This year we welcome two new trustees, Poppy Jaman and Taryn Khanam, who have recently joined our team.
♦︎ Dr Sonia Ashmore, Chair (2023)
Sonia Ashmore has taught and published widely on topics concerned with design and the decorative arts, particularly in relation to India and Japan. At the Victoria & Albert Museum London, she investigated and helped to catalogue the museum’s vast collections of South Asian textiles, which include superb examples of muslin and jamdani. Her book on Muslin (V&A Publications, 2012) was the first publication to examine the global history of muslin and showcase the V&A’s collections. She is a founder Trustee of Muslin Trust and is currently working on a project about the textiles of wider Bengal.
♦︎ Poppy Jaman
Poppy Jaman OBE is a respected leader in the global mental health field who champions equality in all its forms in her professional and personal life. After working with leaders across the world in both the public and private sectors for over 26 years, she founded MindForward Alliance, the world’s leading workplace mental health organisation and has become a global voice of authority on workplace mental health, constantly striving to drive sustainable change forward. Poppy is a proud British Bengali and saree enthusiast, supporting sustainable fashion and artisans in South Asia.
♦︎ Rifat Wahhab
Rifat Wahhab is the initiator of Muslin Trust and was the Founding Chair from 2013-2022, she is now a Trustee of Muslin Trust. Rifat was born in Bangladesh and came to England in 1964. She has a degree in Librarianship, two postgraduate degrees in Women’s Studies and Management Studies and Masters in Management Practice. Rifat has spent her career in the public and voluntary sectors. She has also had an active in the following charities: Chair of Abbey Community Centre (Westminster) for almost four years; and Company Secretary for the Consortium of Bengali Associations.
♦︎ Saif Osmani
Saif Osmani is a Visual Artist and Architectural Designer who has held group and solo art exhibitions in London, Birmingham and Margate and as far afield as Taipei (Taiwan). He attended University of the Arts London (St. Martin’s/ Chelsea) and has 15 years experience in the art and architecture fields, having worked for the likes of Canary Wharf Group, Wilkinson Eyre Architects and Wallpaper* magazine. His interest in ethical trade, sustainability and on-going research into natural fibres in construction industry, inside interiors and within surface design is what has driven him to help Muslin Trust since inception. He completed an MA in Architecture & Historic Urban Environments at UCL Bartlett, and presently practices in London.
♦︎ Taryn Khanam
Taryn Khanam BEM is Chair of BritBangla, a forum for British Bengali professionals who are proud of their culture, and heritage. She worked on the Bengali Britain (University of Loughborough) and Muslims at Sea (National Maritime Museum) exhibitions, and the East India Company Monuments project at St Paul’s Cathedral. Taryn received the British Community Honours Award for her outstanding contribution to the welfare and integration of minority communities into mainstream British Society. In 2016 Taryn was awarded a BEM for her services to diversity in Government and the Bengali community.
♦︎ Silmat Chisti (Bangladesh advisor)
Silmat Chisti heads a company In Dhaka called Bangladesh SME Corporation Ltd, working with Bangladeshi craftsmen on financing various aspects of the value chain. In addition, Silmat has a heritage textile brand called NOBO Shako, where which focusses mostly on revival of the textile heritage of Bangladesh. As part of its documentation process, she plans to compile a comprehensive woven (not printed on paper) dictionary of Jamdani pattern.
♦︎ Dr Ruby Ghuznavi. International Advisor to Muslin Trust (2013-2023)
Obituary in Selvedge Magazine by Dr Sonia Ashmore: https://www.selvedge.org/blogs/selvedge/ruby-ghuznavi-1935-2023
Ruby Ghuznavi was responsible for the revival of natural dyes in Bangladesh over the last three decades, making it one of the foremost countries in this field. Ruby Ghuznavi was a Founder Member of the National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB), a member of its Executive Committee and was President from 2002-06. She was the Senior Vice President of the World Crafts Council–Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR) from 2005-08 and an Honorary Member of the World Crafts Council. She was a member of Naripokkho, a women’s activist organisation, and is a Founder Trustee of Transparency International Bangladesh which works with civil society to fight corruption. Her publications include ‘Rangeen: Natural Dyes of Bangladesh’ and ‘Naksha: Designs of Bangladesh’. She has written extensively on crafts and on women’s rights for national and international journals and has delivered seminars across the world. She was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the National Crafts Council of Bangladesh and also of the Ananya Award.
Co-founding members and Trustees of Muslin Trust:
Dr. Sonia Ashmore (Current Chair, 2013-present)
Dr. Lipi Begum (2013-2022)
Rifat Wahhab (Founding Chair, 2013-present)
Saif Osmani (2013-present)
Previous management committee members:
Sabina Khan (Treasurer, 2013-2019)
Bruce Sheppy (Secretary, 2013-2019)
Lainya Offside-Keivani (2018)
Mitia Saleh (2017-2018)
Advisers:
Dr. Muhammad Ahmedullah
Dr. Ruby Ghuznavi (2013-2023)
Muslin Trust 