AFD Board - Alliance Française de Delhi

The AFD Board of Directors comprises a diverse group of passionate individuals dedicated to advancing French language and culture within their community. Comprised of experienced professionals, educators, and cultural enthusiasts, the board oversees strategic planning, program development, and organizational governance. Drawing on their collective expertise and networks, they work collaboratively to promote linguistic and cultural exchange, foster educational initiatives, and support local and international partnerships. With a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and inclusivity, the Board members of AFD play a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s direction and impact, ensuring its continued success in promoting French language and cultural understanding.

Ms. Zohra Chatterji

President

Ms. Zohra Chatterji, an IAS officer from the 1979 batch (UP Cadre), held the position of Secretary, Government of India. A Physics graduate from Miranda House and post-graduate in English Literature, she began her career as a lecturer in English at IT College, Lucknow. Throughout her career, she held pivotal roles in Uttar Pradesh, including Labour Commissioner, Secretary & DG Tourism, and Principal Secretary IT & Industries, where she launched the award-winning e-suvidha and Lokvani projects. In 2007, Ms. Chatterji joined the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, as Joint Secretary. She also served as Member Secretary, National Commission for Women, and Additional Secretary Coal, holding additional charge as CMD of Coal India, the first woman in this role. She retired in 2014 from the Ministry of Textiles, with notable contributions to the handloom and handicrafts sector. Ms. Chatterji has represented India at international platforms, including the UN Women session and WIPO deliberations. She has also attended prestigious programs, including Harvard’s Kennedy School. Post-retirement, she chaired the UP Institute of Design and serves as an independent Director in companies like Travel Corporation of India. She completed her PhD on Awadh Culture and was the founding President of Alliance Française de Lucknow.

Mr. Sandeep Sapra

Vice-President

Mr. Sandeep Sapra is an Income Tax Consultant predominantly handling corporate appeals before the Supreme Court of India, various High Courts, and Income Tax Appellate Tribunals. Several judgments have been published in various Law Journals. Some of the major clients are: Hyundai Heavy Industries Ltd., Asahi Glass, ONGC, Essel/ZEE TV Group, Jamna Auto Industries Ltd., etc. He has been a member of the executive committee of the Income Tax Bar Association, Meerut and Income-tax Appellate Tribunal Bar Association, Delhi.

Mrs. Amita Mishra

Honorary Joint Secretary

Amita Mishra is the Principal of Delhi Public School International, Saket, the only school offering IGCSE & A Levels Cambridge Assessment in Delhi.
Over her 30 years of experience, she has been Vice-Principal, DPS R.K.P, H.M. DPS East of Kailash, Ideator- CBSEi, Supervisor – ISC Board, Examiner for CBSE Board. As a core-resource person of the DPS Society, she has trained over 5000 teachers. She is a facilitator of various CIE projects in India.<br>DPS International was identified as one of the top 50 schools in India by Future 50. All India N°1 for Value for Money by Educational World with world-class university admissions. Daughter of a diplomat Mrs. Mishra is proficient in french which she has taught at DPS R.K. Puram, New Delhi

Mr. Surya Bhatia

Member

Mr. Surya Bhatia is a Chartered Accountant qualified in May’98. During his two year stint in a CA firm where he worked in the capacity as a partner, he developed a passion for personal finance and started developing experience and expertise in the same. He did certification in AMFI Mutual Fund Testing Program – 2001. Subsequently, when CFP (Certified Financial Planner) was launched in India, he did his CFP via the challenge status. In the year 2003, he started his own wealth boutique firm “Asset Managers” – a financial advisory concern advising on money management principles and over the last 9 years, he has been helping individuals and Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) to create, manage and grow their assets. He has also been doing TV shows more popularly “Let’s talk Money” on NDTV Profit and contributing towards financial literacy through print media by writing articles and columns and is currently writing a weekly column for HT-MINT.

Mr. I.M. Chishti

Member

Prof. Iftikhar-Mulk Chishti teaches the Theory of Design at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi from where he had graduated in 1975. His activities include a practice in architecture/interior design, exhibition/product design, and installation/scenography, and extend to theatre and film making, a subject which he studied in Paris during a four year period in the late seventies.

Dr. Manisha Sondhi

Member

Dr. Manisha Sondhi is a life-long advocate of promoting the French language and culture in the country. A Ph.D. in French from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, she has been invited to France on several occasions at the invitation of the French government to strengthen cross-cultural and academic exchanges including the feasibility of integrating the DELF in the Indian education system. Dr. Sondhi has been actively involved with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in various capacities for teaching and evaluation of French at the secondary level.She was responsible for coordinating the DELF examination for French learners over three years and has undergone the BELC teachers training in France as well as in India.As Vice Principal at DPS Greater Noida and previously as Head of Department of Foreign Languages at DPS Vasant Kunj, she has organized cultural events, academic workshops, student and teacher trainings and career counselling sessions for senior students in liaison with French Universities.She has had a 35-year relationship with Alliance Française de Delhi, which started as a college student and graduated to herself teaching at Alliance Française in the initial years of her career.

Ms. Patricia Loison

Ex-officio member

Patricia Loison is a seasoned journalist, writer, and cultural figure whose career spans more than two decades across international journalism, television, and cultural diplomacy. She has covered major global events, including European summits, American elections, and significant geopolitical developments. She began her journalism career at LCI, one of France’s leading news channels, where she worked as a reporter and anchor, developing a reputation for insightful reporting and compelling storytelling. She later joined France Télévisions, where she established herself as a distinguished television journalist, covering international affairs and bringing complex global issues to a broad audience. Patricia also hosted a travel programme, visiting diverse regions around the world and using the platform to promote intercultural understanding and dialogue. In 2022, she expanded her career into literature with the publication of her debut book by Fayard, inspired by her personal adoption story, which received critical recognition and introduced a more personal dimension to her work. Her contributions to French media, culture, and society have been recognised through prestigious distinctions, including the titles of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres and Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite.

Mr. Mickaël Pavy

Ex-officio member

To be updated

Ms. Aude Priya Wacziarg

Vice President

Aude Priya Wacziarg is a French citizen born in India, holding an Overseas Citizen of India card, and permanently settled in India. She has been a teacher of ancient languages at the University in France and, more recently, at the Ashoka University. She has also been an opera singer for over ten years, and now manages the Neemrana Music Foundation since 2013. This foundation is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting music, both through productions and through education. In 2018, she set up the Neemrana Voice Academy, a structure especially curated for bringing young opera singers to an international level. Aude Priya is also actively involved as a director both in the Francis Wacziarg Group of export agencies and in the Neemrana Hotels.

Mr. Aditya Arya

Honorary Secretary

An eminent commercial and travel photographer, Aditya Arya began professional photography in 1980 after graduating in History from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University. In addition to his wide-ranging Commercial and Travel portfolio, his work has been published widely in books and travel magazines around the world. He is known for his expertise in the field of advertising and corporate photography, specializing in Products, Interiors, and Food. Over the last few years, he has been completely immersed in the subject and practice of photographic conservation. He has honed his skills and knowledge on preservation, restoration, and archiving particularly through the documentation of historic photographic works from the famous Kulwant Roy Collection of the pre and post-independence era. He has played a pivotal role in the establishment of the India Photo Archive Foundation and the Neel Dongre Awards/Grants for Excellence in Photography. At present, while also actively pursuing his professional advertising and commercial assignments, he divides his time between his photography archive and Museo Camera – the only Photography and Camera Museum in India.

Mr. Rajendra Sharma

Honorary Treasurer

To be updated

Ms. Payal Kanwar

Member

Payal S. Kanwar has been the Director General of the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) since 2016, following five years as Regional Director. With nearly 20 years of experience in international business relations, communication, and advocacy, she has played a key role in strengthening Indo-French ties. In 2022, she was awarded the Knight of the National Order of Merit (Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite) by the President of France.

A gold medallist and French Honours topper from Panjab University, she holds a Master’s degree in Corporate Communications from NEOMA Business School, France. She previously held senior positions at the Embassy of France in India and BNP Paribas.

Under her leadership, IFCCI received four international awards from CCI France International between 2018 and 2023. She has fostered collaboration between French companies and Indian government bodies, supporting initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. In 2023, she participated in the official state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France. Her work and insights have also featured in prominent media outlets, including The Quint, Business Standard, and The Indian Express.

Mr. Harpreet Singh

Member

Harpreet Singh obtained his B.Com degree from Bhagat Singh College, New Delhi. He studied French at Alliance Française de Delhi up to the 6th semester (Diplome level). He also runs a business of interior designing and execution of interiors projects. He undertakes turnkey projects from Government, Semi-Government and multinational companies, etc. all over India, mostly in Delhi & Mumbai. He is also a member of the poetry society and has composed around a hundred poems in English and some in French. His articles and poems have been published in many leading national newspapers and magazines like Indian Express, The Hindustan Times, etc. He has served as a member of Governing Body, AFD for around ten years, and first became its member at the age of 18.

Mr.J.L. Sarin

Member, Former President

Mr. J.L. Sarin did his BA (Hons.) in English, LLB and MA Political Science from Punjab University, Chandigarh. He has done a Diploma of the International Institute of Public Administration, Paris under a French government scholarship. Mr. J.L. Sarin joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1967, and worked in various capacities in Punjab and in the Central Government. The last posting in India was as Director of Ocean Development, Govt. of India (1981-85). He then joined the African Development Bank, Côte d’Ivoire in 1986 where he worked in various capacities, including Chief of Recruitment, Deputy Director Language Services, and Director Human Resource Management till Oct. 1997.

Ms. Vaishali Gupta

Member

Vaishali Gupta is an Author and Educationist, as well as the founder of an award winning brand called One Teacher One Scientist. It is an initiative to empower teachers and parents to impart experiential learning and drive Innovation and 21st Century skills in children to build Global Citizenship. Under this banner, several programmes have been created for different learners. One recently designed programme called S.L.A.T.E. (Simple Learning Activities to Think and Empower) was especially curated to help disadvantaged community children take their basic step towards structured learning. This has helped her brand get recognised as one of the top 10 institutes providing services towards STEM education in India. Her professional experience in the field of education of more than two decades has seen her author more than fifty school textbooks and activity books, published by international publishers like Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Encyclopaedia Britannica India and Scholastic.

Ms. Pallavi Barara

Teachers' Representative

Pallavi is a Professor, certified TCF and DELF examiner and trainer, and a researcher. Her academic and professional journey is a testament to her enduring passion for the French language, literature and culture, and to a lifelong engagement with language as a means of understanding identities, societies and their histories.

Her journey with French began at the Alliance Française de Delhi, where her early engagement with the language was marked by two significant achievements: she was the winner of the Concours Printemps des Poètes and a laureate of the prestigious Plume d’Or. This early encounter with French gradually developed into an engaging expedition of academic and critical enquiry.

She pursued a Masters in Foreign Language Education at the University of Delhi, followed by a second Masters and an MPhil in French and Francophone Literature from JNU. Beyond FLE, her research interests include literary theory, comparative conflict literature, historical biographies, and the memory studies. She has presented at numerous conferences on language, literature, memories of violence, displacement and historical conflicts, including the Holocaust, the Partition of India and the Rwandan genocide. Her research works have been published by Vani Prakashan, Tulika Books and GERFLINT etc.

A committed practitioner of learner-centred teaching, Pallavi has been teaching FLE at the Alliance Française de Delhi for nearly two decades now. Having herself benefited from AFD’s rigorous and thoughtfully crafted teacher-training programme as a young trainee, she has been an integral part of its teacher-training programme for over a decade. Her professional includes providing training schools across Delhi NCR, Delhi University, Amity University, and diverse institutional and corporate settings. She has designed customised, objective-specific French programmes for organisations including CHC, Sopra Steria, Alstom India and MGIEP… She was also an integral part of the OFII (Office français de l’Immigration et de l’Intégration) programme formerly offered by AFD.

Her work today brings together language education, literary scholarship and cultural enquiry, reflecting a continued interest in the ways language and literature shape our understanding of individuals, cultures and collective memory.