Sirish Rao

Sirish Rao is a writer, producer, and cultural curator with deep connections to the international cultural world. He spent a decade as Director of one of India’s most respected publishing houses and has worked in event production in India, the UK, and Europe. Sirish has authored twenty books, from commentaries on street art to children’s books, to retellings of Greek plays. His books have been translated into seventeen languages and won several international awards.

Sirish has worked with some of the world’s leading art institutions including the Paul Getty Museum, Museum of London, National Institute of Design, Ahmedadad, Musee du Quai Branly, and Kunsthal Rotterdam. He has been a member of several juries including the 2015 Ethel Wilson Prize and the 2015 City of Vancouver Book Awards. He maintains his connection to international publishing in his role as Adjunct Professor in the Publishing Department at Simon Fraser University.

Since co-founding Indian Summer Festival, Sirish has been responsible for introducing some of the world’s most noted contemporary artists to Vancouver, in a roster that features Nobel, Booker, Grammy and Oscar-winning artists alongside emerging talent. Sirish is deeply committed to playing his part in ensuring that Vancouver is engaged in global conversations.