Arijit Dutta Choudhury
Honorary Senior Advisor – Government Institutions & Heritage Activities
Arijit Dutta Choudhury is a distinguished science museum professional and science communication expert with over four decades of experience in the development, management, and modernization of science museums and cultural institutions in India. A mechanical engineer by training, he served as the Director General of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, until March 2026.
Over the course of his career, he played a pivotal role in establishing and upgrading numerous science cities, science centres, planetariums, and thematic museums across the country. He served as Director of Science City, Kolkata, for nearly a decade and later led NCSM as Director General, spearheading major national initiatives in science communication, museum modernization, and experiential learning.
He has been closely associated with landmark projects including the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai, the Virtual Experiential Museum at Man Mahal, Varanasi, and several travelling science exhibitions developed in collaboration with international institutions such as the Science Museum Group, London. He also oversaw the launch of mobile science exhibition buses in aspirational districts across India and played a key role in organizing major cultural and museum initiatives under the Ministry of Culture.
In addition to his role at NCSM, he held additional charge as Director of the Indian Museum, where he led significant modernization and restoration initiatives. He has represented India at several international conferences and forums on science communication and museum studies across the USA, Australia, Belgium, China, and Finland.
Through his leadership and vision, Arijit Dutta Choudhury has made enduring contributions to science education, museum innovation, and public engagement with science and culture in India.
