Switzerland and India have a long history of cultural ties. Numerous Swiss artists, architects, and researchers have been active in the Indian subcontinent. Le Corbusier (architect), designed the city of Chandigarh and Alice Boner (painter, sculptor, art historian) contributed to the discovery of Indian architectural, sculptural studies as well as to reviving Kathakali. Carl Gustav Jung and Hermann Hesse were deeply inspired by Indian philosophy and their journeys in India.
In recent years famous Swiss architects like Mario Botta and Herzog & De Meuron have designed buildings for well-known Indian institutions. Celebrated architect Peter Zumthor came to India in 2024 to find many young Indian architecture students to be very knowledgeable about his work. Famous performers like Masha Dmitri, Gilles Jobin have left their footprints in India by mentoring young Indian artists. On the Indian side, film producers such as late Mr. Yash Chopra brought Switzerland and India closer through popular Hindi movies filmed in the Swiss Alps. Similarly, the Locarno International Film Festival has served a breaking ground for Indian film makers like Satyajit Ray who spread out their wings in the world from here on.
The Embassy continues to engage itself broadly in the field of architecture, design, film promotion, languages and literature, contemporary arts and artistic exchanges, art in education, as well as innovation in traditional art initiatives. Our engagement in arts follows primarily a dual approach - looking for worthwhile engagements and platforming of Swiss artists, we are equally keen to find dynamic and knowledgeable local partners, who have all the necessary context-knowledge. As we look to promote gender equality, intercultural dialogues and mutual understanding, peace as well as artistic solidarity, we often work with local partners, who are guided by similar values. As we move towards a new world, our projects in the field of arts and culture too move more and more towards innovation and digitalization. Under the biannual initiative “SwitzerlandIndia 75: Success Stories to be continued” the cultural section has been able to come up with numerous additional projects that have brought Switzerland and India together.
Since the opening of Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council, in New Delhi in 2007, cultural relations between the two countries have further intensified. Pro Helvetia focuses its efforts on contemporary literature, visual arts, dance and design. Moreover, an ever-increasing number Indian and Swiss artists had the opportunity to profit from the residency programs in Switzerland as well as in India offered by Pro Helvetia.
