India Art Fair launches with the official opening dinner at Shalini Passi's residence

The 17th edition of the India Art Fair kicks off again this year with an official party at Delhi-based art collector's home. In the spirit of true artist, and philanthropist, Shalini Passi proudly hosts this year again the official event aimed at igniting love for art, conversations, share insights, and imagine the future of contemporary art, and very appropriately art literally fills every nook and corner of her home and lives of the Passi couple in general. As art collector and connoisseur Shalini and her husband Sanjay Passi’s home in the Capital is opened to artists and art circles for this unique occasion.

Passi surrounds herself with museum worthy pieces and her home that resembles to an art gallery, for a visitor, and it served as the perfect venue for the official party of India Art Fair party, a dynamic gathering for the Official Party of the India Art Fair 2026. This evening is not just a celebration — it’s a vibrant meeting point for some of the most visionary minds in the art world, Shalini said earlier.

The energy at her residence is electric, filled with artworks by local and international leading contemporary artists that the passionate art collector has collected over the time is and comprises some of the most coveted names in contemporary art, including Bharti Kher, Anita Dube, Sheba Chhachhi, Zarina Hashmi, and Atul Dodiya, alongside significant international artists such as Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst and Indian modernist masters, such as M.F. Husain, Manjit Bawa, and Ram Kumar.  
The soiree proves the importance of not only the Fair but the art and role of artists in the contemporary society, with India’s rich and unique history of art and culture that inspires new generations across the country and beyond.

Shalini Passi sits on the Advisory Board of Khoj Studios since 2012 and serves as a longstanding Patron of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Shalini’s passion for art and design is evident in her vast collection of furniture, tapestries, and rare antiques, which are juxtaposed with cutting-edge contemporary design, including important pieces by Ron Arad, Vladimir Kagan, and Herve Van Der Straeten. Located within Shalini’s Delhi home, which has been featured in prominent publications such as Wallpaper*, Architectural Digest, and Larry’s List, the collection evokes and celebrates a powerful individual narrative that speaks of Shalini’s connection with each piece, each history, and each artist. As a patron and collector, Shalini actively supports emerging artists, and fosters arts education through the Foundation’s year-round programming. She is regularly invited to speak prominent art and design events, and most recently gave a talk at India Art Fair 2019 and moderated a panel discussion at India Design ID 2019.

​

Read also
Gala in St. Moritz during the White Turf weekend, 21 February 2026.