In September 2025, SDAF was proud to present Timeless Frames, a tribute to the pioneering photographer Damodar Kamat. The exhibition was a resounding success, celebrating a son of Maharashtra and unveiling a historic collection of unseen photographs.

Enduring Legacies Timeless Frames

Enduring Legacies

A Look Back at Our Successful
Inaugural Exhibition

Timeless Frames

Event Highlights

The week-long event featured a spectacular opening night, two insightful walkthroughs with Neha Kamat, and a dedicated Student Day.

Visitors were treated to curated displays of rare and iconic photographs, offering a deep dive into Damodar Kamat’s visual legacy. Each image told a story, highlighting the artistry, craft, and cultural significance of Indian cinema from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Event Highlights

The week-long event featured a spectacular opening night, two insightful walkthroughs with Neha Kamat, and a dedicated Student Day.

Enduring Legacies Timeless Frames

A Look Back at Our Successful Inaugural Exhibition

Event Highlights

The week-long event featured a spectacular opening night, two insightful walkthroughs with Neha Kamat, and a dedicated Student Day.

The Shivdutt Das Art Foundation

Our Mission

To support education, culture, and public access to India’s rich creative heritage.

The Shivdutt Das Art Foundation (SDAF) is an arts and culture initiative founded by Shivdutt Das—MD, Vishwa Samudra Holdings, and Director, Shivdutt Das Charity Foundation.

SDAF spotlights the artists, artisans, and custodians who have shaped India’s creative life. Through exhibitions, talks, and learning programs, we make their work accessible to all.

Our inaugural exhibition, Timeless Frames, marked the first step in this journey—bringing the work of an unsung hero to the public eye and fostering a dialogue around our shared cultural history.

The Shivdutt Das Art Foundation

Our Mission

To support education, culture, and public access to India’s rich creative heritage.

The Shivdutt Das Art Foundation (SDAF) is an arts and culture initiative founded by Shivdutt Das—MD, Vishwa Samudra Holdings, and Director, Shivdutt Das Charity Foundation.

SDAF spotlights the artists, artisans, and custodians who have shaped India’s creative life. Through exhibitions, talks, and learning programs, we make their work accessible to all.

Our inaugural exhibition, Timeless Frames, marked the first step in this journey—bringing the work of an unsung hero to the public eye and fostering a dialogue around our shared cultural history.

The

Series

Enduring

Legacies

Honouring the Unsung Heroes of Indian Culture

Honouring the

Unsung Heroes of

Indian Culture

Enduring Legacies is a recurring series dedicated to creators who had an outsized impact on India’s cultural landscape, often from behind the scenes.

Our first edition opened with a photographic journey into the classic decades of Indian cinema, courtesy of the legendary Kamat Foto Studio.

The journey to celebrate India's unsung heroes has just begun. Stay tuned for announcements on Edition 2 of the Enduring Legacies series.

Exhibition Archive

Timeless Frames

Timeless Frames was a museum-style homage to the still photographs that taught India how to see its cinema. Drawn from the meticulously stewarded Kamat Foto Studio Archive, the exhibition presented rare black-and-white and colour stills from the 1950s–1980s.

Beyond star portraits, these images revealed how photography powered the filmmaking process itself — a legacy we celebrated through a series of galleries showcasing the art, the opening night, and the vibrant atmosphere of the exhibition.

The Art

This striking photograph of Damodar Kamat offers a glimpse into the visual poetry that made his stills an enduring part of India’s cinematic memory.

The Opening Night

Highlights from the inauguration evening, capturing the excitement, interactions, and celebrations that marked the launch of Timeless Frames.

The Atmosphere

Capturing the gallery space, musical performances, and moments of guests engaging with the art, these images bring the vibrant atmosphere of Timeless Frames to life.