When I founded IID in 2009, I carried with me a conviction that design education in India needed to be fundamentally reimagined. Central India, rich in its cultural heritage and artistic legacy, deserved an institution that could channel that energy into a globally competitive creative force.

I have always believed that education is the most powerful investment a society can make in its future. At IID, we have built not just a college — but a creative ecosystem where young minds are challenged to think differently, work rigorously, and dream expansively.

Over 15 years, I have watched our students go on to lead design studios in Milan, curate fashion weeks in Paris, and transform the visual language of brands across 30 countries. That is what IID was built for — to send into the world designers who leave a mark that matters.

My message to every student who walks through IID's doors: design is not a profession, it is a responsibility. Carry your creativity with purpose, your craft with discipline, and your ambition with humility. The world needs your design mind — and IID will make sure it is ready.

Design education, at its finest, is an act of liberation — it frees minds from convention, cultivates critical observation, and builds the capacity to solve complex human problems through beauty and function. That is the academic philosophy at the heart of everything we do at IID.

Since joining IID, my focus has been to build an academic environment that is as rigorous as it is inspiring. We have built a faculty of practising designers, industry professionals, and research scholars who bring real-world expertise into every studio session, every critique, and every classroom conversation.

I am proud that IID's curriculum is benchmarked against leading international design schools. We have integrated live industry projects, international visiting faculty, and cross-disciplinary studios that ensure our students are not just learning design — they are living it.

The future of design belongs to those who can think across disciplines, collaborate across cultures, and create across media. IID is preparing exactly those designers — and I am committed to ensuring this institution keeps raising the bar, every single year.

IID's growth story is one built on strategic intention and a deep belief that design institutes must evolve in step with the world. As Vice Chairman, my work has been to ensure that the foundations our Founder built continue to expand — structurally, academically, and in terms of our reach and reputation.

In the past several years, we have significantly expanded IID's industry partnerships, bringing in collaborations with fashion houses, interior design firms, advertising agencies, and digital studios that give our students real access to the professional world before they graduate.

I believe strongly that the quality of a design education can be measured by one metric — the confidence of the students who graduate. At IID, we have created pathways, mentorship structures, and industry exposure programmes that ensure every student leaves with not just a degree, but the readiness to lead.

The next chapter for IID is about global positioning — bringing IID's excellence onto international platforms, attracting students from across India and beyond, and being recognised among the top design institutions of Asia. That is the vision I am working towards, every day.

A great institution is not built only through vision — it is sustained through the discipline of excellent operations. My role at IID has been to ensure that the daily experience of every student, faculty member, and staff reflects the premium standards this institution has always stood for.

From campus infrastructure and student services to event management and institutional compliance, operational excellence is the invisible backbone that allows creativity to flourish. When systems work seamlessly, students can focus entirely on what matters most — their craft and their growth.

I have had the privilege of being part of IID's journey from its early years, watching it grow from a pioneering idea into one of Central India's most respected institutions. That growth has been possible because we have always held ourselves to the highest standards — in everything from studio equipment to student mentorship.

My commitment to every student at IID is simple: we will do everything in our power to ensure that the environment you learn in is worthy of the talent you bring. You deserve the best — and IID will always strive to deliver exactly that.