Dakshina Dvaraka Foundation

About the Foundation

The Dakshina Dvaraka Foundation was founded by Dr. Sushruti Santhanam in 2015. It is a collective endeavour of like-minded people who see the Indian aesthetic experience as something that reaches beyond conventional art to encompass all of living culture; who believe that common people’s mastery of weaving aesthetics into everyday life has always been the basis of social identity in this civilization. Towards this, DDF houses research in performing arts and crafts, archival work, supports communities of traditional artists and artisans, and mentors younger researchers who work with traditional creative communities.

Our Members

Dr. Sushruti Santhanam brings together three very different worlds of inquiry and practice with a doctoral degree in History, a deep and long engagement with artists and artisan communities across India and her own Carnatic music practice since early years. She has trained intensively as a vocalist in Carnatic music in the rigorous Gurukula system under her mother Sangita Kalanidhi Smt. R. Vedavalli, and currently performs and teaches in the city of Pune. With degrees in Sociology and Journalism, besides a PhD in History and backed by more than 2 decades of field ethnography studying Indian arts and crafts as knowledge systems, her special focus is on the form and use of 'tradition' by Indian knowledge practitioners. Sushruti and her team at DDF are currently immersed in an initiative of reviving local craft through cultural memory, among the Bugun community in Arunachal Pradesh.

Dr. Sushruti Santhanam

Director, Founder

Dr. Sushruti Santhanam

Director, Founder

Sachin is a practicing museum and experience designer, installation artist, collector of objects/materials, archivist, pedagogue, researcher, and an aspiring storyteller. His Delhi-based maker’s studio serves as a research lab, where making becomes an initiator for design thinking, exploring the intersection of craft, tradition, and innovation. Since 2013, his studio has also evolved into a formal archive of material culture, curating a diverse collection of materials, objects, and tools that blend both traditional and contemporary elements. Since 2012, Sachin has been a regular visiting faculty member at prestigious institutions like NID, Ahmedabad, and IIAD, Delhi, where he shares his practice-based expertise. Sachin’s ongoing work focuses on helping individuals and communities reconnect with their cultural and ecological roots through sensory engagement and the revival of cultural memory. He uses his pedagogical expertise, making-centric journeys, and Storyeums as mediums to rejuvenate cultural memory and practices, especially within India’s tribal and craft communities.

Sachin Sachar

Lead Design Strategist

Sachin Sachar

Lead Design Strategist

Sowmya is a dedicated educator with over 25 years of experience in teaching Carnatic Music to children. Her passion for the arts extends beyond music, encompassing dance, visual arts, and crafts. Sowmya firmly believes in immersing herself in cultural experiences and actively practices this philosophy. She thrives on engaging with renowned figures in these fields and has honed the intricate art of Kolam through keen observation and diligent practice, a tradition rooted in her South Indian heritage.

Sowmya Jayabharathwaj

Director

Sowmya Jayabharathwaj

Director

Thara Vadakkath holds a postgraduate degree in History from Pune University. With extensive experience in archiving, coordinating, and administering projects, she has a profound interest in oral traditions, history, and Indian arts. She has been trained in Carnatic music and currently learns Bharatanatyam.

Thara Vaddakath

Lead Administrator

Thara Vaddakath

Lead Administrator

Goh Bugun Project