As part of my ongoing doctoral work, I am attempting to map-out and understand the shifting positions of/on design in postcolonial India. When the study moves to Indian design schools and their visions of/on design, to access the resources, a physical visit to various design schools in India was essential. I am grateful to the Design History Society for understanding the larger purpose of my research and supporting me through this particular grant. I proposed visits to Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay and National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad for a 'research stay'. A part of the grant will also be used for the upcoming ICDHS 10th+1 Barcelona, where I intend to discuss fieldwork outcomes. Image Courtesy: IDC, IIT Bombay Read More |
Paper presented at Lancaster University in September 2017In the larger developing world context, the idea of ‘care’ is most visible in Gandhi’s ideas. Though Gandhi was not a designer in established notions, as an excellent communicator and critical political activist, his sense of ‘care’ was reflected in most of his thoughts and actions. He famously argued for the idea of ‘Sarvodaya’ or ‘Well-Being of All'; a thought deeply influenced by the work of John Ruskin. This action can be seen as an act of care for fellow human beings and their human rights. From Indian political history, when Gandhi dreamt of India’s future, the ‘care’ for various factors remained central in his vision. Be it caring for the human labor or towards reclaiming the environment, or cultural values to the village structures. In the domain of design and care, the idea of ‘khadi', a handmade fabric, reflect his greater ideas of Sarvodaya. Khadi’s making involves care for the human labor and environment at various levels of its existence. As a non-violent symbol of protest, ‘khadi’ even cared to take care of the opposition, an act rarely seen in the history of political revolutions. ’Sarvodaya’ as a thought might have lost in the political unfolding of history in India and the developing world, the sense of it remains at the politics of it, though more selectively. To answer the question, “What might politicized versions of care look and feel like?”, Sarvodaya can be a caring and careful answer. The study would like to unearth the idea of Sarvodaya as a political version of Care and Design. >>> Read more
Kolkata’s original canal (Khal in Bengali) network, the backbone of the drainage system in the city for about three centuries, has deteriorated over the years. Unchecked growth and related land-fill, lack of periodic maintenance, poor management of waste-water and solid waste are few of the reasons. Kolkata suffered terrible water-logging for over a week in September 2006. Situation has been better since then, yet there are lots to be done. Besides that, most of these water channels and large drains are stinking, dirty and unhygienic negative spaces within the city.
The workshop recognized potentials of these drains/ nullahs/ canals, and, taking inputs from multi-disciplinary intellectual exchanges, explored ideas and proposal to convert such unused spaces into environmentally sustainable and socially appropriate public places and mobility corridors. This book, a collection of the said ideas and proposals, is arranged in two parts: the one with articles situating the project (taken up in the Workshop) in the larger urban context, and the other with concept drawings and sketches depicting ideas and explorations undertaken by the diverse groups of participants in the workshop.
Had an amazing week in dealing with the Foundation Batch of NID Ahmedabad, along with the co-mentors Tanishka Kachru, Dr. Shilpa Das and Sangita Shroff.
People, Chair, and Value(S): A Qualitative Inquiry into the Material Lives
Meeting one of the towers of Design History, Prof. Jonathan Woodham at ICDHS 2016 at Taipei
Today,when the western images dominating design and architecture students’ minds, they are always disassociated with indigenous practices. With jargonized consciousness around, it is the time is to realise the inspirations from self. Specially, when there is a breeze of sustainability in design environment, and complex facial approaches towards it, there is a need to come up with really relevant and simple methods. Architect Laurie Baker’s work lies in the relevant domain of indigenous geniuses. His wide variety of works handled with not so common ‘common sense’ is boon for this century.
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