Continuing with their passion & quest for unique ventures Purrshottam Bhaggeria & Pavan Malhotra have conceptualized, written & published another stupendous coffee table book – "Elite Collectors of Modern & Contemporary Indian Art". The duo had earlier embarked onto a journey less traversed "Elite Clubs of India" - an ode to the legacy of Clubs. Both authors have now entered another private domain, the exclusive world of discerning art collectors and their eclectic collection.

Hidden behind the bright colours and bold strokes of the modern Indian art movement & the contemporary art creations is the unstained patronage of passionate collectors, Call them patrons or call them connoisseurs, but they are rare people who go beyond being merely collectors of art… thus making a silent contribution to India’s artistic heritage.
This first of its kind book is a unique collection of profiles of 25 living and 2 late pioneer Art Collectors of Indian Modern & Contemporary Art from all over the globe. The legacy of their genius in professional life is well known but their persona sans the glamour and their passion & raison-detre for collecting enduring masterpieces of legendary modern & contemporary artists is hardly ever explored. Collectively, the profiles form the mosaic of the larger story – the story of the always evolving & metamorphosing Indian Art and its remarkable patrons. The book highlights the collectors definitive aesthetic vision, deep-rooted philanthropy, support & commitment to Indian art and artists. The book also showcases selected & favourite works of art of each collector,a collection which reflects the discerning eye & eclectic tastes of its owners.

Over the years, a lot of books and printed materials have been written and published on Indian Art, as a subject, its history and also on the artists who have evolved over time. However, there has never been an effort to recognize the patrons and Collectors of Indian Art. Since India has emerged as the hub of art renaissance where patronage, now also includes a new class of young collectors, this book salutes the pioneers and is a doorway into the mystical world of discerning collectors of Modern & Contemporary Indian Art.” says Purrshottam Bhaggeria who exudes the curiosity & enthusiasm of a young man, yet he surprises you with his tenacity & focus. Entrepreneur, industrialist & an avid art collector, this MBA from Cornell University, USA, is the Joint Managing Director of Filatex India Ltd., a

Synthetic yarn manufacturing company. Purrshottam is also involved in real estate development, luxury retailing and capital markets and has personal interest in heritage reservation, golf and philanthropy. A life enthusiast who never loses perspective of the ground realities of life, his penchant for creativity and aesthetics inspired him to initiate this unique coffee table book.

There is a mystical joy in discovering what was tucked away for so long… the story being told here is not only of a rare and precious breed, but also of a renaissance. Perhaps the story may serve as a point of departure for the reader’s own meditations on the inscrutable relationship between price & value as well as an introduction to the mysteries of collecting. Art collection is like an addiction. The hunt… the chase… the deal… the high ! The choice of the artist and works are strongly redolent of the preferences, tastes and idiosyncrasies of the collector. The book seeks to immortalize those moments that are embedded in the collector’s psyche,” reveals Pavan Malhotra who has the intrinsic passion to put the impossibles together & strikes with his swagger and an eagerness to rebuke convention, Entrepreneur, author, connoisseur, aesthetic glutton… Malhotra’s creative impulse leaves its imprint on everything he does. He is well known for his several ground breaking firsts and exclusives in all facets of media & entertainment business-satellite channels, music, events, films & publishing. His pioneering vision led to the launch of the first ever Punjabi satellite channel & as its Managing Director & co-founder he created a trend-setting wave leading to the influx of niche channels in the country. His name was also synonymous with the music business. He initiated concepts still followed by the industry and introduced many artistes & event companies. He is also in the ‘Limca Book of Records’. This exclusive book has a signature of his profound aesthetic sensibilities and his irreducible appetite for innovation.

This first ever book on Collectors of Modern & Contemporary art is published by Elite Media Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. Rich in anecdote and lavishly illustrated this authoritative book is being released as a Limited Edition Collector’s item, Numbered & Slip Cased. It is printed on Gruppo Cordenons – Natural Evolution Ivory Paper from Italy.

The book opens a window onto a world of passionate collectors, distinguished by a rather charming obsession, while introducing to the readers their eclectic and never seen before collection. It is crafted with precision, grit & endless passion and will certainly be hailed as an enduring object art - Indulge !