Amit Pratap Shah, widely known as AP Shah, is a New York–based public health professional, social entrepreneur, civic leader, and cultural advocate dedicated to advancing community empowerment, cultural preservation, and immigrant leadership. Originally from eastern Nepal, Shah built his career through healthcare and public service, with professional experience connected to Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology, Columbia University Medical Center, and NYU Langone Health. He is the Founder and President of Mithila Center USA, where he has led major initiatives to preserve and promote Mithila art, Maithili language, Madhubani painting, folk traditions, youth education, women artists, and diaspora identity across the United States.
Under his leadership, Mithila Center USA has organized programs such as Mithila Festival USA, Art for SDGs: The Mithila Heritage, cultural exhibitions, youth art workshops, and heritage celebrations recognized in New York City, including the proclamation of Mithila Culture and Festival Day. Shah has also advanced the vision for a Museum of Mithila Heritage in New York as a future hub for exhibitions, education, storytelling, and intergenerational learning.
Beyond Mithila Center USA, Shah is actively involved in civic, business, and diaspora leadership. He serves in leadership and advisory roles with the Greater New York Nepali Chamber of Commerce and the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, supporting immigrant entrepreneurs, AAPI business visibility, international affairs, trade, tourism, and Nepal–U.S. community engagement. His broader work spans public health, cultural advocacy, chamber leadership, youth empowerment, women’s visibility, small business networking, and cross-cultural collaboration, making him a prominent voice in New York’s Nepali, Maithil, South Asian, and Asian American communities.