Home

Vishakha Desai

Vishakha Desai

Vishakha Desai is the sixth President and CEO of Asia Society. She is a frequent speaker at national and international forums on a wide variety of subjects that include US-Asia relationships, cultural roots of Asian economic development, regional connections within the Asia Pacific region, as well as the arts and cultures of Asia and Asian America.

Recent publications and appearances on AsiaSociety.org

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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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