Marg Is Founded

A publication house focusing on arts and culture in India through a quarterly magazine and books, Marg is established by writer and critic Mulk Raj Anand, a year before the country’s independence from British rule. Envisioned as a platform for discourse, debates and insights on Indian art and culture as well as national identity, Marg reflects the Nehruvian vision of Indian modernity. Named as an acronym for Modern Architecture Research Group, and referencing the Hindi word marg (pathway, road), the magazine initially prioritises writing on architecture, in accordance with Anand’s conviction about the field’s pivotal importance to the new nation. 

 The magazine is supported by the patronage of JRD Tata, and will continue to be until 1951, after which it will receive support from the Tata Group of Companies until 1986, and subsequently the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

From 1976 onwards, Marg will begin publishing artist monographs and site studies. From 2010 it will operate under the auspices of Marg Foundation, an independent not-for-profit organisation. The publications, especially the magazine, will continue to serve as a platform where scholars can engage in conversations about traditional and contemporary art at a significant remove from the pressure of the art market or fear of censorship.