Akara is a Mumbai-based gallery committed to bridging the rich legacies of South Asian modernism with the evolving vocabulary of contemporary art. Established in 2015 by Puneet Shah and Meghna Shah, the gallery initially presented a unified programme that brought together modern and contemporary practices, often through intergenerational exhibitions that highlighted continuity, influence, and cross-dialogue across time.

In 2023, Akara expanded its vision and bifurcated into two dedicated spaces: Akara Modern and Akara Contemporary. Akara Modern focuses on significant voices of 20 th  century Indian art, presenting museum-quality exhibitions that foreground the region's contribution to global modernism. Akara Contemporary champions emerging, mid-career, and established artists from South Asia and the international sphere, creating a platform for experimentation, new narratives, and cross-cultural engagement.

Across both spaces, Akara centres India and South Asia within the broader continuum of international art history. Through curatorial programming, artist representation, art-fair participation, and advisory services, the gallery seeks to amplify alternative perspectives and bring under-represented artistic realities to the fore.

In addition to its exhibition programming, Akara is committed to nurturing the next generation of artists through its annual Akara Artist Mentorship Programme, launched in 2025 in Mumbai . Offered free of cost, the initiative brings together senior artists, curators, restorers, gallerists and other professionals from the art-sphere to guide younger and early-career art practitioners. Through talks, workshops, conversations, and one-on-one feedback, the programme aims to support artistic development, demystify the workings of the art world, and strengthen the broader creative ecosystem.

Guided by a belief that modern and contemporary practices exist in dialogue rather than in isolation, Akara remains committed to transcending artistic, cultural, and geographic borders. From its home in Mumbai's historic art district, the galleries continue to build meaningful connections between regional histories and global conversations, offering a space where diverse artistic voices can be seen, contextualised, and celebrated.