In Conversation with Chitwan Mittal & Inherited Art Forum, Bringing A Peek into Indian Art – Animals to Young Readers

A children’s book introduces Indian art through animals, sparking creativity, cultural awareness, and curiosity in young readers.
on May 06, 2026

Frontlist: A Peek into Indian Art – Animals introduces young readers to traditional art forms through animals, which inspired this unique intersection of art and early learning for “The Reader of Tomorrow.”

Chitwan: Children in India grow up with board books that show animals as photographs or realistic illustrations, or alternatively illustrated in ways that are mainly Western in inspiration. We wanted to offer a different, whimsical look at how animals are depicted in Indian art.

Frontlist: The book uses real images of Indian paintings, sculptures, and puppets. How important was authenticity in shaping a child’s first interaction with Indian art?

Chitwan: Through real images of Indian art, we hope to show readers that Indian art is diverse and imaginative. We felt that there was a gap in children’s books, especially in early learning, that this kind of book could fill, by using authentic images of art objects from across India.

Frontlist: In an age of fast, digital content, how does this book encourage children to slow down and observe details within traditional art forms?

Chitwan: We carefully chose images that invite deeper engagement, imaginative thinking, and close observation. Each image stimulates a child’s imagination and pushes them to connect a concept, like the general shape of an animal, to a visualization.

Frontlist: The inclusion of a QR code adds a digital extension to the reading experience. How do you see such hybrid formats shaping the future of children’s publishing?

Chitwan: The material accessed via QR code is aimed at parents and older kids, to give them the chance to access information about the different art styles in the book. Very often, kids have questions about why something was made a certain way or what something means. Through this material, parents will be able to answer those questions with verified information that’s at their fingertips.

Frontlist: As this is a collaborative effort with the Inherited Art Forum, how did that partnership influence the curation of art styles and content in the book?

Chitwan: We are glad to be partnered with an organization that so generously gave us permission to use art objects in their collection. We were also able to work with them to choose the most appropriate items for the words we wanted to include and use their considerable knowledge to draft the additional material on art styles. The book wouldn’t be possible without them!

Frontlist: Your work in education emphasizes holistic development. How does this book contribute to nurturing creativity and cultural awareness in young minds?

Chitwan: By offering young readers a variety of different, interesting depictions of animals, this book aims to stimulate their creativity and encourage them to see the world with more nuance. It also familiarizes them with the many art styles that exist across India, and we hope this will inspire them to learn more about the communities that produce these works.

Frontlist: What kind of artistic curiosity or cultural connection do you hope “The Reader of Tomorrow” develops after engaging with this book?

Chitwan: We want young readers to appreciate the beauty of Indian art, to understand that it is diverse and rooted in the different geographical regions of India, reflecting terrain, unique cultural practices, and resources. In doing so, we hope they will grow up to be curious, open-minded, and aware that culture is not monolithic but multi-faceted.