Past ACCFs

Chairman and Founder Trustee, Asian Heritage Foundation, New Delhi

Rajeev Sethi, the scenographer of the 36th Smithsonian's Silk Road Festival held in Washington D.C. in 2002, is South Asia's leading designer and is noted internationally for his innovative contribution to preserving and celebrating South Asia's rich cultural heritage. For more than 30 years, through his work in design and architecture, exhibitions and festivals, he has identified ways to bring contemporary relevance to time honoured skills of traditional artisans, thereby creating a basis for the maintenance of these skills in an era of industrialization and globalization.

Mr. Sethi was born in New Delhi and received his formative education in history. His international projects have been as multi-disciplinary as they have been numerous. He has worked in film and has been artistic advisor in a number of theater productions. He has designed and curated award-winning exhibitions and events in Asia, Europe, Canada and America. Mr. Sethi was awarded the Order of Lower Saxony by the German government for the EXPO 2000 in Hannover to create the seventy-thousand-square-foot, multicultural Basic Needs Pavilion. Mr. Sethi's consistent vision supporting traditional crafts and performing arts with contemporary sensibilities was recognized by the Indian government when he received the Presidential honor, the Padma Bhushan. It also underlies his creation of Sarthi and The Asian Heritage Foundation – a non-government organization to initiate and promote programs in the arts and cultures of Asia.

Recently, he has steered a Task Force for Cultural and Legacy Industries in the Planning Commission of Govt. of India and has been appointed as its Vice-Chairperson. He is also the Advisor on Legacy Industries in Rural Areas in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Govt. of India, and has been made Honorary Trustee of the Forum Foundation, Barcelona City Council, in Barcelona.