Delhi proves to be the capital of creativity

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The cultural city of Delhi is also the creative capital of the country. The city has emerged as the ‘creative capital’ in an index that measures talent, tolerance and technology for all states and UTs. The creativity index is compiled by the Institute for Competitiveness, the Indian chapter of a collaborative effort between Harvard Business School and the Martin Prosperity Institute, Canada. The ‘creative’ occupational groups include people employed in management, finance, law, healthcare, science, engineering, architecture, design, education, arts, music and entertainment.
According to artists, from the time of the Mughals, all forms of arts found patronage here and thrived and that tradition continues till today. “Be it fine arts, theatre, music, dance, photography and even new age experimental arts, all find ready audience here,” says contemporary artist Niladri Paul, who feels that along with a great audience, the creative community here is encouraging towards each other. But what makes Delhi the centre that the creative lot choose to call their home?
“Now even the boundaries between the various art forms are blurring and merging together. So, you have live paintings in music concerts or dance performances, or fashion shows seamlessly flowing into another art form. I would say, it’s a happy co-existence and gives emergence to new life and vitality to all kinds of creativity,” he says.
The creative community knows that well and is making the most of it, says advertising professional Shikha Davassar. The 27-year-old takes up short film projects on various youth-related issues. “I have worked in Mumbai and Kolkata before and both the cities are culturally rich. But it was only after coming to Delhi three years back that I met so many like-minded people and started various creative projects,” she says.
An engineer by training, Delhi boy Shitij Malhotra says that the city offers much ground for experiments and adventure. The young techie who also has patents for a few medical devices one fine day felt that technology is not what he wants to take further. Instead, Shitij, along with partner Priyanka Prabhakar, an MBA and digital advertising expert, runs a creative gaming concept for kids called Traveller Kids. The duo left their “happy and fun jobs” to follow their passion for travel and entrepreneurship. After every international trip, Shitij, a globetrotter, would have a detailed answering session with his nieces and nephews on what he got to see in the new country he travelled to. “Everybody wants to travel and see the world — most can’t, due to social, financial or school pressures. I devised an interactive package to explore the world while sitting at home,” he informs.