This volume highlights the treasures of the National Museum—New Delhi. The museum has over 2,10,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of Indian art and craftsmanship. The collection includes sculptures in stone, bronze, terracotta and wood, miniature paintings and manuscripts, coins, arms and armour, jewellery and anthropological objects. Antiquities from Central Asia and pre-Columbian artefacts form the two non-Indian collections in the museum. The museum is the custodian of this treasure trove of our multilayered history and multicultural heritage. The collection allows Indian visitors to feel a sense of pride in their ancient culture and identity and enable visitors from other countries to appreciate India’s culture and its values. The National Culture Fund (NCF) was established by the Ministry of Culture in 1996 and is a Trust under the Charitable Endowments Act of 1890. It is governed by a Council with the Hon’ble Minister for Culture as its chairperson and managed by an Executive Committee chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India.