Arshiya Sethi is an independent scholar, cultural administrator, and authority on Indian performing arts. Formerly Creative Head of Programmes at the India Habitat Centre, she curated diverse initiatives spanning classical and folk arts, civil society issues, and international festivals. A two-time Fulbright Fellow, she served as dance critic for The Times of India, advisor to Doordarshan, and founder of the Kri Foundation. She shared a close professional and personal connection with Kathak exponent Mangala Bhatt. Their collaboration reflected their shared commitment to sustaining traditions while opening them to contemporary conversations, and sought to promote classical dance and nurture spaces for dialogue around the arts.