I created this website on December 31st in a whim and frenzy of “new year, new goals.” It felt a bit narcissistic to register ‘aanchalguptadotcom,’ but the idea of building a cozy and safe space—away from the constant engagement trap of social media, yet not buried deep in the URLs of WordPress blogs—won me over. This is my digital corner, much like a blog, primarily focused on work adventures and explorations as I embark on the second season of my career.
Hi, I’m Aanchal. I’m an educator, a gender consultant, a storyteller, and now a museum professional. In my head, the journey makes sense—the dots connect! And now, as I juggle all four roles simultaneously, I want to share some of the reflections and joys of this journey here.
Two months ago, I started working with a museum—one of the largest in Maharashtra. It truly feels like a dream come true, especially since I don’t have a formal background in history or art, but only an interest in culture and storytelling to show on my resume. Initially, I joined the curators’ team to support them on an exciting Ancient World project. However, last month, I was reassigned to a new project, which is equally thrilling and steeped in history: building a digital library on Mumbai and its built heritage. Who knows? Maybe I’ll add ‘librarian’ to my list of careers soon. 😛
January began on a hectic note. Within two weeks, we had to organize a meeting with potential collaborators for the project. I took the time to familiarize myself with the museum’s systems. Since museums are not-for-profit entities, they require additional compliance steps for every task, which added some complexity to the work.
On the day of the meeting, I was eager to meet the stalwart custodians of Mumbai’s tangible and intangible heritage. I had prepared a presentation to introduce the project to them. As I walked to the podium, I knew I was so out-of-depth standing in front of all of them , that when I asked for their guidance and support—which was the meeting’s primary agenda—I’m sure my sincerity came across as a genuine call for collaboration rather than a perfunctory partnership statement.
Other highlights of January include:
- Two Secret Santa/New Year surprises: I received three books in total, one of which I’ve already started reading—more on that later.
- Observing paper conservation in action: Michael Wheeler, a paper conservator from London, and Omkar Kadu, a conservator from India, demonstrated the meticulous process of conserving Indian miniature paintings. Their precision and patience were truly fascinating to witness.
- Performing taxidermy for the first time: This week, I worked on a Silver Biddy fish under the guidance of the Natural History wing of the museum. The entire day was dedicated to the task, which required care and and gave me a newfound appreciation for the Natural History team. It was an incredibly fun and educational experience!
With this, I return to work, hopeful that I’ll show up here more frequently. Adios!
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