EDUCATION

2003-2007 Bachelor of Science, University of Mumbai, India
2007-2009 Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting, University of Southern California, USA
2008 Writing for the Screen Summer Program, University of Cambridge, UK
2015-2016 Screenwriting Certificate (One-Year Program), University of California Los Angeles, USA
2020-2022 Business of Photography, KT Merry Education USA
2022-2023 Intentional Filmmaking Masterclass, From the Heart Productions USA

LECTURES, PANELS, JUDGING

Judge/Jury
“2022: A Year of Duality” Photography Awards by the American Society of Media Photographers
Lectures
“Individualism, Collectivism & Non Duality” Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, USA
“Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Advaita”, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
“Remote Cultures and Ancient Wisdom” Big Bear Yoga Festival Big Bear, USA
“A Whole New World” at Culture Journeys Summer Camp, Hermosa Beach, USA
“Learning from Ancient Cultures” Garifuna Indigenous International Film Festival, USA
“Remote Cultures, Ancient Wisdom & Non Duality”,  Yangchenma Arts & Music, Topanga, USA
“Photographing Remote Cultures”, Learning Bird, Canada
“Sociology of Globalization” Symbiosis School of Photography, Pune, India
“Tales of the Desert Gypsies” Yangchenma Arts & Music Topanga, USA
“Journey Through India”, Short Ave School, Los Angeles, USA
“Indigenous Filmmaker Masterclass” (with TELUS Storyhive and VoVo Productions) New Hazelton, Canada
“Indigenous Filmmaker Masterclass” (with TELUS Storyhive and VoVo Productions) Kamloops, Canada
“Storytelling, Filmmaking & Consciousness”  (with Marc Baraka Strauch) “Beatles” Ashram, India
Panel Discussions
“Infinite in its Silence”, California State University, Fullerton, USA
“The Meditative Eye: An Exploration in Seeing from Within” Rishikesh Film Festival, India
“The Indigenous Story” (Host, Moderator), Topanga Film Festival, Topanga, USA
“The Shakti Panel” (Moderator), Rishikesh Film Festival, India

SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITIONS

2017-2022
Curated Group Exhibitions:
Vi Smith Concourse Gallery, John Wayne Airport, Orange County, USA
The Bower’s Museum, Santa Ana, USA
The Lois Lambert Gallery, Los Angeles, USA 
Foley Gallery, New York, USA
Blank Wall Gallery, Athens, Greece
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
California State University Fullerton, USA
American Society of Media Photographers "A World From Home II" USA
Newport Beach Central Library, Santa Ana, USA
Santa Monica Assembly Hall, Los Angeles, USA
Avenue 50 Studio (Curated Group Exhibit), Los Angeles, USA
Topanga Canyon Gallery (Curated Group Exhibit), Topanga, USA
Topanga Artists Studio Tour, Topanga, USA
Nous Tous Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
Legato Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
Venice Love Shack, Los Angeles, USA
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi "Beatles" Ashram Rishikesh, India
Curated Solo Exhibitions:
Boutique Lifestyle Leader’s Conference at Westlake Village Inn (Featured Artist), USA
Topanga Film Festival (Featured Artist) Topanga, USA
Revel Silk: Women in Arts (Featured Artist) Event by Monica Dogra, Houndstooth Studio, Los Angeles, USA
Electric Lodge Art Gallery (Featured Artist), Garifuna Indigenous Int’l Film Festival, Abbott Kinney, USA
“A Taste of India” MUY House Event (Featured Artist) Culver City, USA
Rishikesh International Film Festival, Rishikesh, India
Shangri-La, Topanga, USA
Uttara Art Gallery, Rishikesh, India

PERFORMANCE IN A LEAD ROLE FOR MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS

Art Exhibition Productions
“A Year of Duality” for the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP)
Role: Jury, Curator
Photo Impact Gallery, Hollywood, USA

“Animal Advocacy for Art” for START Animal Rescue
Role: Producer, Jury, and Creative Director
MC: Hollywood Actor William McNamara
Lois Lambert Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
Included artists such as multiple APA Winners Andrei Duman and Natalie Ford, celebrities such as Cindy Landon, Jane Vasquez, to name a few.

“Evoking the Unseen” with multi-disciplinary artists
Role: Producer, Jury, and Creative Director
Venice Love Shack, Los Angeles, USA
Performing and exhibiting artists included celebrity- and Grammy winning- artists.

AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE

For Photography
Cultural Ambassador for Photographic Series, 11th Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival 2022
Best Visual Poetry for Photographs, Rishikesh International Art & Film Festival 2021
Festival Ambassador for Photographic Series, 7th Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival 2018
For Film: The Curious Woods (2021)
Best Film, Reale Film Festival
Best Director, Nature Without Borders Film Festival
Best Environmental Film, ETHOS Film Awards
Best Viewer Impact Award, Nature Without Borders Film Festival
Best Short Film, International Motion Picture Awards
Best Short Film, Great Message International Film Festival
For Film: The Language They Spoke (2019)
Best Experimental Film, Luis Bunuel Memorial Awards

INTERVIEWS AND MEDIA APPEARANCES

TV Interview:
KRQE 13/New Mexico Living “Check out The Curious Woods by Sej Saraiya” with Chad Brumett
Magazine Interviews:
LA YOGA Magazine “Picturing Change: Animal Advocacy through Art” Interview by Jeffrey Ainis 2019
Shout Out LA “Cultural-Conservation Photographer and Filmmaker” by Ravinah Shah
Nomadict Magazine “The Intercultural Nomad” by Aletta Bredewold
LA Voyage “Meet Sej Saraiya” Interview
1000 Spotlights by Speakerpost Interview by Komal Shah Kapoor
Newspaper Articles:
Roswell Daily Record “Santa Fe Film Festival” by Christina Stock
Albuquerque Journal “‘The Curious Woods’ Filmmaker found Inspiration in the Healing Power of Nature” by Adrian Gomez
The Basic Cinephile “17th Annual Topanga Film Festival”
The Daily Titan “World Religions seen through a Photographer’s Lens” by Kim Pham
Radio and Podcast Interviews:
Jennifer Hammond Radio Episode 94: “Definition of Home Around the World as Seen Through Photography with Sej Saraiya”
Voice America Episode 80: “Creativity with Heart”
Live. Love. Engage with Gloria Grace Rand Season 3 Episode 6: “Life Lessons from Remote Cultures”
Chasing the Insights with Vince Warnock Episode 141: “Take a Time Out and Just Be”
Fit as a Fiddle with Dr. Sneha Gazi Season 5 Episode 16: “Ancient Concepts of Oneness and Matriarchy Among Indigenous Women”
Shut Up & Grind with Robert Foster Episode 248: “How Your Biggest Setback can be Your Biggest Blessing”
KXLU 88.9 FM
Beyond the Playlist with Hammond Chamberlain Episode 102
UnchainedTV with Jane Unchained Animal Advocacy Through Art

PUBLICATIONS

USA Today Magazine “Legends of America’s Sacred Landscapes” September 2022 Issue + Cover Feature
USA Today Magazine “Remote Cultures and Ancient Wisdom” May 2022 Issue Feature
STEAM Journal Claremont University (peer-reviewed) “Donyi Tolo Apatani” March 2019
“An Introduction to World Music” Kendall Hunt (Photographs Published in Book) by William Cratty and Jeffrey Ainis (USA)
“The Journals of Micah” (Fiction Novel, Cover Photo) by Daniel Nesher (Australia)
“Silence in Bloom” (Music Album, Cover photo) Eman Attallah (USA)
“What’ll I Do” (Jazz Music Album, Cover photo) Luke Carlsen (USA)
Belili Magazine (Cover Photo) 2022 Issue (USA/Belize)
Moevir, Paris “26 Shades of Red” (12-page photography spread) 2021 Issue (France)
Malibu Times

MEMBERSHIPS

American Society of Media Photographers Board of Directors
Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival, Board of Directors
American Photographic Artists Professional Member
World Culture Film Festival (2024), Founding Member, Executive Director