhar artwork, flanked by portraits of the couple—Malika’s by Rekha Rodwittiya and Chirayu’s by a Russian artist. The antique Chinese jar on the left is one of a pair.

The city of Baroda — now called Vadodara — is intricately linked to the history of modern and contemporary art in India. Reflecting this journey is Malika and Chirayu Amin’s ancestral home and their incredible collection of art. Since she bought her first painting—an NS Bendre—at the age of 21, Malika Amin, the well-known art patron, philanthropist and businesswoman, has acquired an incredible museum-worthy collection housed across her various homes, but pride of place goes to the family abode in Baroda (Vadodara), Gujarat. Built over 60 years ago by the visionary architect Anup Kothari, who passed away recently, and who built a number of significant buildings across India in the mid-to-late 20th century, the five-acre home feels more like a resort than a city residence.

The Vadodara home of art collector, patron, and businesswoman Malika Amin and Alembic Chairman Chirayu Amin—just past the entrance is a staircase surrounded by Yera glass plates painted by a number of artists, including Dhruva Mistry, Amit Ambalal, Madhvi Parekh and Jeram Patel, among others. Below is a set of antique furniture; the large artwork is by Subodh Gupta.

The living room walls are chock-a-block with paintings, truly an art lover’s paradise. Here, works by the prolific Bhupen Khakhar abound. “He was a dear friend and a real character,” Malika says fondly of the late artist. While she shared a special rapport with Khakhar, she also had wonderful friendships with various artists developed over the years when she used to host art symposiums and residencies in Baroda. The Amins wanted a living tree in this extension to the living room, but it transformed into this almost petrified state soon after planting and has been like this for the past 20 years. The room is decorated with a bevy of Art Deco furniture. On the far wall are artworks by Bhupen Khakhar (left) and Manjit Bawa. Beyond is the main living room. “When you are entertaining, guests can form nice seating groups; that’s very pleasurable,” says Malika.

Original text by Gayatri Rangachari Shah, edited for context.

Namita And Alex Kuruvilla’s Home At Altamount Road, Mumbai

Custom sofa in green velvet lines one side of the living area; DeMuro Das coffee table in the centre and chaise lounge by Red, Blue & Yellow. On the wall is a selection of modernists: K.H. Ara Nude; Akbar Padamsee charcoal on paper 1993; Francis Newton Souza 1995 acrylic on paper, still life; Francis Newton Souza 1966 oil on canvas, still life. A contemporary Longpi sculpture by Atelier Ashiesh Shah rests on the right side.

Ashish Sahi

Scoring an invitation from Alex and Namita Kuruvilla is like winning the social lottery—you never know whom you may encounter at their Altamount Road home. At any given lunch, cocktail, or dinner soiree, noteworthy writers, economists, artists, architects, actors, and financial heavyweights mingle happily in a quintessentially Mumbai melting pot. Alex, who, till two years ago, headed publishing giant Condé Nast India (of which AD is a part), and Namita, a former advertising executive, enjoy entertaining, hosting family and friends from across the world. Yet after two decades, their four-bedroom apartment, located in a 1960s-era building in South Mumbai’s posh Altamount Road, was in need of renovation. Their daughters, Tara and Rhea, were now grown, and the family’s needs had evolved.

The view from the entrance—the Demi console, in the foreground; dining table in white and rose quartz with an antique bronze base; and Athena dining chairs upholstered in Moss Boucle are all by DeMuro Das. A very sculptural Paul Matter Tryst 6 chandelier in antique brass can be seen over the dining table. Artist Sayan Chanda’s “Mukut (Crown) 2”, 2021, glazed stoneware, rests on the console; Sonia Jose’s 2008 untitled handwoven rug, with “So Much To Say” screen-printed on cotton shreds, is seen on the left.

Ashish Sahi

Their idea was to create a sophisticated, warm space where the interior blended seamlessly with the furniture and art. As Namita, a self-described closet interior decorator, says, “Beautiful design, yes, but a home that would remain as warm and welcoming as it was before.” When it came to picking a design firm, Brian DeMuro and Puru Das clinched the decision. “It was just instinctive,” Namita says. “With Puru and Brian, I met people who had similar sensibilities but also the professional wherewithal.” For New Delhi–based AD100 architects DeMuro Das, who take on interior projects selectively (their furniture business takes up most of their time), Alex’s knowledge of their practice was impressive. “We felt we were speaking to someone who understood what we did and was willing to go along with that,” Das says.

Original text by Gayatri Rangachari Shah, edited for context.

Jaiveer Johal’s Chennai Home

A sculpture by Ravinder Reddy sits sentinel at the entrance to the den. The Eames easy chair is overarched by a 1970s abstraction by SH Raza and a nude by FN Souza. The other bust in the room is a Gandhara-period Buddha, a birthday present to Johal from his mother. The side table is a Faisal Manzur design.

Talib Chitalwala

Ask Jaiveer Johal how he came to be a collector and the Delhi-raised, Chennai-based entrepreneur instantly answers “I’ve done it for as long as I can remember.“ He recalls, as a child, he’d squirrel away pretty things: crystal bowls, beautiful briefcases, silver plates. “If anything ever went missing, people always knew where to find it,” he adds, quickly clarifying that said thieved objects “were limited to the confines of my own home”. Johal’s Chennai home is flanked by the Adyar river on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other, and anchored in a sea of art amidst which he lives in this boldly designed one-bedroom apartment.

The dining room is a monolithic shell enhanced by an artwork from Surendran Nair’s Cuckoonebulopolis progression. Original Nakashima grass-seat chairs sourced from House of Yali surround an ashwood burnt table by Wood’n Design. A column of Deccan palanquin heads, originally used as bookends, graces the entrance wall.

Talib Chitalwala

Johal rotates his art every few months, albeit, as he notes, “It is done with great thought, never flippantly.” The Manish Nai in his bedroom, for example, has been eclipsed in recent weeks by a pensive canvas by Gieve Patel. In the sitting room, where there was once a black Raza, now hangs a vibrant yellow painting by Laxman Shreshtha. And a short way away, a 1968 Sadanand Bakre canvas depicting a London street at twilight contrasts the MV Dhurandhar drawing that came before it. The only place where nothing changes is the bedroom. “I wanted to bring in a sense of stillness and comfort, a feeling of familiarity, of waking up in the same place every day,” he notes.

Original text by Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar, edited for context.

Shalini Passi’s New Delhi Home

The garden designed by Trevor Hiller of One Degree North Landscape Architects, features a 2012 brass, brass-utensil, and steel Buddha by Subodh Gupta.

Shalini Passi, her husband Sanjay, and son Robin, live in a sweeping curve of a home in New Delhi’s posh Golf Links neighbourhood. The house, shaped like a gentle boomerang, overlooks the 220 rolling, bucolic acres of the Delhi Golf Club; on some days you can even hear the whack of a Callaway on the 8th tee. Shalini’s house, however, is anything but bucolic—instead it is astonishing, filled, as it is, with art from floor to ceiling.

On the curved wall of the corridor is Riyas Komu’s 2010 Lost Resonance II, in recycled wood, automotive paint, and iron. A 2006 Ravinder Reddy head is placed right in the middle of the corridor. Mounted on the wall in the distance is a mixed-media work from Anita Dube’s 1999 series titled The Theatre of Sade.

“I’m an artist and always had an eye for art, for meaningful objects,” says Shalini. She’s sitting in the dining room of her home, simple, in a blue cotton dress. The table is groaning under teatime snacks, with tea served in vintage Meissen porcelain (there’s no hostess quite like a Delhi hostess). “I was,” she says, “and always will be obsessive; if I see something beautiful or interesting, I make a note of it, I research it endlessly. I go to museums, scour antique shops, look at fabric, feel the textures of stone, and seek the provenance, and the beauty of an object. One should have an eye for refinement,” she says.

Original text by Nikhil Khanna, edited for context.

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