Royal Recognition

On Tuesday 20 November Vinod Desai won’t be going to work at Art Asia as he has done for the last 26 years, instead he will be putting on his best suit, getting on the train to London and receiving his MBE from Buckingham Palace.

Vinod has been made a Member of the British Empire in The Queen’s 2007 Birthday Honours list for his services to the Arts. He is the founder of the Southampton-based organisation Art Asia. Vinod has been and remains the back-bone and heart of the organisation which developed from its humble beginnings of weekly get-togethers of musicians to becoming the internationally-respected charity working to promote South Asian arts it is today.

Art Asia is probably best known for organising The Southampton Mela Festival (an annual event that attracts around 20,000 people) and radio Art Asia which paved the way for the successful Unity 101. Starting as one man's passion, Art Asia now works to promote South Asian (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka) theatre, dance and music across the South. Working with various local, national and international artists and arts organisations to bring the people of Southampton and surrounding areas the opportunity to watch, participate and learn a variety of arts.

The MBE which will be presented on Tuesday afternoon is a well deserved tribute to one of Southampton’s leading community figures and Vinod’s colleagues look forward to seeing him back in work on Wednesday.