The Asian Heritage Foundation

Asian Heritage Foundation (AHF), is one of South Asia’s leading not for profit organizations, noted internationally for its innovative contribution i Read moren preserving and adding value to the subcontinent’s rich cultural heritage. The Foundation has, over the years, succeeded in framing a formidable trans-disciplinary discourse in a wide range of creative and cultural industries by repositioning traditional knowledge and creative livelihoods across regions through the interface of design. Its team has been mentored by its founder, Padma Bhushan Shri Rajeev Sethi, South Asia’s iconic design professional and thinker who has been championing the cause of India’s creative and cultural industries. For more than 45 years, through his work in product design and architecture, policy and program, he has identified ways to bring contemporary relevance to the traditional skills of vulnerable artisan/weaver communities and other creative stakeholders. "During the current unprecedented hunger pandemic, AHF was the first to offer a lifeline to the families of 2800 street performers living at the Anand Parbat transit camp in West Delhi. Our Jiyo Covid Hunger warriors are addressing the blind spots in the government's relief work by traveling long distances, mostly by foot, to reach out to vulnerable children, women, the old and the disabled, in some of the most impoverished communities in Jharkhand. In addition to staples like rice, wheat, oil and vegetables, they also hand out protein and micronutrient enriched supplements for chronically undernourished children and pregnant women. The colourful cloth masks made by our women artisans of Bagh, Jhabua, Patangarh, Kotpad and Basvanbigha in Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar are being distributed to those who need them most. We need to keep the relief supply chain moving, not only in Jharkhand but in states like Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orrisa and Telangana, where our Foundation’s artisan-clusters are playing a transformative role. We are also trying to infuse some optimism and hope in the Manganiyaars from Bhaiya (Rajasthan) and Pat artists in Midnapur (West Bengal)."