Former chief secretary of Kerala Dr V. Venu appointed as Kochi Biennale Foundation chairperson- The Week

The board of trustees of the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) has announced the appointment of Dr V. Venu, former chief secretary to the government of Kerala, as the chairperson of the board of trustees of the foundation. Bose Krishnamachari, trustee of Kochi Biennale Foundation and Kochi-Muziris Biennale president said Dr Venu has intimated to the trustees that he is coming on board pro bono, on an honorary basis and his appointment has come into effect from September 21.

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which is conducted by KBF, has won national and international acclaim as India’s premier mega-art event, which is uniquely accessible to art lovers and members of the public alike. Dr Venu has been associated with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale since the first edition, playing a key role in establishing the partnership between the foundation and the government of Kerala. He has been in close touch with the trustees and office bearers of the foundation in subsequent editions as well.

Dr Venu joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1990. He is the former director general of the National Museum, New Delhi. Dr Venu brings to his position as KBF chairperson rich experience from a variety of assignments in the cultural and tourism sectors. He also served the government of Kerala and the government of India in various capacities in more than three decades.

He served as secretary of cultural affairs in the government of Kerala (2007-2011). It was during this period that the International Theatre Festival of Kerala was established. He was instrumental in setting up and curating a new museum, ‘Keralam’. He played a key role in the improvement and upgradation of the museums and archives of Kerala and continued his interest in developing community museums with local participation.

Dr Venu served as joint secretary, ministry of culture in the government of India, with responsibility over apex cultural institutions, libraries, archives, and museums, initiating a range of projects that increased the number of visitors, enhanced visibility, and raised the involvement of stakeholders and the academic community. As director general of the National Museum, he worked on the revival of the museum. He also served as vice chancellor of the National Museum Institute of the History of Art, Conservation and Museology.

In addition to its primary function as a mega art event, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale has an integral connection with tourism in Kerala. Krishnamachari said it is relevant to mention Dr Venu’s leadership initiatives as director of Kerala tourism and subsequently as secretary of the department of tourism, government of Kerala to promote tourism, notably through a policy-driven private-public partnership, the Kerala Travel Mart, the biggest international travel mart in India, and other imaginative campaigns at the state and all-India levels.