Jagdish Mittal, a 99-year-old Padma Shri awardee, has turned his Hyderabad residence into the Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Museum of Indian Art, housing over 2,000 exquisite artifacts dating from 1 BCE to 1900 CE. Each piece bears its unique journey, vividly recounted by Mittal himself.

Founded in 1976 with his wife Kamla, the museum defies convention: nothing is permanently on display. Instead, artifacts are kept safely in storage and revealed to visitors on a personalized basis. This intimate, tactile experience allows one to truly "feel" the art.

Mittal’s journey began in his youth in Shantiniketan, inspired by craftsmen at work. One iconic moment came in 1946, when he purchased a Kantha stitch from a fisherman—this humble find later featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

For Mittal, art is not static history—it’s living memory. Through his unwavering devotion, generations can now experience India’s cultural heritage within his very home.