Mr. Ashok Vajpeyi, Chairman

Mr. Vajpeyi serves as the Chairman of Copal Art. A renowned poet, critic and cultural activist, he is a major figure in the Indian culture and art ethos. With three books on art and thirteen books of poetry to his credit, Mr. Vajpeyi is widely recognized as an arbiter of the Indian aesthetic. Between 1992 and 2003, he influenced national policy and cultural initiatives as the Joint Secretary for Culture of the Indian government. His extra-ordinary contributions to the Arts have been recognized by the conferring of prestigious national awards such as the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Dayawati Kavi Shekhar Samman and the Kabir Samman. Mr. Vajpeyi has received international acclaim and been decorated by the Governments of France and Poland for his cultural contributions. He is the founder of the multi-art center, Bharat Bhawan, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and was the first Vice Chancellor of the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Wardha. Presently, in addition to advising and guiding Copal, Mr. Vajpeyi is also the Chairman of the National Art Academy (Lalit Kala Akademi) administered by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Mr. Ajay Seth, Chief Mentor

Mr. Ajay Seth is the founder and Chief Mentor for Copal Art. An entrepreneurial spirit has been the hallmark and driving force behind of Mr. Seth’s 38 year career. Prior to founding Copal Art in 2006, Mr. Seth was the CEO and Managing Director of Lovett & Virginia focused on diversified personal care products. With a historical background in accounting and audit, Mr. Seth spent time at Godrej, DCM Group and Haryana Breweries. Early in 2000, Mr. Seth began collecting art and in the ensuing years this hobby became his passion and culminated in the founding of Copal Art. Mr. Seth’s vision is to educate and enable all people to appreciate all forms of art with a particular focus on Indian Art. An avid supporter of artists, Mr. Seth believes in helping to foster their development through sponsored activities and active support. A graduate of Delhi University with a Bachelors’ in Commerce, Mr. Seth is a Board Member of Ekatra (a body of Raza Foundation) and has been awarded the Amity Global Leadership Summit Award for sectoral excellence in art.