1960’S ALUMNI STORIES

Vishakha Desai is our proud 1960s alumni and the Former Chairperson [2016 - 2021] of the Board of Trustees of AFS

International She joined the AFS International Board as a coopted member in 2013 after serving 22 years with the Asia Society and stepping down as President and Chief Executive Officer of Asia Society. Her professional work trajectory was directly inspired by the year she spent in Santa Barbara at the height of the Vietnam war, but she had not engaged in the AFS organization except for occasional annual contributions. The last eight years that she had spent on the Board and the last five as Chair, had been equally transformative for her. As a seasoned professional in International organizations and activities, she has learned many valuable lessons from engaging in such a complex global organization

She mentioned in her farewell messaged in 2021, ‘Of course, I have learned that there are no permanent goodbyes in the AFS Family’, as we always remain ready to lend a helping hand and get roped into volunteering for different functions. So, I look forward to helping when and where I can make a difference. Most importantly, I look forward to being part of a cheering squad as you continue to scale new heights as an organization committed to making the world a more cooperative and peaceful place. As we say in Gujarati, “Avjo” : not goodbye but the hope of seeing you again!’

In October 2022, she published a wonderful book, World as Family: A Journey of Multi-Rooted Belongings. AFS is an important part of Vishakha’s life and an important part of the story she tells in her book. “Once again, AFS has become pivotal in my global journey. As a Board member and as Chair since 2016, I have met thousands of returnees, host family members, and community volunteers, not just at AFS international meetings but also at gatherings in unlikely places like International conferences in Doha and Paris or a Board meeting in New York or at a Christmas party in Southold, Long Island. ”