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Mr. Chiranjiv Singh, IAS (retd)
He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1969. He retired in 2005 as Development Commissioner of Karnataka & Additional Chief Secretary to Govt.of Karnataka. During his career he held various positions in the central & state governments. He held the Subject of Culture in Govt.of Karnataka for more than 5 years. Besides culture, he handled related departments like archeology and museums, Kannada, information, tourism and archives. Has the experience of organizing major cultural events & festivals.Was also on the governing bodies of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and Institute of Social & Economic Change, Bangalore, as representative of the Govt. of Karnataka. Was a visiting fellow of the Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University (1993-1994). Was Ambassador of India to UNESCO in Paris, 1997-2000.
He was also President of the Alliance Française, Bangalore (2005-2017). Since retirement he is associated with numerous non-governmental organizations working in the fields of rural development, environment, culture & arts. For his services rendered to the state he was awarded the “Rajyotsava Award” in 2005 by the Government of Karnataka . He was awarded the knighthood (Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite) by the President of France in 2015 for his contribution to Indo-French culture. Was given a knighthood (Chevalier de l'ordre national du Mérite) by the President of France for promoting Indo-French culture as president of the Alliance Française de Bangalore. Is associated with many cultural organizations like the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavaqn, Ananya, Anaad, Art Mantram & JSS Mahavidyapeetha. His collection of Kannada columns is a popular book.
Dr. Jija M Harisingh, IPS (retd)
First Lady IPS Officer In South India.A pioneer among women Police officers in India, being the first woman Indian Police Service officer in Karnataka as well as South India, Jija Madhavan Hari Singh has over thirty-five years of exemplary service in the police and the corporate public sector. She retired in 2011 as Director General of Police, in Karnataka. An Artist Of Repute. A recipient of the Indira Priyadarshini National Award for Contribution to Arts, Jija is an artist of repute ever since her noteworthy emotional response to support Kargil war widows through sale of her paintings in 1999. She has held solo Exhibitions in Washington, Wollongong and New Delhi. Her work has been exhibited in London, Vienna, Berlin, Jakarta, Dubai, CAS countries etc. and are in private collections across the world. Jija was one of the fifty Indian women artists chosen by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) for the international exhibitions of the Amrita Shergil Revisited project. Trailblazer In The Public Sector A 1975-batch IPS officer, Jija believes that Government service can drive change and transform public institutions mandated to deliver services. This belief was her primary motivation across her career in Police and the Public Sectors like Airports Authority of India, New Delhi (Member Vigilance), Nuclear Power Corporation, Mumbai(Director Vigilance), the National Textile Corporation, (Human Resources Director), Chairman & Managing Director of Mysore Minerals Ltd
(which she turned around from the brink of liquidation) and Managing Director of Jungle Lodges & Resorts, Karnataka. Jija was handpicked to attend the Management Leaders Program at Harvard University, USA, an attachment at the Commonwealth Secretariat and at The Scotland Yard, London, UK and a 4 month program on Strategic Human Resources Management Program in Wollongong University, Sidney, Australia. Across her career, she has presented papers in several international and national seminars. Post retirement she has been co lead in two separate International research projects under the scheme ‘Cooperation in Civil Security research between India and Germany’-IGI-SCR. Academically, Jija has a Ph.D. in Sociology (Development Studies), Mysore University. She was also conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Human Science by the Girne American University. In addition to two Master of Arts Degrees in English Literature and Sociology, Jija has a PG Diploma in Journalism and had started her career as a journalist with Indian Space Research Organisation, going on to become a Lecturer in Maharaja’s College Kochi, before joining IPS. National Awards For Distinguished Service her sensitive handling of minority (diversity) issues and conflict resolution in caste and religious crises in Karnataka won her the Indira Priyadarshini Award for National Integration. She was also awarded the President's Medal for Distinguished Service & Police Medal for Meritorious Service. The Rotary Millennium Woman Award and Commendation at the Roerich Centenary Celebration are just a few of the recognitions that came her way. Passionate About Corporate Governance, Philanthropy, Art and Life Jija is presently Managing Trustee of The Art Mantram Foundation, Bangalore, the Hon. President Lotus and Chrysanthemum Trust, Bangalore, Trustee of Shruti Foundation, Ramgarh-Shekhawati all nonprofits in domains of promoting art, heritage and culture as well as livelihoods. She is a Member Advisory Board, Synergia Foundation & Cyber 360, and was fmr President Institute of Directors, Bangalore, fmr Member Expert Committee, GOK and Visiting Scientist, CiSTUP, IISc.
Ms. Indra Prem Menon, Industrialist
Mrs. Indra Prem Menon is the Chairman and CEO of the Senapathy group of companies dealing in sophisticated products for high voltage electrical application with substantial exports to various countries around the globe. She is also an active Director on the Board of several companies.
She has a penchant and flair for dress design, interior decoration and painting. And staying true to her passion for art and everything beautiful, she has recently got into floriculture and has built a large greenhouse on her farm.
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Her personal maxim has always been….“I rarely regret anything I have ever done, but I always regret the things that I have not done”.
Ms. Rathi Vinay Jha IAS(retd)
She Served the Government of India and the Govt of Tamilnadu in various capacities as an officer of the Indian Administrative Service. She was CMD of the India Trade Promotion Organisation . She retired as Union Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Tourism. She was the Founder Director of the National Institute of Fashion Technology. After retirement, she served as the Director General, Fashion Design Council of India, Secretary General, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC India) In the last two decades she has worked as a Member / Trustee on the Boards of a number of NGOs with a mandate to address development , health , education , Skill development , Art Culture & Heritage , Crafts and Textiles . Some of these are as listed below :- NIFT -Board Member All India Craftspersons & Artisans - Chair Madras Craft Foundation - Life TrusteeI Indian Institute of Craft & Design -Vice Chair Indian Heritage Cities Network- Founder Chair India Foundation for Arts - Chair Jaipur Virasat Foundation - Trustee Commitment to Kashmir - Trustee Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts - (IGNCA ) Trustee Plan International (India) - Chair The Coorg Foundation - Member, ArtMantram - Trustee.
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Ms. Rekha Hebbar Rao, MA (b 1947)
Internationally famous artist, studied painting under her artist father (late) K.K. Hebbar. She has held several solo shows in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Los Angeles, USA, Singapore and Germany in reputed private and public galleries. She was invited to participate in Asian Biennale, Lalit Kala Academy New Delhi, 1V Triennial (1978) Won the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award (2006). She has served in the Jury panel in several State and National level exhibitions.
Rekha participated in auctions (by invitation), conducted by Sotheby's, Christie's and Asprey in aid of CRY, Concern India and others. She has also been invited to participate in several National and International Art Camps and has conducted Workshops for Mohile Parekh Centre Mumbai and SPIC MACAY.
Her works are in the collection of NGMA, Mumbai, Singapore National Museum, Glenberra Museum Japan, Venkatappa Museum Bengaluru, LKA New Delhi, Directorate of Art Maharashtra, Times of India, Mumbai and in Pvt collections in India and abroad. Publication: The Expediency of Color 2008.
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Ms. Lakshmi Ishwar, Engineer & poet
An educator by profession and a dreamer by nature, Lakshmi Ishwar recently launched her debut book of poems named A butterfly on my garden bench.
Lakshmi is a connoisseur of fine arts and poetry and has been involved in promoting art and artists for the past few decades.
She is an engineer from IISC and MBA by qualification and was a lecturer in an engineering college and an entrepreneur.
She is on the board of trustees of ArtMantram, was the past Chairperson of Ficci Ladies Organization, was on the regional board of YPO South Asia region.
Ms. Yumna Harisingh Jawa, Cultural Practitioner
She has twenty-four years of experience working in the not-for-profit sector.As founding trustee & currently Vice-President of Art Mantram Trust, she has led Arts Festivals & outreach programmes in the community, including the Roeriech Centenary Celebrations 2004 & the Glass House Poetry Festival 2020.
She worked with Cadbury Schweppes on Consumer Impact & Strategic Value at Stake projects between 2004-2008. And since 2010, has been India’s lead consultant on Ethical Business Practices Projects for worker welfare, anti-bribery, corporation & data security projects for GoodCorporation, a UK based leader in Business Ethics, Compliance & Governance.
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Ms. Ayesha Bilgrami, Philanthropist
After post-graduate Masters in Mass Communication, she joined the advertising industry, worked as a copywriter and creative head in several National agencies before starting her own Agency Livewires advertising pvt Ltd in 1988. Building up business from scratch gave her tremendous experience in client services, media relations and production. Marketing being the essential core. The nature work involved an astute understanding of human behavior, social trends and different influencers in society and an effective manager of people.
These skills are effective in the social sector. An active member of the Ekta Foundation, a non profit organization in the UK(2002). involved in Second Chance, an initiative that promotes recycling of used items.
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Mr. Commodore K.M.Nair
He Served in the Indian Navy for over 35 years.During his service career, he has served in all major Naval Stations and was involved in various welfare activities undertaken by the Navy including disaster relief.
Post retirement,he has settled down in Bangalore and has been involved with activities of Art Mantram for over 15 years
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Ms. Cavita Mehra, Business leader
Managing Director & a key founder of Mindskillz (2008) with more than 45+ years of expertise in the L&D Arena. An accomplished business leader, a multi-faceted personality, has been awarded with the Karnataka Innovation Leadership Awards 2022. Mindskillz invests in the development of people through strategic solutions that accelerate performance. We are spread over 33 cities, with over 180 trainers and consultants across all verticals, enhancing individuals and teams growth by matching organizational goals.
Cavita has received The Entrepreneur Leadership award at the International Leadership Forum in 2013, hosted by IWLF. She has been a speaker and a panelist at many Leadership Forums like Dun & Bradstreet, ISBR and many more. She was Featured in Silicon India as 10 most promising Personality Development Institutes and covered in the CEO’s magazine as one of the fastest growing CEO’s in 2018 and the Business Sight Media Magazine 2020.
Some of the causes she supports are The Art Mantram Foundation an NGO that supports the “Girl Child Project”, WOW –a charitable cause to empower women and she also volunteers for the Civil Defence Citizen’s Army as Divisional Warden. She is an ardent golfer and an avid reader.