Michael sees her project as first and foremost filling gaps in our understanding about Indian ceramic history. “I feel we do not have enough knowledge of our ceramic history and the influences that shaped its present condition,” she says. “In colleges and degree programmes in India, we always depend on European, Japanese and Chinese history and models of ceramics and do not look at our own culture and traditions.” She goes on to say that understanding this history “is also vital to our understanding of why contemporary Indian craft is still in need of ‘revival’, and why all govt. policies from the time of Independence, by following the precedents…set by the British, have still not been…successful in helping the craftspeople.”

Being a teacher of the history and techniques of ceramics, she is equally excited about understanding the actual process of ceramic production in the 19th century – the clay, colour pigments, glazes and firing techniques used. She points out that the art schools, under the influence of teachers trained in European pottery, introduced new firing techniques and methods of glazing pots.

Michael intends to write a book based on her research, and also develop a database that would add value to museum collections. She is already in touch with the curators of a museum who are looking for professional help to reorganize their ceramic collection. Another gallery has requested Michael to curate historical ceramic exhibitions for them. Museums in the U.K. have also evinced interest in working with her to organize exhibitions of their collections of Indian ceramics or to use them in educational outreach programmes for the local Asian community. She expects to come across several other collections that, supported by her research, could be brought into the public eye.