A huge Indian art gallery-3,200 sq feet-has opened right on Fifth Avenue even as New York recovers from the economic backlash of September 11, slap-bang in the midst of a recession. A foolhardy act or a smart business move?

Prajit Dutta, CEO of the new Gallery Artsindia, grins, "There has never been a better time." He should know for he is also a professor of economics at Columbia University. And it helps that before metamorphosing into a brick and mortar establishment, the gallery already existed-in cyberspace-as www.artsindia.com. "When the markets are down, it's the best time to build a business as you can focus on setting up the infrastructure," he says.

BRUSH WITH INDIA: At the inauguration (top); works of artist Shuvaprasanna

The team also includes two architects and a classical pianist. Dutta's brother Projjal is an architect and coo of Artsindia, his wife Susan is a pianist while Mamta Prakash is an architect. All four bring complementary skills to the gallery and are aided by a staff of four.

The brothers developed a love of art in childhood, as their father Ajit Dutta was an art critic as well as the secretary of Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi. "I remember going to art galleries and having artists coming to our home," recalls Dutta. "I met M.F. Husain when I was very young and was struck by the fact that he was barefoot. Ganesh Pyne, who is such a big name now, was very shy and would sit in the corner with his head tucked into his shoulder."

The interest in art lay dormant while the Duttas pursued their education. Then, one night on the subway Prajit encountered a young American dressed hiphop-style, engrossed in a book-The God of Small Things. "I thought, 'Here's this kid from the Bronx who clearly has no idea where Kerala is, leave alone the caste intricacies of Kerala, and he's reading this book, so at some level why can't Indian art make the crossover?'" Dutta says.

BROTHERS IN ARTS: Prajit (right) and Projjal Dutta

When the markets are down, it's the best time to build a business Prajit Dutta, CEO, Gallery Artsindia

The first step was Artsindia.com, the gallery on the web, which now shows over 60 artists and some 2,000 paintings. Then followed a second website called artwithoutborders.com which showcases the cross-cultural art linkages between countries.

Gallery Artsindia was unveiled to the public on February 9 with Icons and Illusions, the exhibition of Kolkata-based artist Shuvaprasanna. There are also plans to organise music concerts and other events to fully utilise the vast space of the gallery and celebrate the arts of India.

"There is so much good work going on in Indian art that it is a shame that it's not better known," says Dutta.