Kochi: The third edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale has started and this time, the foundation that runs India’s biggest international art exhibition is headed by two women in key posts. Manju Sara Rajan and Treesa Jaifer were recently appointed as CEO and CFO.

“Every day is filled with activities that see art blooming everywhere,” says Treesa, who has been assisting her friend and Biennale co-founder Riyaz Komu since the show was first launched in Kochi four years ago. She has seen the struggles that the founders went through when many were sceptical of starting something on such a large scale in Kochi.

“We have come a long way from the initial days when it was a struggle to find patrons in art,” she says. The Kochi Biennale Foundation also oversees a comprehensive programmes division that organises, conducts and manages education and outreach initiatives through the year. “This includes talks, conferences, performances, educational initiatives, workshops and other forms of wide public engagement,” she informs.

Manju started her stint with the Biennale Foundation as Communication Director in February—making a break from her journalistic career—and was invited to take over as the CEO owing to her managerial skills. The former editor of Architectural Magazine has a degree in journalism from the Sydney Macquarie University.

As CEO, she oversees the administrative management and looks into the outreach programmes as well. “It has been a great experience, the scale of things is huge,” says Manju, as the show starts for a three-month run.