B. Prabha

The early 1960s were an optimistic time of achievement in technology and industry resulting in a period of rapid growth after the end of the Second World War. The launch of Sputnik in 1957 and the following rocket-age propelled the imagination towards an interconnected world as Air India with its first Boeing 707 jet began transatlantic services to far-flung destinations like New York in 1960. To commemorate such historic moments in their corporate history, Air India commissioned artists to create site specific works in their offices across the globe. This present 1965 work is B. Prabha’s largest (at approximately 8.5 by 16 feet) and arguably most important painting.

In the mid-20th century, Prabha was one of the very few Indian women artists to gain recognition and in 1956, a year after completing her diploma in at the Sir J. J. School of Art in painting and mural painting, she walked into Air India’s art department and enquired if they would purchase her works. Mostly depicting graceful, rural women performing a plethora of daily activities, Air India bought six paintings from Prabha for the princely sum of Rs 87.50. These were the very first art purchases made by the company and the "Maharajah Collection" as it was later referred to, was born. Over the next six decades, the collection expanded to over 4000 works and became one of India's most important art collections and corporate collections to date.