Taranjit Singh Sandhu Visits NID Gandhinagar Campus, Interacts with Design Students

~Taranjit Singh Sandhu visits NID Gandhinagar Campus, interacting with students on design innovation, global markets and the future of Indian design.
Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Oct 24 (VNI): The National Institute of Design (NID), Gandhinagar Campus, recently welcomed Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and former Indian Ambassador to the United States, for an interaction with students, faculty and staff on design, innovation and India’s future. The visit provided students with valuable insights into the global relevance of Indian design and emerging opportunities for young designers.
Shri Sandhu was welcomed by Vijai Singh Katiyar, Dr. Tridha Gajjar, Dr. Amit Sinha and Prof. Jitendra Singh Rajput, along with faculty and staff members. The programme included visits to academic studios and displays of student work, followed by an interactive session attended by postgraduate students from Gandhinagar and undergraduate Foundation students from Ahmedabad.
During his address, Shri Sandhu highlighted the vision of “Design in India, Design for the World” as a framework for establishing benchmarks and strengthening the international recognition of Indian design. He emphasised the need to move beyond cost-based competition towards value creation through identity, functionality, quality and innovation. Responding to students’ questions about international markets, he discussed the importance of understanding market requirements, constraints and the distinctive strengths of products and services. He also underlined the potential of integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary design to enhance the competitiveness of Indian crafts and connect artisans with appropriate markets.
A former Indian Foreign Service officer with more than three decades of experience, Shri Sandhu served as India’s Ambassador to the United States from 2020 to 2024 and as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka from 2017 to 2020. Drawing on his diplomatic and public service experience, he shared perspectives on international opportunities, India’s creative capabilities and the role young designers can play in contributing to society.
The campus visit showcased NID’s practice-based approach to design education, which combines hands-on learning, close faculty mentoring, small batches and project-based engagement with industry and society. Through research, experimentation and prototyping, students develop innovative solutions rooted in people’s needs and real-world challenges. The interaction also highlighted NID’s engagement across crafts, grassroots enterprises, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), healthcare, mobility and emerging technologies, along with opportunities to expand design-led solutions in public governance, citizen services and international collaboration. The role of the National Design Business Incubator in supporting design-led entrepreneurship was also highlighted. Following the formal session, Shri Sandhu interacted informally with students, listened to their perspectives and discussed emerging opportunities for Indian designers in an increasingly interconnected world. VNI NEWS,
Focus Keywords: Taranjit Singh Sandhu, NID Gandhinagar Campus, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Indian design, design innovation, design education in India, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, National Institute of Design, NID Gandhinagar, NID Ahmedabad, Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Indian design education, design innovation, traditional crafts, global design markets, design-led entrepreneurship, VNINews, VNINews.com