Eminent art historian and educator Dr. Kavita Singh, former professor at the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, passed away on July 30 after a brave battle with cancer.
Dr. Kavita Singh (1964-2023) was one of the most remarkable and influential art historians of our times. Kavita was associated with the School of Arts and Aesthetics (SAA) at JNU, where she taught since it was founded in 2001 up until a few months back. At SAA, she taught courses on the history of Indian painting and the history and politics of museums in South Asia.
Dr. Singh obtained a BA in English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi, in 1985 and an MFA in Art History from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara in 1987. She completed her Ph.D. in art history at Panjab University, Chandigarh, in 1996. She later joined as a visiting Lecturer at the College of Art, New Delhi, from 1989 to 1991 and taught at the National Institute of Fashion Technology from 1991 to 1997. She was part of the Marg Publications from 2000 to 2001 as a research editor.
In 2001, she joined the SAA as an assistant professor and later got appointed as its dean in 2017, a position in which she served for two years. In 2018, Kavita was awarded the Infosys Prize in Humanities for her extraordinary study of Mughal, Rajput, and Deccan Art as well as her insightful writings on the functions and roles of museums.
I was introduced to Kavita’s work on museums in India when I opted for the optional paper on ‘Archives and Museum’ during my undergraduate studies at Delhi University. Her paper A Public Failure? Museums and Audiences in India was probably the first academic paper that I read, and in retrospect, it was at this moment, I decided to explore the domain of history further as a historian in training.
Kavita had an exceptional command of scholarship and provided deep and original insights into paintings and the issues with the institution of museums. Her writings made art history accessible to a majority of students and enthusiasts.
A scholar who spoke truth to power
When I started ‘Karwaan: The Heritage Exploration Initiative’ in September 2019, the first person that came to my mind to be invited for a session was Kavita Singh. I wanted her to speak on (strangely enough) Nandlal Bose and the paintings of the Indian Constitution. That wish of hosting Kavita on Karwaan came true on April 29, 2020, when she delivered one of our first Karwaan online lectures on ‘Understanding Mughal Potraits’, a day I can never forget. After the lecture, she suggested scholars who can be hosted on our platform.
Dr. Kavita Singh (centre).
She was amongst the rare kind of scholars – scholars who had the spine to speak out whenever necessary and who stood by their beliefs. She spoke out when things started deteriorating at JNU. While accepting the Infosys Prize, she said, “We never had much money or facilities, but we had excellent colleagues and academic freedom. Today, things are bad; things are comically bad in my institutional home. How bad you may ask? After I came to Bengaluru, I checked my e-mail and found that the leave application I had put in to come here and receive the award had been rejected by my vice-chancellor. So please be warned that my presence on this stage today is illegitimate.”
She stood for what was right and just, never afraid of speaking out about injustices. Kavita also was a champion of academic freedom and had hosted historian Audrey Truschke for a lecture in JNU despite threats.
Apart from being an internationally respected scholar on miniature paintings and museum studies, Kavita was an exceptional human being. One of the kindest, sweetest, and most brilliant persons I have known. She was always up for her students and friends. She was always very encouraging and supportive to all. I was never taught by Dr. Kavita Singh formally in a classroom, but all my interactions and conversations with her were deeply enriching and enlightening. I was always in awe of her brilliance.
Also read: Kavita Singh’s Inspiring Research – and Memories of Her Unwavering Kindness – Will Live On
To anyone who is new to the world of art or art history, any writing or article by Kavita Singh or any lecture of hers on YouTube can make you fall in love with the discipline. I was always very envious of my friends who were students of Kavita at JNU but made up for it by attending her lectures online on various occasions in the last few years. Her scholarship always provided a deep insight into one or the other underappreciated aspects of a painting that she was talking about.
In April 2023, I reached out to her to deliver the inaugural Karwaan Keynote in Delhi to which she responded promptly. Just a fortnight ago, on July 15, Kavita delivered the inaugural Karwaan Keynote. The hall was jampacked. Everyone wanted to listen to Dr. Kavita Singh talk about Kashi Ramayana, a lesser-known but magnificent manuscript-illustration project of the 18th-19th century from Varanasi. She was not well and informed us to arrange a table and a chair on stage but notwithstanding anything she delivered her lecture at her best for almost an hour, followed by a Q&A round.
She was one of the bravest and the most resilient of us all. Her presentation was received by a massive round of applause and a standing ovation from everyone in the audience. She mentioned to me how happy she was around friends and students and she was still thinking of finishing a writing project for the Museum of Photography in Bangalore.
A student of SAA remarked that it was as if she was taking a class at the SAA. That day was truly memorable, I got to spend a few unforgettable moments with a true scholar, who was so passionately dedicated to her craft. Kavita was always so appreciative and encouraging. When she entered the auditorium that day, she asked me, “I am sure you have got 48 hours in a day?”
The news of her passing came as a sudden shock. The loss of a friend, erudite scholar, fighter, and activist, Dr. Kavita Singh, is a personal loss to a lot of us. I will always remember her generosity, kindness, and that contagious smile of Kavita. Her grace, knowledge, humility, and brilliance were unmatched. We have lost one of the best and true scholars. No words can justify what Kavita meant to us as a mentor, friend, and scholar.
Adieu Kavita, you will be dearly missed. My heart breaks as I write this.
Eshan Sharma is the founder of Karwaan: The Heritage Exploration Initiative.