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Delegates convene at the 2011 Women Leaders of New Asia conference in Singapore. (Asia Society)

Vishakha Desai: Rising Asia Must Forge Path for More Women to Lead

Asian countries must ensure that women are key players in the region's rapid growth, argue Asia Society President Vishakha Desai and National University of Singapore Vice-Dean Astrid S. Tuminez. more
Samajwadi Party leader and designate chief minister for Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav leaves parliament after the opening of the budget session in New Delhi on March 12, 2012. (Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images)

India and the United States: Whither Democracies?

Unfolding events in India and the U.S. suggest there's actually hope for the democratic process, argues Asia Society President Vishakha Desai. more
Asia Society President Vishakha Desai at the opening of Asia Society's Hong Kong Center on Feb. 9, 2012. (Bill Swersey/Asia Society)

Ending Benign Neglect: Addressing the Needs of Asian-Pacific American Employees

The "model minority" paradigm is a misperception that harms Asian-Pacific Americans, argues Asia Society President Vishakha Desai. more
L to R: IMF Chief Christine Lagarde and U.S. President Barack Obama talk with China President Hu Jintao at the opening session of the 2011 APEC Summit at the Marriott Hotel in Honolulu on Nov. 13, 2011. (International Monetary Fund/Flickr)

2011: Year-End Reflections on America's Strategic 'Pivot'

New configurations don't have to be a zero-sum game in which America loses because China and India rise, writes Vishakha Desai. more
Statue of Indian poet, playwright, musician, and artist Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) at Tagore House in Kolkata. (kittell/Flickr)

Vishakha Desai: Will Asia Be One?

A century after leading intellectuals first articulated a notion of Asian identity, it has the potential to become true. more
South Korean protesters participate in a rally celebrating news of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on December 19, 2011 in Seoul, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Desai: A 'New Chapter' For North Korea?

Asia Society President Vishakha Desai wonders if the death of Kim Jong Il will bring about Myanmar-like reforms in North Korea. more
Philippines President Benigno Aquino III

Video: Asia Society Leaders Discuss Arrival of Philippines President Benigno S. Aquino III

Asia Society President Vishakha Desai and Executive Vice President Jamie Metzl spoke recently to the Philippines Presidential Broadcast Staff. more

Desai: America Keeping 'World at Bay'

Asia Society President Vishakha Desai remembers 9/11 and discusses her concerns for America. more
Supporters of anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare stand behind the national flag of India as they celebrate the 12th day of Hazare's hunger strike in New Delhi on Aug. 27, 2011. (Manan Vatsyayana/AFP/Getty Images)

Desai: Hazare's Anti-Corruption Movement Must Include Democratic Institutions

Asia Society President Vishakha Desai says the Hazare movement should not simply be a ‘my way or the highway’ kind of obstinacy. more
An Indian office worker walks past wall graffiti made after the 2008 terror attacks near the recent blast site at Opera House in Mumbai on July 14, 2011. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images)

Desai: After Mumbai Bombings, Time to 'Stand Up to Fight for Peace'

Asia Society President Vishakha Desai reacts to Wednesday's Mumbai bombings that killed at least 21 and says what it may mean for India-Pakistan peace talks. more