Dholavira, A Harappan Metropolis: Echoes of the Past, Images of the Present

An alumni of St. Stephen’s College and Delhi School of Economics, Varun Maira completed his M.Phil in Economic Planning from University of Glasgow, U.K. He has held thirteen exhibitions of his photographs in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Panjim. “Maira’s World” series of exhibitions have been extremely popular with viewers and have earned considerable critical acclaim as well as media attention. Varun Maira is a keen landscape photographer. With his highly acclaimed Mandu exhibition, he coined a new terminology of “cultural landscapes”. With Champaner, he has taken this concept further to promote better awareness of India’s rich heritage. Actively involved with theatre during college days, he co-founded Playcart, Ahmedabad’s oldest English language theatre group. He regularly directs and acts in plays and holds theatre workshops. An IAS Officer, Varun Maira is currently working as the Principal Secretary in the Department of Culture in Government of Gujarat. Photography and theatre constitute important forms of artistic expression of a highly creative and sensitive person. It is not surprising that he is often described as being more than just a bureaucrat.