Dear fellow designers,

This is my first message to this group after a long absence from the
Indian design scene. I have to be careful about what I say because it
could be interpreted in many ways, positive and negative. I will try to be
as realistic and objective as possible.

First of all, I identify with the effort behind the "Design with India"
initiative (and any such initiative for that matter), because I believe a
true and unbiased platform for dialog is the best way we will truly
enhance the profession. One thing I realized over the years is that there
is no need for designers to hide behind anyone, instead taking a stand for
what we believe in, always. Indian designers, especially those who are
practicing design on a day to day basis, need to come out and take a stand
now and for good.

One thing which struck me as very odd is the fact that the dialog in
Indian design shindigs have remained pretty much the same in the twenty
five years I was absent (or a distant observer at best). I still see a
tendency to "preach to the choir" at these meetings often concluding with
agendas and initiatives with no follow up to speak of. Take initiatives
like the design council, for example. On this matter I identify with
people like Deepankar, who could justifiably resign to the fact that we
are all entities operating in a vacuum.

Well, I am an eternal optimist, having stuck with design at the core of my
being all through, who would throw my weight behind the Design with India
initiative. This is not just because Uday and others in the core group are
my friends, but because I feel the necessity to change the order and make
some headway in the formation of a sound body of designers working for a
common cause and not special interests. Having established a strong
footing in design practice in Asia hiring Indian and Chinese designers
from all the known sources over the last few months, I feel the need to
participate in the destiny of the profession in these parts of the world.
Uday and co, please let me know how I can help.

Regards

Hari Nair
Director, Whirlpool Global Consumer Design Asia

GCD Asia Studio
C-21, Qutab Institutional Area
New Delhi 110016

Off: (91) 11 4168 9150
Mobile: (91) 92125 03576





uday@...
Sent by: designindia@...
10/03/2006 06:27 PM
Please respond to
designindia@...


To
designindia@...
cc

Subject
Re: [designindia] "design with india"






Deepankar,

I too am one of the persons, who you represent as holding a vision of
design
that is diffferent from the official version. I do not know what you mean
by
the official version, because from the ground level, where I work, I do
not see
an official version. I have not been associated with the CII-NID events
in the
past and hence am not able to experience what you call the truncated
reality.

This time I associated myself with this event because of DesignIndia
forum. The
idea was first mooted on the DesignIndia forum and then CII-NID extended
their
platform with a hope to capture the energy and passion from the forum. All
along the past six months that we have been planning this event, I keep
reminding all the players for the need to keep up the participatory
nature of
the dialogues that have on the DesignIndia forum, as we plan this event.
To be
fair, CII and NID have done a great job of keeping their egos in check.

It is upto us, the designindia community to make the most of it. I am not
able
to take a cynical view that some people have privately expressed to me,
that
this will finally end up being what it always is. If we can express our
point
of view, there is a core team in place that will listen and assert that
this
event is a forum for a free dialogue, within the framework of the topic we
are
addressing. We need manpower to organize the event and we need to activate
the
network of designindia to get sponsorships, so that we can get inspiring
speakers from around the world.

Please join us and invite others to help. There has never been a better
visibility for India in the global economic, social and cultural arena.
Let us
make most of it and discover new perspectives for our role and our
opporunties
and challenges.

Thanks

Uday


> There are several of us who have, over the years, developed 'visions' of
> design with some specific focus on the Indian context, we are aware that
> these visions may be asymetrical to official government viewpoints as
> articulated by NID or industry viewpoints which are more tactical in
nature.
> It is interesting to see Designindia become a part of this in an
> organisational role, but if it is to go beyond a forum that provides the
> numbers and if it it is to become useful to us in a broader sense then
it
> must ensure that there is space to articulate these visions.
>
> NID-CII design events have dealt with a severely truncated reality in
the
> past, I wonder what has changed. I will watch this coming event closely
to
> see if there is a new openness.
>
> regards
>
> Deepankar Bhattacharyya
> NID 1970-76
> Images Communications
> New Delhi
>
>
>
> uday@... wrote: Arvind,
>
> I do believe that we live in very interesting times, for the field of
design
> and
> for India. It is not entirely true that current economic situation is
> making
> design more relevant. I would rather argue that there is a greater
> realization
> worldwide today that quality of human experience is not about speed,
> afluence,
> efficiency, productivity,fashion, and many other goals that drove
economic
> and
> technological innovations for a long time. The biggest opportunity for
> design
> today is in preserving the "Cultural", "Psychologica" and "Social"
> experience,
> in the midst of globalization and connectivity.
>
> I do not want the Design with India conference to become another design
> promotion event. My personal motivation for bringing people together is
to
> collectively talk about the vey issues you are raising in your email.
There
> is
> a realization within the industry, amongst economic planners and within
the
> design community that design is not a value to be imposed on the
society by
> an
> elite coterie of creative people with refined aesthetic sensibilities.
> Design
> is now being seen as a new culture of building the material world with
> respect
> for people's aspirations for building their own environment and living
> experiences that are meaningful to them. The tone and content of
discources
> at
> various design conferences indicates an eagerness amongst the design
and
> innovation community to redefine its own role in the emerging global
order.
>
> India and China are embracing change very fast and due to their
cultural
> uniqueness and market size, have become a target of world attention.
This
> conference, is just another venue for an intellectual churn that is
going
> on
> at various design events around the world. I do belive that this
conference
> and similar events in the future will attract a lot of people to get
> together
> and think about the future of design and innovation because India is a
> perfect
> place for experimenting with new approaches to people centered
innovation
> and
> design with a clear focus on cultural, psychological and social
dimensions.
>
> We hope to bring speakers and panelists who will provide great
inspiration
> and
> provoke exchange of ideas that will help us discover new niches for the
> practice of design.
>
> Thanks
>
> Uday
>
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