Pune’s Prachi Dhabal Deb Becomes First Indian Royal Icing Artist Appointed at Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies
Pune, 19th December 2025: Internationally acclaimed, award-winning, and world-record-holding royal icing artist Prachi Dhabal Deb from Pune has been appointed as an Associate Artist at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) in the United Kingdom. She is the first Indian cake and royal icing artist to receive such a prestigious appointment, marking a historic recognition of edible art within an academic and cultural research framework.
Associate Artists at OCHS are selected for their exceptional creative contributions and their potential to enrich the Centre’s engagement with heritage, craft, and visual culture. In this role, Prachi will contribute to dialogues on Indian art traditions, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling through her pioneering work in royal icing. Her creations often integrate Indian handloom, temple architecture, textile motifs, and spiritual symbolism, blending confectionery with cultural heritage.
Commenting on her appointment, Prachi said, “It is a profound honour to represent India and to bring royal icing art — something many see only as dessert decoration — into an academic and cultural context. This recognition shows that edible art can also tell stories, preserve heritage, and contribute to scholarly discussions about craft and creativity.”
Prachi added, “I hope this inspires other artists to explore how traditional art forms can be expressed through unconventional mediums, and to see culinary artistry as a serious creative discipline on the global stage.”
Her appointment is widely seen as a milestone for the edible arts sector, positioning it alongside recognized art forms in universities and research centres internationally. Experts say this move highlights the growing global acceptance of innovative forms of Indian craft and heritage, and underscores Pune’s emergence as a hub for creative excellence.
