REKHA MODY - A WOMAN WITH VISION
"I believe in gender justice! I am the change!"
Family: Born in the year 1955 at Modi Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, she is the youngest daughter of
Rai Bahadur G.M. Modi (Padma Bhushan) and
Dayawati Modi. She is a BA First Class Graduate. She was married to Late Padam Pat Mody. She has two daughters - Isha and Aditi.
Her Journey: She established Genesis Book Shop in Kolkata in 1978, which she later converted into Genesis Art Gallery, home to some of the best artworks. She introduced Sotheby's, the first art auction house to India in 1992. She also started the first FM radio station, Radio Network, in Kolkata in 1994.
As a sponsoring body, Garutman was established to promote and publish very fine regional Indian literature. One of the success stories is Separate Journeys, a collection of short stories by eminent women writers (first Indian edition, edited by Geeta Dharmarajan, in 1993; London edition, published by Mantra Publishing Ltd., in 1993; American edition published by University of South Carolina Press, in 2004; and Terah Halafname, a Hindi Edition, translated by eminent writer Alka Saraogi, to be published in 2021). A publication of the play: Viddyottama, in 2007, involved the searching for the identity of Viddyottama in the writings of Maha kavi Kalidasa, 4th century.
Rekha believes "Strong women aren’t simply born. They are made by the storms they walk through."
Rekha Mody has founded 3 organizations -
1.
Divya Chaya Trust in 1984 with the prime objective of educating, supporting, and rehabilitating underprivileged children and helping destitute women. At present, DCT runs 4 centers: Karam Bhoomi, Rajarhat, Kolkata; Community Center, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi; Chiranjiv Karam Bhoomi Care Home - an old age home cum tuition center for students at Palam Vihar - Haryana; and Kusum Sarovar Prathmic Vidyalaya, Govardhan, Uttar Pradesh.
More at
www.divyachayatrust.org
2.
Habiart Foundation in 1989 to promote contemporary art. In the year 2001, Sphote, A Creative Protest Against Terror, was launched. The art works were exhibited in The Indian Parliament in 2002 and the exhibition later travelled to Davos World Economic Forum, Switzerland, India Everywhere, in 2006. Noteworthy art initiatives: Hello Monalisa (2004-2006), involving 12 artists, to celebrate 500 years of Mona Lisa, and Reliving Van Gogh (2015-1018): A café Exposition found both national and international collaboration. Additionally, the foundation arranged Art for Aged- A Charity Art Auction to support Help Age India in 2007. Other significant art events include works like White Nights’ etchings from Russia in 1992 and events like International SAARC Seminar on Art Perspective at ICCR in 2009 and India Splendor at Los Angeles in 2007 and at Singapore in 2008.
More at
www.habiartfoundation.org
3.
Stree Shakti – The Parallel Force in 1998 as a dynamic forum to promote women’s networking for action. The movement is a catalyst for fundamental social changes. She Leads, an initiative to support political empowerment of women has recently been launched.
More at
www.streeshakti.com
International experience - Pariticpated in the Dubai GCF WIN 2021 and Geneva at U.N GCF WiN 2022.
Rekha Mody served on the Board of United Way, New Delhi (2008). She held the position of Vice President, Mahabodhi Society of India (2009-2011) and has been actively highlighting the role and contribution of Women in Buddhism with photographic exhibitions in National and International forums. Recognizing her efforts, the Govt of India has nominated her on the National Culture Fund in 2012. She served on the board of Women Power Connect. She was nominated to the National Council of Senior Citizens in 2013. She has been nominated as a member of the Empowered Expert Committee, National Institute of Social Defense, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2021. The She Leads program for political empowerment has been launched as a collaborative program in 2021.
Other positions she has held include that of Treasurer, All India Women’s Education Fund Association (1994-1997); Advisor for CAPART (1987-1988); and India Habitat Centre, New Delhi (1989-1992). She has received the Vijaya Raje Scindia Award for excellence in 2007.
Presently, Rekha Mody is the President of GCF WIN with a mandate to organize an International Women Conference at Rishikesh, India in 2022, while the one in 2021 took place in Dubai. She has served as an advisor in Women Founders Collective, USA since 2006. She is also on the advisory board of Women International Network, Switzerland. She was included in the Asha UK Virtual Network as an inspirational woman. She was an invited delegate at Women’s Forum, Deauville. She has attended UN CSW in 2008 and 2010. She was an International delegate for Win Conference in Paris, Prague, Rome, and Oslo (2009,’10,’12,’17). She has also supported U.K. Save a Child Trust, London, since 1987. Other experiences include organizing podium discussions in Frankfurt Book Fair, 1986; meeting Reverend Uchida in Tokyo, Japan, 2000; observing a UN Peace Meet in 2000; India Splendor UCLA, Los Angeles in 2007; and Singapore in 2008.
She has travelled widely across Australia, China, England, Europe, Japan, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, U.A.E., and U.S.A.
She edited a book Quest for Roots (1999) and its Hindi version Astitva ki khoj (2018). She published a collection of Innovative practices for care of elderly women in India with the support of UNFPA (2016). Additionally, she was selected as a Social Innovation Park Fellow, Singapore and has been a recipient of The Inspiring Women Worldwide Award, 2016.
She holds an Honorary D.Litt from Vikramshila University (2013).
Isha Mody Patodia, a graduate of Brunel University, United Kingdom where she received a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. A young Turk, she has international film-making exposure and has been deeply connected with art and is the curator and Director at Genesis Art Gallery, having done several successful art exhibits, camps, and workshops in India and abroad. She is also partner at Bon Vivant a luxury management company that showcases premium brands. Isha brings with her a fresh and futuristic vision towards the way business is done in today’s multinational interactive scenario.