Ansari asks NID to design utilities of daily use over hi-tech gadgets

Chief guest,Vice-President Hamid Ansari congratulated the students and asked if the designs that emerged from the institute could challenge the lota (water pot),which he said was as an example of “designs that would serve the real world issues” India faces.

The authors of The Eames Report,also known as The India Report of 1958,which led to the founding of NID,had also marvelled at the lota. “Of all the objects we have seen and admired during our visit to India,the lota ,that simple vessel of everyday use,stands out as perhaps the greatest,the most beautiful,” the report cited.

Ansari challenged the institute on whether,symbolically,the designers will be inclined more towards designing sanitation systems rather than cellphones,which more Indians have access to than proper toilets.

NID Director,Prof Pradyumna Vyas gave a report of the institute’s milestones in the last one year,which include six MoUs with universities and institutions abroad,the 35-plus national and international awards won by its students,as well as the Ministry of Micro,Small and Medium Enterprises funded “Design Clinic Scheme” for which NID is the nodal agency.

He also mentioned the e-Kalpa project,a web-based design education project to impart design education to as many people as possible that is funded by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.

Two books — “Ideating identity” by Prof Anil Sinha and “Principles of Design through Photography” by Deepak John Matthew were also released on the occasion.

Prof Vyas also mentioned about NID’s Outreach Program which has documented the textile traditions of north-eastern states and held workshops on knockdown furniture from there.

He paid tribute to NID founding faculty Dashrath Patel,who passed away early this month,and Principal Designer Prof M P Ranjan and Akhil Succen,former activity chairperson of education at NID,both of whom retired in 2010.

As part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations,NID has also organised a massive display and exhibition of the institute’s past and present activities and products,which will be open for public viewing till December 19 at the Paldi campus.