LEKHA PODDAR
Overview
Lekha Poddar (b. 1950, Kolkata, India) is a philanthropist, business leader, and prominent collector of contemporary and vernacular art. Over the past two decades, she has played an important role in supporting the visibility and growth of South Asian art through collecting, patronage, and institutional engagement.
Together with her son, Anupam Poddar, she co-founded the Devi Art Foundation in 2005. The foundation has since become one of the region’s most significant private art initiatives. Its collection spans contemporary art from India, South Asia, Central Asia, and Iran, alongside a substantial and carefully developed collection of vernacular and folk art. Through this wide-ranging focus, the foundation has contributed to building dialogues between contemporary artistic practices and traditional visual cultures.
From 2008 to 2026, the Foundation organised more than 24 major exhibitions, mainly drawn from its collection, providing an important platform for artists and curators while fostering public engagement with contemporary art. Through these initiatives, Lekha Poddar has consistently supported research, exhibition-making, and the circulation of art across regional and international contexts.
She also serves on the board of the Tate International Council, where she contributes to strengthening the global presence and representation of South Asian art.
Born in Kolkata and based in New Delhi, Lekha Poddar continues to support artistic practice through her work as a collector and philanthropist.