When Vishakha Desai was a 16-year-old in Ahmedabad, India, she and 31 other high school students were selected from a pool of 5,000 to participate in the prestigious American Field Service. This foreign exchange program allowed Desai to spend her senior year studying abroad in California. At the time, there were only three Indian families in Santa Barbara, and she was often mistaken for being Mexican or Native American. Such comments only nurtured Desai's passion for fostering cultural understanding among people of the world. That was in 1967, and Desai's knack for outshining others has followed her ever since.

In July, Desai made history by becoming the first woman and the first Asian American president of the Asia Society, a nonprofit, nonpolitical educational institution dedicated to fostering understanding between Asians and Americans. It accomplishes its mission through arts, cultural, business and educational programs. Before her presidential appointment, this scholar of classical and contemporary Indian art served as a curator at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Director of Museum and Cultural Programs at the Asia Society, and a frequent lecturer around the globe.

Desai's schedule is hectic; a typical day usually begins in her New York office with breakfast with one of the Asia Society's trustees or potential corporate sponsors. Then she's off to a bevy of meetings—eight to 10 in day is not unusual. They're a whirlwind of internal appointments with her senior staff, programming meetings, discussions about future projects, and more. She might give a remark at a corporate luncheon in the afternoon, and evenings are often reserved for Asia Society events, speaking engagements or cultural receptions. Suffice it to say, there's hardly a spare moment in her day. But her hard work has paid off—during her entire career in a field of cutthroat competition, Desai has never actually had to look for a job—they've always found her. So how did she get there? Nirali finds out:

What drew you to your field?
I was trained as a classical Indian dancer. Amazingly, there is a connection. I came to the US as a high school exchange student. I was interested and involved in international cultural issues and Vietnam peace demonstrations. At 16, I got to thinking about people understanding each other and their cultures. It's because of that I decided to major in political science, with the idea of working international relations. I came back to the States as the bride of an American Peace Corps worker. Because of my training in Bharatnatyam, I was asked to come to the Cleveland Museum of Art to perform and give a talk. It was a very fortuitous circumstance but terrific for me ... I got very excited about thinking about museums as institutions of education and art together. Ultimately it was really my interest in education, arts, and performing arts, together, that led me to a career in arts. I had earlier interests in international and cultural understanding, so this job is a combination of all those coming together.

What challenges do you face, both as a South Asian and a woman in your field?
I think I have to say that not in any direct sense, partly because it so happened I was developing myself in a field where my Indian background was a plus. However, as you move upward in the mainstream cultural arena, there have been times where I would say being a woman was not necessarily helpful. It wasn't hurtful, but it was a bit of a hindrance. You had to be aware of it, like any woman leader will tell you.

Do you have any advice for young women wanting to get into the art world?
I think there are two things—one is that for women of Asian or South Asian origin, there is such a strong emphasis on going into careers that are seen as productive. If you're really passionate about the arts, then there is no substitute for getting an advanced degree. Get the best training possible, and then be clear that you really want to make a difference in that field, and don't be disappointed if you don't immediately get something that gets you there. But don't get into this career unless you're really passionate, because it's not easy. There are few good jobs, and they are highly competitive. You better get your degree, don't lose your passion, and find places where you can intern or volunteer. There's no substitute for passion and proper training.

What if you want to get into this field later in life?
Later in life, you still need the proper degrees and proper academic training, otherwise you can't get there. I know when a museum opens up a curator position, lots of people apply, but if they don't have the proper training, it's not enough to have passion.

What's been most exciting about your career thus far?
I think for me there are two different areas: One is to really see that in the last 30-some years, Asia is finally beginning to take center stage in a way that really wasn't the case in the American imagination 30 years ago, and two is to play a role where you can actually make a difference in the global arena—to be at the nexus of Asia and US connections.

To do my job is to explain myself and all of us in this country. That's very exciting. My personal and professional missions come together, and I feel very privileged, because that doesn't happen for everyone.