As First Lady of IU Indianapolis, Niloo Paydar plans to take an active role in helping to promote student success. Her husband, Nasser Paydar, assumed his duties as IU Indianapolis chancellor on August 16, 2015, although he has been a faculty member at IU Indianapolis for over 30 years. While Mrs. Paydar has already met many faculty and staff on campus, she is looking forward to spending more time interacting with IU Indianapolis students in her new role as First Lady.
Mrs. Paydar is the curator of textile and fashion arts at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA). She has worked there since 1986. Over the years, Mrs. Paydar has organized more than 30 exhibitions for the IMA, as well as authored several catalogues and books on the museum’s textile and fashion arts collections.
Mrs. Paydar’s exhibits at the IMA include "Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt," which featured original quilts crafted by women from Gee’s Bend, Alabama. The quilts are known for their beautiful, innovative patterns and have become a fixture in contemporary American art. Mrs. Paydar’s exhibit, "The Fabric of Moroccan Life," was widely acclaimed and travelled both nationally and internationally.
Mrs. Paydar is the recipient of several awards, including The Premier Print Award and The Joseph V. McMullan Award for Stewardship and Scholarship in Islamic Rugs and Textiles. She graduated from Syracuse University with a B.F.A. and M.F.A. in textiles.
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