Shireen Ahmad

Dr. Shireen Ahmad is Co-Founder and Chief Artistic Director of the South Asia Institute in Chicago, an organization dedicated to advancing the understanding of South Asian art and culture through exhibitions, public programs and educational initiatives. A retired academic anesthesiologist and former professor at Northwestern University, she has devoted the past decade to building platforms that elevate South Asian artists and diasporic voices. Together with her husband, Dr. Afzal Ahmad, she helped establish the Institute to share their extensive collection of South Asian art and create a vibrant cultural space for dialogue, scholarship, and community engagement. They have been recognized by the Mayor of Chicago and the State Treasurer for their initiatives. Their philanthropy also supports academic appointments in South Asian art history at major academic institutions.