Vogue India July 2016

116 VOGUE INDIA JULY 2016 http://www.vogue.in

STYLIST: RIA KAMAT. HAIR AND MAKE

-UP: BINA PUNJANI

Thirty years ago, Dipti Salgaocar’s husband,

Dattaraj, presented her a Gaitonde for their

second wedding anniversary. But the young

bride was disappointed. “I’d have preferred

something else; quite frankly, it seemed too

abstract a canvas for a 24-year-old,” she says.

Dipti’s dismay has since been revised to delight.

After all, the strength of that Gaitonde work

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a way no jewel might match (museums across

the world beg to borrow it for key shows).

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met his wife in a South Mumbai high-rise: just

as he had glimpsed in Gaitonde promise and

merit, he caught in Dipti an enduring worth, a

connubial quality. They possess complimenta-

ry strengths: Raj has a sparkling intellect, and

enough verbal charm to diffuse a hostage situ-

ation, while Dipti is sincere to a fault and

ÀHUFHO\OR\DOto the ones she loves. A courtship

ensued, and a few years later they were mar-

ried and had two children, Vikram and Isheta.

But a decade ago, they had a different kind of

progeny—an arts institution, Sunaparanta

(full disclosure: I preside on its board).

“I always wanted to serve the arts in Goa,”

Raj tells me at their home in Vasco over tea.

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institution founded to provide a platform for

art and artists; they also run DÀOPFOXEDQG

multiple workshops for local students. Their

curatorial programme and the two-year-old

annual festival, Sensorium, are well known.

Under his watch, the programming has in-

cluded shows by Dayanita Singh, Vasco Arau-

jo, Julian Opie and Sooni Taraporevala and

performances by Nikhil Chopra. The centre

has also established meaningful partnerships

with the arts wing of the British Council and

Gulbenkian Foundation. Most recently, at Su-

naparanta, the author and historian William

Dalrymple made his sold-out solo debut as a

visual artist, and an upcoming exhibition with

Roger Ballen aims to show the South African

superstar photographer’s new works for the

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The couple splits their time between Mum-

bai and Goa, which allows them to discreetly

funnel the vigour and steam of a big city to the

elegant, calm canvas of Goa. It’s no wonder,

then, that the advisory board of New York’s

MoMA invited Raj to be part of its internation-

al council. Pouring me a cup of tea, Dipti says,

“You’re giving my husband way too much

credit!” She directs the attention to Isheta,

who advises on programmes at Sunaparanta.

“While working for the American talk show

host Charlie Rose, Isheta interacted with art-

ists like Jeff Koons and Kevin Spacey. When

she came home to Goa, her world view was al-

ready broad. Naturally, I was thrilled she de-

cided to get on the saddle at Sunaparanta!”

she says. Indeed, as executive producer of Sen-

sorium, Isheta has helped engineer associa-

tions that brought galleries like Vadehra and

Jhaveri Contemporary, and their roster of top-

notch artists, to Goa.

GREATER GOOD

Here I slip in an arguably unfair claim some-

times levied on the institution. Couldn’t de-

tractors slight Sunaparanta as eyewash or a

small arts centre run by a major-league busi-

Time and t ide

in

DOUBLES

The Salgaocars

at their non-profit

arts institution,

Sunaparanta

Photographed by FARROKH CHOTHIA

Splitting their time between the varied charms of

Mumbai and Goa, and devoted to their non-profit

arts centre, Sunaparanta, DIPTI and DATTARAJ

SALGAOCAR make 30 years of marriage look smooth

sailing, says SIDDHARTH DHANVANT SHANGHVI

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