Rekha Mody, social worker and activist is committed to Women Empowerment, working actively in SAARC & ASEAN Countries. A networking expert, she believes that collective thought and action can move mountains. A firm believer in the fact that the role and contribution of women will get even stronger in the future, she provides them with knowledge, information and skills to overcome all challenges.

Apart from her social work, she is a connoisseur of art, a writer and social entrepreneur with the experience of starting a FM Radio station in 1994 in Kolkata.

She is the founder of Divya Chaya Trust established in 1984, Habiart Foundation 1987, Stree Shakti - The Parallel Force 1998. She feels that women all over the world are interconnected on various underlying gender issues. With this thought she started the Global Women Forum in Singapore in 2010 aiming to network with women from SAARC & ASEAN nations. Collectively all her efforts are aimed at Self Reliance, Equity, Equality and dignity for women.

She has edited 'A Quest For Roots', a book of more than 300 posthumous biographies of women from India significant in South-Asian history. It is an attempt to rediscover and recount women’s histories that are inspirational and relevant even today.

Rekha Mody has also served on the Board of United Way, New Delhi from 2008 and Women Founders Collective USA, 2006. She is also Trustee of Women International Trust.

Currently she holds the position of Vice President, Mahabodhi Society of India and is actively highlighting the role and contribution of Women in Buddhism with a photographic exhibition in national and international forums.


Aditi Mody serves on the Board of Trustees of Habiart Foundation.

Aditi Mody is currently on the Board of Trustee at the University of Chicago Trust (since February 2018).

Aditi was the Former Executive Director at the University of Chicago Trust (2016-2021) where she provided strategic and administrative leadership in promoting research, education, and engagement of the University in multi sector policy and program implementation within the region.

She was the Former Executive Director of the UChicago Center in India Private Limited (2016-2020) where she worked closely with University of Chicago’s academic and administrative leaders, to support University of Chicago initiatives, develop and expand academic collaborations and foster collaborative programming and policy engagement in India and South Asia.

Previously, she served as Country Director for India (2006-2011) with the US-India Business Council (USIBC) at the US Chamber of Commerce. At USIBC, Aditi was responsible for establishing the India office of the Council as well as leading the charge on bilateral policy advocacy issues for USIBC’s diverse membership with a variety of stakeholders across a range of sectors. She had previously served as USIBC’s Assistant Director (Knowledge Trade Initiative KTI) in Washington DC.

Prior to joining USIBC Aditi worked as a Consultant with the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in New Delhi as well as at the Asian Development Bank in New Delhi.

Aditi currently serves on the Women Leadership Board at the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. She served on Institute of International Education’s Cargill Global Scholars Selection Committee (April 2021) and was on the National Screening Committee for the Fulbright-Nehru CII Fellowship for Leadership Management (2010-2011).

In January 2006, she represented Indian art at the prestigious World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting (Davos) and showcased a collection of contemporary artists as part of the “ India Everywhere” campaign.


Isha Patodia - Associate

Isha has studied at Loreto House and has a degree in Business Management from Brunel University, UK. A young Turk, she has International filmmaking exposure and has been deeply connected with art, with over 50 successful exhibitions, camps, workshops in India, Singapore & London. She has also launched a Luxury Management Company namely Bon Vivant. The world of fashion and art is merging and Isha Patodia is positioning herself on the cusp of this trend.

At Habiart she is focused towards building a long term relationship with other organizations, local and international, including museums, art schools, galleries and government institutions to work together on regular art events, educational programs and special exhibitions.

Further Isha is engaged in encouraging art philanthropy in India by reaching out to private and corporate sponsors.

Today, the foundation is also at the forefront of Indian efforts to seek an intelligent dialogue with the arts of our region. The SAARC nations of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, Sri Lanka and Maldives have a common cultural base and it has long been felt that SAARC Art Forum to encourage inter-cultural art exchanges is much needed. The national character of Habiart Foundation's art efforts and its links with important art centres across the country have been instrumental in its endeavor to bring awareness to the creation of such a forum. Art exchanges with Nepal and Bangladesh are already underway and links with other SAARC countries are being slowly developed.