News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know Diya Vij Appointed NYC Commissioner Of The Department Of Cultural Affairs N ewYork City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani recently ap- pointed Diya Vij as Commission- er of the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), the nation’s larg- est municipal funder of culture. A Feb. 25, 2026 press release from the Mayor’s office said, “Commissioner, Vij will deepen the City’s commitment to supporting art and culture and ensure NewYork City is not only a place where artists can afford to live, but where art is celebrated and sustained.” Vij returns to the DCLA, where she previously worked on special projects under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Dur- ing her earlier tenure, she launched and co-directed the Public Artists in Resi- dence (PAIR) program, which embeds artists within City agencies and inte- grates art into civic life. Artists including Tania Bruguera, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Onyedika Chuke and Ebony Noelle Golden participated in the program. More recently, Vij served as a curator at Creative Time, where she curated large-scale public art projects in part- nership with State and City agencies, including the Metropolitan Transporta- tion Authority (MTA), the Parks Depart- ment and the Department of Transpor- tation. Her most recent curation, Chloë Bass’s “If you hear something, free something,” was created in partnership with the MTA and broadcast artwork over the subway public address system, transforming daily commutes into shared cultural experiences. Vij also held leadership roles across NewYork’s arts institutions, including as Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs at Powerhouse Arts, and in roles at the Queens Museum and the High Line. Across private nonprofits and city government, she has orga- nized dozens of performances and public programs and developed a deep understanding of the city’s cultural ecosystem. Mayor Mamtani welcomed her as a ‘visionary and deeply thoughtful leader who understands that art is not orna- mental to this city — it is essential.” “This administration has renewed my belief that city government can be a site of real change — and that art and culture are essential to that project,” said Com- missioner Vij. “Too many artists have been forced out of the city they love — crushed by the cost-of-living crisis. As Commis- sioner, I will extend the Mayor’s afford- ability agenda to arts and culture. It is an honor to help build a city where artists, cultural workers, and NewYorkers across all five boroughs can do more than get by — they can live full, vibrant and curious lives.” Commissioner Vij will report to Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. Vij is the Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn. In that role, she is credited with expanding access to affordable art-making facilities, strengthening educational initia- tives and launching a contemporary arts program centered on artistic process and cultural labor, the press release said. Over the past decade, she has held programming, curatorial and commu- nications roles at major NewYork City Institutions. By a StaffWriter PHOTO:HUNTER.CUNY.EDU Diya Vij. Two Indian-Origin Authors In Long-List Of 2026 Women’s Prize For Fiction T heWomen’s Prize Trust recently announced its long list of authors up for consideration for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Two of the 16 authors are of Indian origin – Sheena Kalayil and Megha Majumdar. “An expansive list that showcases the profound force, resonance and scale of fiction writing, the 16 titles – including nine from independent publishers and seven debuts – are a true treasure trove for readers,” the Trust said in its March 4 announcement. The winner of the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction, sponsored by Audible and Baileys, will receive £30,000, anonymously endowed, along with a stat- uette known as the ‘Bessie’, created and donated by the late artist Grizel Niven. This year’s judges include Chair Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Aus- tralia, poet, novelist and essayist, Mona Arshi, author, presenter, poet and speaker, Salma El-Wardany, writer, podcaster, actor and comedian, Cariad Lloyd, and author, broadcaster and DJ, Annie Macmanus. The judges will now narrow down the longlist to a shortlist of six, which will be announced on 22 April 2026. The winner of the 2026Women’s Prize for Fiction will be revealed on Thursday 11 June 2026 at theWomen’s Prize Trust’s summer party in Bedford Square Gardens, London (along with the winner of its sister prize, the 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction). The books tackle a wide range of issues – global turbulence to familial relationships, “and reflects on today’s ever increasing crisis of identity and search for human connection.” Majumdar is a NewYork-based author from India. Her debut novel A Burning was on the NewYork Times Bestseller list. Her book A Guardian and a a Thief under consideration, was selected by the Oprah’s Book Club. Kalayil is the author of The Bureau of Second Chances, The Inheritance, The WildWind and the book for which she is longlisted -The Others (2025). The full list in alphabetical order by author surname is: • Gloria Don’t Speak by Lucy Apps (Weatherglass Books) • Paradiso 17 by Hannah Lillith Assadi (4th Estate, HarperCollins Publishers UK) • Moderation by Elaine Castillo (Atlan- tic Books) • Flashlight by Susan Choi (Jonathan Cape, Vintage, Penguin Random House UK) • Dominion by Addie E. Citchens (Eu- ropa Editions UK) • The Benefactors byWendy Erskine (Sceptre, Hodder & Stoughton, Ha- chette UK) • The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House UK) • The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchin- son (Cassava Republic Press) • The Others by Sheena Kalayil (Fly on theWall Press) • Kingfisher by Rozie Kelly (Saraband) • Heart the Lover by Lily King (Canon- gate) • Audition by Katie Kitamura (Fern Press, Vintage, Penguin Random House UK) • A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Ma- jumdar (Scribner, Simon & Schuster UK) • Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McCo- naghy (Canongate) • The Best of Everything by Kit deWaal (Tinder Press, Headline Publishing Group, Hachette UK) • A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang (Dead Ink) By a StaffWriter Sheena Kalayil Author Megha Majumdar holds up her latest book. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM @SHEENAKALAYILAUTHOR PHOTO: INSTAGRAM @MEGHA.MAJ News India Times (March 14, 2026 - March 20, 2026) March 20, 2026 12 Community