India Inc and leading artists come together for a cause

Renowned artists and leaders are uniting to create artworks writes Ritika Kochhar

When Kapil Dev’s NGO, Khushii (Kinship for Humanitarian, Social and Holistic Intervention), held its first “India on Canvas” charity art auction in 2006, it included a painting jointly made by Ratan Tata, who was then the chairman of Tata Sons, and artist Laxman Shrestha. The auctioneers started the bidding for the artwork at Rs 19 lakh, but the bidding war rapidly escalated till the price of the painting reached Rs 60 lakh. At this point, the person bidding on behalf of Tata Sons promptly put down his paddle. The painting finally went to the understandably smug ITC representative for Rs