Multicultural Women's Network

Nisha Tandon

Founder & Director of ArtsEkta

Nisha is the founder & director of ArtsEkta - one of the only organisations on the island of Ireland promoting intercultural arts, culture and heritage and a vibrant social enterprise. She founded this organisation in 2006 following two decades of experience in the arts and after discovering a critical gap for quality ethnic minority arts engagement in the sector. She holds a degree from the National School of Drama in New Delhi. She has also been a previous board member of Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Cultural Cities Enquiry and currently serving Board member on Community Relations Council In 2007 initiated Northern Ireland's first multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary arts festival Belfast Mela now attracting annual audiences of up to 60,000 people for full week Festival. At the early stages of her career, she worked across different roles in the private sector and as a freelance artist. In June 2014, Nisha was the first Asian women from Northern Ireland to be awarded the prestigious UK Asian Women of Achievement Award for contribution to arts culture and heritage, and later that month was awarded an OBE for services to the minority ethnic sector in the 2014 Queen's Honours List. In 2015, Nisha won the British Indian Award for 'Indian Spirit in the Community' presented by Trade Next and BDO. Nisha has also been awarded the Chief Officers Third Sector award for Leading Growth & Innovation in 2016.In 2023 Nisha received an Honorary doctorate from Queens University for service to the communities. She also won an outstanding achievement award of MRANI in 2023.

Khaula Bhutta

LLB

Khaula Bhutta, a recent law graduate from Queen’s University Belfast, is passionate about human rights and social justice. Her start-up ‘Inclusive Law’ endeavours to connect legal professionals with vulnerable and marginalised communities, with the aim of humanizing and simplifying the process of accessing legal support. With a decade of experience working in the field of human rights, Khaula brings a wealth of knowledge and deep-rooted passion for addressing systemic issues. She has a LL.M in International Human Rights Law and Practice from the University of York and a B.A in Economics, Politics and Law from Dublin City University. Her passion for justice comes from her own lived experiences and academic journey. Khaula’s work has allowed her to gain insights into the vulnerabilities experienced by clients as well as the challenges faced by legal professionals, emphasising the need for holistic legal services. Inclusive Law aims to bring about the transformative change needed within the legal industry. Khaula was the runner up for the LegalTech Venture Day UK and Ireland 2024 and Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 for Women in Tech Awards.