For its second edition, Villa Swagatam has expanded with four new residencies in India (Jaipur Rugs, Hampi Art Labs, Eklavya Foundation, and Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts) and one in Bangladesh (Brihatta Art Foundation). To enhance dialogue opportunities, Villa Swagatam has also introduced opportunities for Indian creators and writers to come to France. The French residencies cover a wide range of artistic forms, such as dance (Centre National de la Danse), visual arts (Biennale de Lyon, La Napoule Art Foundation), craftsmanship (Mobilier National and Cité de la Céramique/Manufacture de Sèvres), poetry (Maison de la Poésie de Nantes), comic books (Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image), and literature (Villa Gillet, La Marelle, La Maison Julien Gracq).

Congratulating the laureates, H.E. Mr. Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, stated: "Reciprocity plays an essential role in our concept of cultural cooperation. The Villa Swagatam program would not be complete without exchanges in both directions, with Indian artists and writers welcomed into French institutions. We are proud to have introduced this reciprocity as early as the second edition and wish to extend the program to other neighboring countries in future editions."

This new phase follows the remarkable achievements of the 17 laureates of the first edition of Villa Swagatam in 2023-2024. Several artists have gained significant international recognition through exhibitions and presentations of their work. The writers and graphic novel authors are mostly in the process of writing books that explore the rich traditions and unique landscapes of India, underscoring the program's commitment to fostering artistic and literary cooperation.

The call for applications for this second edition, open from April 9 to June 2, 2024, was aimed at writers, graphic novel authors, visual artists, designers, and cultural practitioners. The entire Villa Swagatam network, including French and Indian organizations, disseminated the offer among their communities. Out of nearly 450 applicants, 210 were French and 237 Indian, demonstrating great interest in cultural exchanges and people-to-people relations within the context of the bilateral relationship between France and India.

The final selection, carried out jointly by the French Institute in India and the partner organizations, comprises a group of 28 residents: emerging artists or established professionals, each bringing unique perspectives and aspirations to the programme. 

• Ada, artist
• Adrien La Fille, novelist
• Ainesh Madan, dancer and choreographer
• Antonin Mongin, researcher and artisan/designer
• Ayesha Singh, artist
• Bijal Vaccharajani, writer
• Elvira Voynarovska, artist
• Estelle Coppolani, poet and playwright
• Fabien Toulme, comic book author
• Floriane Zaslavsky, essayist
• Gaspard Combes, artist
• Jean-Marc Troubet “Troubs”, comic book author
• Jeremy Demester, artist
• Julia Lebrao Sendra, artist
• Kunaal Kyhaan Seolekar, designer and architect
• Laurence Hugues, writer
• Lauren Januhowski, textile artist
• Lokesh Khodke, comic book writer
• Marisol Santana, designer
• Mathilde Rives, author-illustrator
• Niyati Bhat, writer and translator
• Pauline Guerrier, artist
• Rahul Bishnoi, playwright and researcher
• Rohini Kejriwal, poet
• Saba Niknam, artist
• Sahil Naik, artist
• Thibault Marthouret, poet
• Valia Russo, artist