Industrialist and art aficionado Anand Mahindra talks about the goals of the group’s cultural outreach activities, and the enduring importance of the arts and humanities
Industrialist Anand Mahindra talks about his affiliation with the arts
Our cultural outreach activities have a dual goal — to effect a positive change in society through art and culture while ensuring strategic relevance to our businesses. ANAND MAHINDRA, INDUSTRIALIST AND ART AFICIONADO
What role do arts play in the commercial world? Industralist Anand Mahindra says it’s the arts that form a strong foundation of any industry, and allow it to thrive. In a conversation, the art aficionado talks about the need to introduce festivals that promote Indian art and culture.
Why do you feel it’s important for corporate organisations to invest in promoting culture and keep strengthening the engagement?
Each of our cultural outreach activities has a unique positioning — be it the geography it’s located in, the art form and content it enhances or the target audience it aims to reach. There is a lot to learn from the humanities and the arts, and I strongly believe these have an important role to play in any organisation.
What was the thought behind Mahindra Open Sky festival?
Our cultural outreach activities have a dual goal — to effect a positive change in society through art and culture while ensuring strategic relevance to our businesses. Mahindra Open Sky offers a unique blend of culture and adventure to 500 thrill-seekers. It also provides attendees with a fortuitous opportunity to experience various facets of our business, including our vehicles, our hospitality and our cultural outreach.
Why did you choose the desert as the destination for this festival?
The desert lends itself wonderfully to the off-roading activities planned for that weekend — dune-bashing to mini expeditions in SUVs from our company. Musically, too, the openness of the desert is an ideal location for listening to the carefully curated music sessions, which are quite unlike other festivals in the region.
How do you ensure that the curated festivals don’t just showcase India in an exotic light but also present its true art and culture?
It’s evident from this year’s Mahindra Open Sky programme that it is an eclectic mix of new and emerging talent, straddling multiple genres. Through Mahindra Kabira we find expressions of Kabir’s poetry in multiple forms – be it folk, classical and even pop. Mahindra Blues is by definition a celebration of a genre with its roots in America, but the Mahindra Blues Band Hunt reveals Indian talent and offers a unique platform. Finally, Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards has brought unknown theatre groups from small-town India into the limelight in the nation’s Capital.