Rajeev Sethi, Indian designer and art curator
Indian designer and art curator

Rajeev Sethi

Born 24 May 1949 · Delhi

Designed the Asian Games Village in New Delhi for the 1982 Asian Games.

Rajeev Sethi is an Indian designer, scenographer and art curator.

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A detail that
surprised us

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In 1960, Rajeev Sethi transformed nightlife in Delhi by designing its very first discotheque, the Cellar at Regal Building, Connaught Place.

The Story

1
🎨 In 1960, Rajeev Sethi designed Delhi's first discotheque, Cellar at Regal Building, Connaught Place, marking an early fusion of design and nightlife in India.
2
🌍 During the 1970s, Sethi studied graphic art in Paris on a scholarship, working under Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17 and collaborating with Pierre Cardin on the Laboratoire d’Idées exhibition.
3🏛️ In 1995, he founded the Asian Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Indian artisans and preserving cultural heritage through design initiatives.
4✈️ By 2014, Sethi had designed and curated the Jaya He GVK New Museum at Mumbai's Terminal 2 airport, covering 3 km with 80,000 sq ft of wall space showcasing India’s cultural diversity.

🏅 Awards & Honours

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Padma Shri

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1985, Sethi designed three exhibitions for the Festival of India in the U.S., including MELA! and Amrr, collaborating with the Smithsonian Institution, which introduced Indian art to an American audience on a grand scale.

📸 Through the Years

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🗓️ A Life in Moments

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Birth
Birth in Delhi to freedom fighter parents
Rajeev Sethi was born in Delhi to Krishna Sethi, a member of Delhi’s first Legislative Assembly, and Kishorilal Sethi, a businessman and poet.
1949
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Career
Designed Delhi’s first discotheque
At age 11, Sethi designed the Cellar at Regal Building, Connaught Place, pioneering modern nightlife design in Delhi.
1960
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Education
Studied and worked in Paris
Sethi studied graphic art on scholarship and trained with Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17, and worked at Pierre Cardin’s studio.
c.1970
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Career
Designed VIP lounge at Delhi International Airport
Sethi created the VIP Lounge at Delhi International Airport, blending functional design with aesthetic appeal.
1984
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Award
Awarded Padma Bhushan
Received India’s third highest civilian award for his contributions to design and art.
1986
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Career
Founded Asian Heritage Foundation
Established a nonprofit to support Indian artisans and promote cultural heritage through design projects.
1995
🏅
Award
Received Order of Merit from Germany
Honored by the State of Lower Saxony for his design of the Basic Needs Pavilion at Hannover Expo 2000.
2001
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Career
Opened Jaya He GVK New Museum in Mumbai Airport
Curated an expansive museum at the new Terminal 2, spanning 3 km with 80,000 sq ft of cultural exhibits.
2014
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🗝️Discoveries

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01 / 04
👤PERSONAL

Sethi worked under Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris, a studio famous for innovative printmaking techniques, during his formative years in the 1970s.

02 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

The Jaya He GVK New Museum covers 3 kilometers and features 80,000 square feet of wall space, making it one of the largest airport-based museums in the world.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He designed the Basic Needs Pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, which earned him the Order of Merit from Lower Saxony in 2001.

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🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Dilli Dil Se with Rajeev Sethi

🌱 What changed because of them

Rajeev Sethi redefined Indian design by bridging traditional crafts with contemporary aesthetics, notably through his creation of the Asian Heritage Foundation, which empowered artisans nationwide. His curation of the Jaya He GVK New Museum at Mumbai's airport set a new standard for cultural representation in public spaces, influencing heritage preservation and design in India and abroad. As a founding member of INTACH, his efforts helped institutionalize conservation practices in the country.

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