Bengaluru: Brigade Foundation today marked the commencement of the much-anticipated restoration work of Venkatappa Art Gallery with an auspicious puja in the esteemed presence of Shri. H. K. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation, and Tourism, Government of Karnataka; Smt. Salma K. Fahim, IAS Secretary, Tourism, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Ram Prasath Manohar, IAS. Director Tourism; Shri Devaraju A., KAS. Commissioner, Dept of Archaeology, Museums & Heritage; Shri. M. R. Jaishankar, Executive Chairman, Brigade Group and Lifetime Trustee, Brigade Foundation, and other distinguished representatives from the Government of Karnataka, and Trustees of the Brigade Foundation. This initiative is further to the MOU signed between Brigade Group and the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage in the presence of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah and Shri M R Jaishankar in September 2023.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri. H. K. Patil, Hon’ble Minister for Law & Parliamentary Affairs, Legislation, and Tourism, Government of Karnataka said, “I am delighted that, just over two and a half months after the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the government of Karnataka and Brigade Foundation, the work has commenced. We are confident that Brigade will successfully complete the restoration work by Dussehra, as expressed by them. In Karnataka, there are over 25,000 monuments, but only 800 have been officially notified. The remaining 24,000 odd monuments are yet to be notified for protection and restoration under the Adopt a Monument initiative by the Government. Our objective is to cover at least 5,000 monuments in the next five years, and we encourage corporates to come forward and participate in these projects. This collective effort will contribute to the preservation of the state’s rich heritage. Today marks a promising start to the Government of Karnataka’s objective in restoring and preserving the rich heritage of the State.”
“The Karnataka government remains dedicated to the restoration of the state’s heritage sites through effective public-private partnerships and will employ this model to revitalize numerous monuments across the region. Venkatappa, an acclaimed artist in Karnataka, plays a crucial role in the state’s artistic heritage. The government’s decision to restore the Venkatappa Art Gallery in the city in association with Brigade Group through the PPP model is a significant stride in preserving this legacy. It is an ambitious goal that Brigade Group has set to finish the gallery restoration before Dussehra, and I express my best wishes for the success of the project.” Said, Smt. Salma K. Fahim, IAS Secretary, Tourism, Government of Karnataka
In his address, Shri. M R Jaishankar, Executive Chairman, Brigade Group said, “It is a matter of privilege & pride for us to take up the restoration work at the Venkatappa Art Gallery in consultation with the State department. The goal is to restore the gallery’s historical appeal while also giving it new landscaping with a fresh and updated look. I have full confidence that the revitalized gallery will make a significant contribution to enhancing the existing rich history of art & culture in Karnataka. The restoration work is set to complete in the next ten months.”
This renovation work of Venkatappa Art Gallery is in line with the objective of Brigade Foundation, the CSR arm of the Brigade Group, to help promote community development and Art & Culture in the state. The restoration work will include repairing the museum’s infrastructure including civil repairs, public amenities and enhancing gallery displays as per required standards to help preserve artworks. It will also include improving external landscaping. All this will be done while retaining the museum’s original character.
