Dhaka, Bangladesh (CU)_ Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire honor has been awarded to British-Bangladeshi philanthropist Nadia Samdani in the Queen’s Birthday Honors List for 2022. Samdani was honored for her contributions to international art philanthropy and for her support towards the arts in Bangladesh, South Asia, and the United Kingdom. The Birthday Honors list honors the accomplishments of numerous outstanding individuals throughout the United Kingdom.
Samdani, an ardent lover of the arts, co-founded the Bangladeshi non-profit Samdani Art Foundation. She has brought domestic and global exposure to Bangladeshi contemporary artists via her work with the Foundation. This has led to the inclusion of their works in prominent international public institutions and collections.
Samdani is one of the founders of the Dhaka Art Summit (DAS), which is the most attended art summit in the world in 2020, with 477,00 attendees. It provides chances for the local community to connect with art by linking the gap between the local art scene and the global art world as part of the Foundation’s mission to make art accessible to everyone. Additionally, DAS will commemorate its tenth anniversary next year on February 3 to 11 under her successful leadership.
Following her great accomplishment, Nadia Samdani MBE expressed delight over the honor. She said, “It’s an extraordinary honor to receive recognition for over a decade of supporting and nurturing artistic talent. It’s been heartening to see the huge levels of public engagement with our work, and how the Foundation has fostered new cross-cultural dialogues between Bangladesh and the rest of the world. I am thrilled that this honor comes as part of celebrations for Her Majesty the Queen’s 70-year reign, and her length of service and commitment is something I hope to emulate in my ongoing work.”
