Asmitaa Foundation

FOUNDERS, MENTORS & TEAM

Behind ASMITAA is an interdisciplinary team of researchers, designers, legal professionals, business strategists, guided by a circle of mentors who are among India's most respected voices in textiles, museums, and cultural heritage.

SAREEKAH AGARWAAL,Founder & Director

Every family has textiles that quietly bear witness to lives lived - weddings celebrated, journeys undertaken, losses endured, and traditions passed. Yet these objects are rarely documented or preserved. Recognising this gap became the inspiration behind ASMITAA.

Sareekah Agarwaal is an Indian textile archivist, curator, researcher, and academician dedicated to documenting, preserving, and celebrating the material memories embedded within family-owned textiles. Through ASMITAA, she seeks to create a platform where textiles are valued not merely as objects of craft, but as living archives of identity, memory, and heritage.

Holding a Master's degree in Fabric and Apparel Science from the University of Delhi, Sareekah began her professional journey in the corporate sector before transitioning into academia, where her growing engagement with India's textile traditions shaped the direction of her life's work. Over the years, she has served as Senior Consultant at IGNOU, Assistant Professor in the Department of Fabric and Apparel Science at Lady Irwin College, and is currently associated with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi.

At NIFT, she serves as the Content Team Lead for The Repository – Indian Textiles and Crafts, a national digital knowledge portal developed for the Ministry of Textiles and launched by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on National Handloom Day in August 2023.

Her doctoral research, Textiles as Evidence of Material Memories: Exploring the Power of Narratives in Textile Preservation, is among the pioneering studies in India to examine how oral histories and personal narratives can strengthen textile documentation and encourage the preservation of family collections. The research combines textile scholarship with archival practices to develop practical approaches for documenting and caring for cherished textiles.

Her work extends beyond research into exhibitions, publications, and public engagement. She has curated exhibitions including aaina and abhivyakti, presented her research at national and international conferences, contributed book chapters and MOOCs, and continues to advocate for the preservation of India's textile heritage through documentation, education, and outreach.

Today, ASMITAA reflects the culmination of more than two decades of professional experience and research. Through it, Sareekah envisions creating one of India's leading centres for textile documentation, preservation, research, and public engagement, ensuring that the stories woven into family textiles continue to inspire future generations.

VIBHOR AGARWAL, Co-Founder & Chairperson

Vibhor Agarwal is an entrepreneur and business leader with more than three decades of experience in building and scaling technology businesses. An Electronics Engineering graduate from Nagpur University with a Master's degree in Business Management, he has led organisations through sustained growth while developing deep expertise in strategic planning, distribution networks, corporate governance, and long-term business development.

Throughout his career, Vibhor has been recognised for his ethical leadership, strategic clarity, and ability to build enduring partnerships. His experience in aligning global business strategies with the Indian market has enabled organisations to achieve sustained and responsible growth.

Since 2004, Vibhor has been associated with Supertron Electronics Pvt. Ltd., where he has contributed to the company's remarkable expansion into one of India's leading technology distribution enterprises. His leadership has earned widespread recognition within the industry for building trusted partnerships and sustainable business growth.

At ASMITAA, Vibhor provides strategic direction, governance, partnerships, and organisational leadership, laying the foundations for ASMITAA to grow into a leading institution dedicated to the preservation, documentation, and celebration of India's textile heritage.

ASMITAA Team

ASMITAA brings together professionals from diverse disciplines including textile archiving, conservation, research, law, design, business strategy, and cultural documentation. While each member brings a unique strength to the work we do, what unites us all is a shared commitment to preserving India's textile heritage and the stories woven into it.

ACHAL PANDYA, Conservation Advisor

NAMRATA DALELA, Conservation Advisor

SANYAM AGARWAAL, Legal Counsel

A legal professional specializing in international business, commercial, finance, and corporate law, Sanyam Agarwaal oversees ASMITAA's legal, regulatory, and governance framework. He ensures that the organisation's collections, collaborations, and long-term initiatives are supported by a strong legal and ethical foundation, helping protect ASMITAA's vision and strengthen its future as a lasting institution.

SAREEKAH AGARWAAL, Lead Textile Archivist

Beyond building ASMITAA's vision, Sareekah remains actively involved in its core work, personally leading the documentation of every family's textiles entrusted to the archive. Drawing upon research, storytelling, and curatorial practice, she documents each textile not merely for its technical and material qualities, but also for the memories, relationships, and traditions it embodies, giving every textile a voice of its own. For Sareekah, every cherished textile is more than an object—it is a living archive with a story waiting to be preserved.

SIMMI BHAGAT, Academic Advisor

VETHIKA AGARWAAL, Visual Designer

Vethika Agarwaal is the creative force behind ASMITAA's visual identity. With a background in Mathematics and Economics and a deep appreciation for Indian arts and crafts, she translates the organisation's vision into a thoughtful visual language across its publications, exhibitions, and digital platforms.