The Holistic Alternative: Recovering Tagores Educational Philosophy in Contemporary Indian Art and Design

For over 175 years, Indian art and design education has evolved through colonial industrial art schools, nationalist revivalist experiments, post-independence modernist institutions, and contemporary global frameworks. While policy reforms—most recently, the National Education Policy (2020) and UGC guidelines on internationalization (2021)–have sought to enhance Indias global academic standing, they have established an economic rationale that emphasizes market efficiency, industrial scalability, and professionalization. This paper critically examines the prevailing economic dominance within design disciplines, highlighting how curricula increasingly prioritize technical proficiency and industry preparedness over considerations of environmental ethics, social justice, and cultural diversity. Through historical analysis, policy critique, and disciplinary case studies, it contrasts prevailing approaches with Rabindranath Tagore’s holistic educational vision of kālā bhābanā, which integrates art, craft, community, and ecology into a cosmopolitan yet locally rooted pedagogy. Incorporating insights from critical design theory, liberal education models, and participatory frameworks, this study advocates a shift in Indian art and design education towards ethical, regenerative, and community-focused practices. This approach redefines designers not only as service professionals but also as cultural custodians and systemic thinkers. They are envisioned as capable of tackling climate crises, social inequalities, and cultural homogenization while maintaining creative diversity within an educational landscape that is both globally aware and locally rooted.