Press Trust of India Air India is in talks with the Ministry of Culture to hand over its priceless art collections for display at the National Gallery of Modern Art in various metros, said officials on Sunday.

Air India is holding consultations with the Ministry of Culture on the matter as the preservation and upkeep of over 2000 artefacts, some of which date back to the ninth century, is of prime concern now, said an official.

The modalities are being worked out for a final decision on the matter, said another Ministry official. Almost all the art work is now housed in the Air India building in Mumbai. The officials said the artefacts could be displayed under a separate Air India pavilion in the National Gallery of Modern Art.

Legendary works

The art collection includes stone sculptures, woodwork, decorative friezes and a collection of exquisite clocks, they said.

The clock collection includes a mantle clock in an ebonised break-arch wood case made in London in 1845. The prized collection includes the works of legendary artists such as MF Husain, Anjolie Ela Menon, Jatin Das, SH Raza, VS Gaitonde and KH Ara.

According to Air India, several of the paintings came under its possession when the artists were not even household names. Artists had also readily used Air India’s unique option to barter flight tickets for their artworks.

Much of the credit for the huge art collection goes to the airline’s founder JRD Tata, who also served as its Chairman. Thanks to his efforts, the art work graced the office walls of Air India in cities such as Paris, London, Rome, Geneva and Cairo, giving a peek into the rich Indian culture to visitors.

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