(September 5, 2025) Upon her return from the University of Exeter, England, in 2014, Supriya Lahoti’s father, Prashant, presented her with an opportunity—rather, a challenge. A space outside Kalakriti Art Gallery, a leading gallery in Hyderabad run by Supriya’s mother, Rekha Lahoti, was lying unused. He wanted Supriya to come up with a vibrant café. Without a second thought, she took the plunge—sans experience or knowledge about hospitality.
Always brimming with ideas, Supriya ended up launching Creatif, a concept design studio, and The Gallery Café—a space that celebrates contemporary art and traditional crafts, along with being a cool hangout where art aficionados can have artsy conversations. What’s more, even The New York Times featured it in its 2016 feature 36 Hours in Hyderabad, India, highlighting both Kalakriti Art Gallery and the adjacent Gallery Café as essential stops for art lovers.
“I had to learn everything on the go; there was no blueprint to follow. I just took that leap of faith,” smiles Supriya Lahoti, founder of Creatif and The Gallery Café, in a chat with Global Indian.
Over the years, she has curated a number of art exhibitions and collaborated with the Ministry of Culture, during which she was part of the team associated with the prestigious G20 Culture Track. She has also had a stint at the National Museum, New Delhi. She enjoys giving talks on art and engaging in discussions with university students. Recently, she delivered one for a module at Princeton University, New Jersey.
Art matters
Supriya, who did her Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics from the University of Exeter and completed her postgraduate studies in Asian Art History at SOAS, University of London, has taken the art scene in Hyderabad to new heights.
“Heritage and culture define who we are. A society that nurtures art nurtures its own sense of belonging and strength. Preserving the past while nurturing the present is what strengthens our future,” says Supriya.
Creatif and The Gallery Café
Before she launched Creatif, Supriya worked in an e-commerce firm in marketing and outreach for a year. Once she took up her father’s offer of creating a meaningful space, she got into it wholeheartedly. “There was a lot of trial and error. Initially, the café was supposed to be only a supplement to the gallery. But we wanted to create a space where people could have a conversation after viewing art at the gallery,” she mentions.
Exhibitions
Once launched, Supriya ensured there was a change of exhibition every month so that new, upcoming artists could showcase their work. “We run a lot of art workshops in the space. We have a creative corner too, where one could pick up paper and art supplies and just draw.”
Supriya recently co-curated Devil in the Details, an exhibition of classical Indian miniatures presented alongside contemporary works. “It allowed viewers to see what is retained, what is transformed, and what acquires new meaning in translation,” she shares.
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Open-mic evenings
The once-a-month open-mic evenings at Creatif became an artist discovery platform. “This was a concept that no one had tried before. It evolved every day, growing with the community of artists, patrons, and audiences around it,” says Supriya. Flocked by artists, performers, and regulars, it brought positive energy and support that defined the place. Food also evolved along the way. “What started with only sandwiches soon had a full dinner and beverage menu with over 100 offerings.”
For the space, Supriya handpicked unique products. “The curated store has art prints, collectibles, design products, art-inspired and craft products, jewellery, home décor, and accents,” she says.
Drawn to the arts
Supriya grew up around art and culture because of her parents—both art aficionados. Her father is also into the arts. Though she was never a painter herself, she enjoyed photography and creative projects growing up. She liked to sing and write.
While her parents never pushed Supriya into the field, she was subconsciously drawn towards it. For her, art became both self-expression and collective memory. “It is the way societies manifest their values and identities,” says Supriya.
Towards the end of school, Supriya was drawn towards entrepreneurship and wanted to run her own business, as she was always brimming with ideas. “That is what led me to pursue Business Economics at the University of Exeter for my undergraduate studies,” she points out.
At Exeter and SOAS, London
The University of Exeter gave Supriya a strong business foundation. “It taught me every aspect of business, which came in handy later on when I launched Creatif,” she says. The university is among an elite group of higher education institutions to be recognised as consistently providing outstanding teaching, learning, and student outcomes, securing the ‘Gold Overall’ standard in the TEF (Teaching Excellence Framework) assessment. “It laid the foundation for all my future successes,” sums up Supriya. Later, she pursued postgraduate studies in Asian Art History at SOAS, University of London.
“I went to SOAS when I was certain about what I wanted to study and when I felt the need to learn more about the arts,” says Supriya, who was firm that a background in art history would help her understand the sector better. “It really gave me a lot of perspective and the tools to engage with art and culture more deeply in my work.”
G20 experience
One of the major highlights of Supriya’s artistic journey has been working as a Consultant with the Ministry of Culture from 2022 to 2024, where she contributed to programming for the G20 Culture Track, which included events, exhibitions, and publications.
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“This was an incredible experience because it gave me the opportunity to contribute to events that were on an international scale,” says Supriya, who previously worked at the National Museum in New Delhi from 2020 to 2022.
As part of this work, she, along with her team, organised a wide range of exhibitions, events, performances, and publications in different places like Khajuraho, Hampi, Bhubaneswar, Varanasi, and Delhi, which were witnessed by delegates from G20 members, guest nations, and several international organisations.
Guinness World Record
For instance, at the Hampi G20 Culture Working Group meeting, a Guinness World Record was set for the largest display of Lambani items. This attempt involved over 450 women artisans from the Lambani community, closely associated with Sandur Kushala Kala Kendra, displaying around 1,300 Lambani embroidery patchworks made by them. “This initiative promoted the region’s unique GI-tagged embroidery craft, highlighting the importance of the creative economy,” she mentions.
Experiencing cultural diplomacy
In Delhi, at the G20 Leaders’ Summit at Bharat Mandapam, the Culture Corridor – G20 Digital Museum was set up, which included both digital showcases and a physical artefact contributed by each country.
“For me, the scale of these projects and their impact was very interesting. It was a great learning experience that gave me the opportunity to work with the best in the field,” says Supriya, who got to work with some of the finest professionals and witnessed the impact of cultural diplomacy first-hand.
Present engagements and future plans
Supriya wants to continue curating and working on research-driven projects that bridge scholarship with public engagement. She feels India needs more spaces where homegrown Indian brands in product design and décor can be showcased.
Alongside curatorial work, she researches and writes on history, art, and culture, which are published in journals and other media platforms regularly. She also enjoys giving talks on art and engaging in discussions with university students.
“Currently, I am involved in programming for Kalakriti Art Gallery and in building another venture—a consultancy focused on classical Indian arts,” informs Supriya, who loves to travel, experience new places and cultures, and visit heritage sites and museums.
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