Deepanjana Klein
Director of Acquisitions and Development, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA)
A distinguished art historian with a Ph.D. in Indian Art History from De Montfort University, England, Deepanjana has more than a decade of experience as the International Head of Modern and Contemporary and Classical Indian and Southeast Asian Art at Christie’s. Her passion for public institutions and collection building has led to collaborations between Christie’s and major institutions, including The MET. She has hosted numerous successful collaborative events and strengthened institutional relationships. She is the recipient of several awards, including a grant from the Mellon Foundation (ArtStor) for her photographic documentation of the Ellora cave temples. Klein's leadership at KNMA has been instrumental in expanding the museum's collection and fostering international collaborations. Notably, she was part of the team that contributed to the KNMA's participation in the 2023 Venice Biennale's 'Mnemonic' project, highlighting the museum's role in postcolonial cultural narratives.
In 2024, under her strategic leadership, the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) made several landmark additions to its collection. One of the most notable acquisitions was an 18th-century miniature painting by British artist Thomas Daniell, procured at AstaGuru’s ‘Historic Masterpieces’ auction. Believed to be the earliest known visual representation of cricket in India, the 1792 artwork offers a rare and romanticised glimpse into colonial Madras (now Chennai), capturing the sport at a time when it was first taking root in the subcontinent.
View original pages, photographs & credits
Originally published in Museum Mosaic 2024, published May 2025.
Part of our annual review. Descriptions reflect the publication’s reporting period.
