The event was moderated by Dr. Michael Weber, Associate Dean of the Business School, and attended by 80 guests which included MBA students, faculty, friends of the Council, and community members. A networking reception was followed by a short clip from the Discovery Channel’s documentary, Revealed: Humayun’s Tomb and a clip from the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) restoration of the Tomb and the Nizamuddin Basti Urban Renewal project.
Mr. Singh, Consul General of India, recognized the work of the Aga Khan Development Network in piloting India’s first public-private partnership (PPP) for cultural heritage. He shared that in the past, the Indian government’s focus had been on the livelihood of its people, and not on culture and heritage. The restoration of Humayun’s Tomb was the first time architecture, culture, education, healthcare and government agencies came together to restore a heritage site that benefited local people and had “a positive impact on the surrounding communities and industries at large.”
The Consul General spoke of the scale of the project and that the team AKTC put together was very impressive, because bringing people together for the first time requires “learning how to cooperate, how to participate together. India was new to that and the Indian Federal Government, the overseeing body, was particularly new to that." He added that “because of the success of this project, other such partnerships have been established throughout India.” Mr. Singh said “I am very grateful to the Aga Khan Foundation for their integrity and their partnership,” and that “I have worked with many NGO’s but AKF is the most professional organization”
A panelist, Dr. Vijaya Subrahmanyam, Professor of Finance, talked about the role of culture in business and how economic development affects business development. She discussed the concept of PPPs and philanthropy, and the role of commerce in participating in socially responsible projects. She shared that “culture provides a sense of unity for the people and a sense of identity of shared history and vision. It engenders trust and makes people committed to the area.” She also commented on the impact of “cultural tourism” on the economy and emphasized the role of private companies in creating infrastructure such as, roads and parks surrounding the restored monuments, which will also improve the company’s bottom line.
Dr. Arnab Nayak, Assistant Professor of Economics, shared his views on the socio-economic and financial aspects of PPPs and the macro-economic impact of the Humayun’s Tomb restoration on the people of Delhi.
The Council had a table set up with AKTC and Humayun’s Tomb books and products from AKTC’s self-help group project, Insha e Noor made by the women of the Nizamuddin Basti. The scarves, Sanjhi paper art, embroidered products with motifs from Mughal architecture provided a tangible tool for sharing the connection between culture and economics.
