On February 27, Rye Country Day community members and neighbors gathered in the Performing Arts Center for a discussion about philanthropy, art, and education in modern India. The evening fireside chat was moderated by Sunil Hirani P'19, P'22, P'24 and featured Kiran Nadar, a world-renowned art aficionado, philanthropist, and education advocate. 

The discussion highlighted recent changes in the art world in India, as well as ways to support Indian art and education. Mrs. Nadar emphasized the importance of giving back through philanthropy with a purpose, and she stressed the value of education and its power to transform lives and communities large and small.

A 2024 Padma Shri Award winner, as well as the recipient of the Légion d'Honneur 2023, France’s highest civilian award, Kiran Nadar is profoundly changing the educational and cultural face of modern India. 

She is the Chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA), India’s first philanthropic private museum, whose launch earned her the title of "hero of philanthropy" by Forbes Asia Magazine. A pivotal force in the art world, she has increased the visibility of Indian modern and contemporary art worldwide. 

A trustee of the Shiv Nadar Foundation, Mrs. Nadar, together with her husband and founder of HCL Technologies Shiv Nadar, is also creating transformational change for thousands of gifted students from rural India. The Shiv Nadar Foundation supports a commitment to the creation of a more equitable, merit-based society by empowering individuals through transformational education to bridge the socio-economic divide. 

The foundation’s educational initiatives include the SSN College of Engineering in Chennai, today among the top private engineering colleges in India, Shiv Nadar University, Shiv Nadar School, and VidyaGyan schools, which are specifically designed to identify and nurture gifted students from rural backgrounds and transform them through high-quality education into future leaders.

Earlier in the day, Mrs. Nadar shared her insights with Upper School students in a special conversation moderated by AP Art History students. The conversation covered the importance of access to art and art education, as well as Indian art history in particular.

Mrs. Nadar's visits to Rye Country Day School were part of a special collaboration between RCDS and India Cultural Center, a nonprofit organization in Greenwich, CT, serving Fairfield and Westchester Counties with a mission to foster inclusion by educating and engaging the community in Indian culture.

Following the evening program, guests enjoyed a reception with Mrs. Nadar in the PAC Foyer.

Thank you to Mrs. Nadar, the Hirani Family, the Thukral Family, and India Cultural Center for a wonderful program demonstrating the importance of global awareness and active engagement in support of the greater.