Archive · 12 Nov 2025
Akshata Murty Connects Mysore Silk Saree to Heritage at V&A
Imagine a special silk cloth made a very long time ago in a place called Mysore, India.
It's so beautiful that a museum in London, called the Victoria & Albert Museum, has it on display.
A woman named Akshata Murty, who has a connection to Mysore and also works at the museum, chose this special cloth for a project.
She sees it as more than just an old piece of fabric.
It reminds her of her childhood visits to Mysore and connects her to the people who still make these beautiful silk sarees today.
Akshata wants to show that old crafts are not just dusty things in museums, but living traditions that tell stories about where we come from.
She feels proud of this heritage and shares it with the world.
Akshata Murty, a V&A Museum trustee, features a Mysore silk saree from 1867 in her project 'Stories + 10 Objects'.
The saree connects Murty's childhood memories of Mysore with the living legacy of the region's silk industry.
Mysore silk sarees, known for their sheen and zari borders, were historically worn by royalty.
Murty aims to present traditional crafts as vibrant dialogues between generations, not just museum relics.
The project highlights how craftsmanship and heritage can transcend borders and time.
- Who
- Akshata Murty, entrepreneur, designer, and V&A Museum trustee
- What
- Highlighting a 1867 Mysore silk saree as part of her project 'Stories + 10 Objects' at the Victoria & Albert Museum, connecting it to her childhood and Indian heritage.
- When
- The saree dates back to 1867; Akshata Murty's project is ongoing.
- Where
- London's Victoria & Albert Museum and Mysore, India (heritage connection).
- Why
- To showcase craftsmanship transcending geography and time, making heritage feel alive and connecting traditional crafts with global perspectives and personal identity.
Traditional View
Modern Perspective
Museum Artifacts
Traditional View
Museum pieces are primarily for preservation and historical study, kept behind glass.
Modern Perspective
Museum artifacts can be living connections to heritage, inspiring contemporary expression and understanding.
Cultural Expression
Traditional View
Traditional crafts are important but best appreciated in their original context.
Modern Perspective
Traditional crafts can be integrated into modern life, symbolizing identity and bridging cultures.
- Featured Artefact
- Mysore silk saree from 1867
- Museum
- Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Akshata Murty's Project
- Stories + 10 Objects
- Saree Origin
- Mysore, Karnataka, India
- Industry Connection
- Mysore silk industry still employs thousands
- Historical Context
- Once reserved for royalty under the Wodeyar dynasty