2025 has already been a year of firsts for me — and for botanical art in India.
In January, six fellow artists and I came together to register the country’s very first Indian Botanical Art Society (IBAS). What began as conversations about our shared love for plants and art has now grown into an official platform that supports, nurtures, and showcases botanical artists across India. Becoming a founding member of IBAS has been a deeply meaningful step in my journey, one that ties my personal practice to something much larger — a community and a movement.
Later in May, IBAS hosted its first exhibition — Botanical Art Worldwide 2025 (BAWW). This global initiative celebrates the diversity of plant life, with exhibitions held simultaneously in different countries. Each edition is centred around a shared theme, and in 2025, the focus was Crop Diversity.
For India, this was a milestone: our very first participation in BAWW, and our first exhibition as a newly formed society. It was also a celebration of plants that have nourished us, sustained our traditions, and shaped our culture.
For my submission, I chose Lawsonia inermis — known to most of us as henna or mehendi. While not a food crop, it has been cultivated for centuries in India and carries cultural significance that extends beyond its practical uses. From rituals and weddings to everyday adornment, it has left its green imprint on countless hands and traditions. Painting it for BAWW felt symbolic — like placing a piece of our heritage into a global conversation on crop diversity.
As part of the organizing team, I witnessed firsthand the dedication, talent, and energy that poured into this exhibition. Seeing visitors pause in front of the works — curious, moved, sometimes even surprised — reminded me why such platforms matter. Botanical art isn’t just about drawing plants; it’s about awareness, conservation, and cultural connection.
What made this moment even more surreal was that, while IBAS was hosting BAWW in India, one of my Diploma works — a cabbage painting — was simultaneously being exhibited at the SBA’s Mall Galleries in London. Two exhibitions, two continents, both close to my heart.
IBAS is still at the beginning of its journey, but this first step has shown just how much is possible. My hope is that through this society, we continue to build opportunities for artists, open doors for learning, and create more spaces — both in India and internationally — where botanical art can flourish.
This is just the start of something much bigger, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.
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