Ragni Agarwal x SAADA
About "Premala"
Artwork inspired by the story of Premala Shahane.
Ragni Agarwal x SAADA
Behind the Design
Ragni Agarwal's artwork for "Arrival" was inspired by the story of Premala Shahane, an artist, educator, and activist who arrived in the U.S. in 1923 and studied at several American colleges.
Premala Shahane
Premala Shahane playing a sitar, sitting in front of a building at the University of Chicago. c. 1927.
Premala Shahane at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. c. 1928/29.
Introducing the Artist: Ragni Agarwal
Ragni Agarwal
Ragni Agarwal is a graphic designer, illustrator, art director, and professional palette chaser who loves talking about mental health, body positivity and celebrating RAD humans.
Historical Context: Early Immigration from South Asia
Dr. Hardeep Dhillon
Dr. Hardeep Dhillon is a postdoctoral fellow focusing on Law and Inequality at the American Bar Foundation. She completed her doctorate in History and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Harvard University.
From Far Away India: "One of the pleasantest periods of human life is the student life…"
Rachita Gowdu
Rachita reads an essay written by Premala Shahane reflecting on her time at the University of Michigan, published in 1924.
"I decided to base it on a coin… because the point to her story is that we are extremely multifaceted."
Explore More
Ragni Agarwal
Ragni Agarwal is a graphic designer, illustrator, art director, and professional palette chaser who loves talking about mental health, body positivity and celebrating RAD humans.
Premala Shahane Collection
Explore Premala Shahane's life and story in SAADA's archive of photographs, newspaper clippings, and more.
Shop the "Premala" Collection
