Businesswoman Nita Amb has been elected to the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Reliance Foundation announced on Wednesday, adding that she is the first Indian to be honoured with the role of a trustee in the Museum's 149-year-history.
Her election took place at the meeting of the board held on Tuesday, as per a release by the Reliance Foundation.
Commenting on Amb's election, Del Brodsky, the Museum's Chairman, said, "Amb's commitment to The Met and to preserving and promoting India's art and culture is truly exceptional. Her support has an enormous impact on the Museum's ability to study and display art from every corner of the world. It is a pleasure to welcome Nita Amb to the board."
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the largest art museum in the United States, with permanent collections consisting of works of art from ancient Egypt, as well as scriptures from nearly all the European masters. The 149-year old museum draws millions of visitors from across the world every year and was the third most visited art museum in the world in 2018.
Commenting on her election, Amb said, "It has been deeply rewarding for me over the past several years to support The Metropolitan Museum of Art in its desire to expand and enhance its programme of exhibiting the arts of India."
"I have been moved and impressed by The Met's keen interest, which enables our commitment to seeing Indian art and culture represented on the global platform. This great distinction inspires me to redouble my efforts on behalf of India's heritage, from the ancient to the contemporary," she added.
56-year-old Nita Amb is the Founder and Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, an Indian philanthropic orgsation that has supported the museum since 2016, beginning with the exhibition Nasreen Mohamedi.
In 2017, the Museum had honoured Amb at The Met Winter Party, an event celebrating the achievements of those who foster greater diversity and inclusion in the world of art. She is also a member of The Met's International Council.
( With inputs from ANI )