All The Best to all NID Aspirants

 

NIDians create smart gas-stove knob

It is rare when a product is developed keeping the elderly of the society in mind. Three young guys from National Institute of Design did just that and won a national award for it. Orb, an LPG gas knob automation that can turn itself off, control the flame and even track the number of whistles is a product that has recently won the Tata Elxsi's Ignite competition that aimed at designing a smart kitchen appliance for the elderly.

Created by fourth semester postgraduate students - Sushant Darake, Tawfik Manham and Arjun Raj Kumar - Orb was developed keeping in mind the competition, held on the World Industrial Day. "Elderly people often fail to keep track of the whistles blown by their pressure cookers. They also tend to forget to switch off the gas stove. We had a lot of ideas but decided to work on creating a knob that can do all these things for them," said Tawfik.

Orb is designed in a way that allows it to be used on all existing gas stoves and in fact, turns them into smart appliances. "It has three modes for various functions: timer mode that informs one about the time left, flame mode that tells if the flame is high or low and the whistle counter mode that shows how many whistles are remaining. The dials are mechanical and the knob has a display screen as well," Sushant explained.

The gadget additionally uses a simple microphone and a micro-controller coupled with a low latency e-ink display system to monitor time and count the whistles. A stepper motor is used to disengage the lock enabling the knob to turn off after the set time. "With this innovation, we can bridge the divide between gas stoves and new age electric ovens," he added.

Not just for the elderly, this automatic knob can be handy for working women who multi-task, or hostel students who study for long hours and tend to forget that they have kept something on the stove to cook.

Source: TOI

India Design Council Signs MoU with UK Design Council at CII-NID Design Summit

India Design Council (IDC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UK Design Council (UKDC) at the CII-NID Design Summit to facilitate cooperation between India and UK for promotion of Design in the country.

The MoU was signed by Mr Pradyumna Vyas, Member Secretary, IDC and Mr John Mathers, CEO, UK Design Council in the presence of Mr Anand Mahindra, President, IDC.

Commenting on the MoU, Mr Anand Mahindra, President, India Design Council said “This understanding between India Design Council and UK Design Council is a significant step for both the countries as it initiates a formal platform for cooperation. This cooperation will facilitate exploration of design isssues critical to both the countries and exchange of ideas. It will help to develop capability, increase knowledge ,generate business for design and encourage businesses to use design”

The MoU will lay focus on mutual exchanges on design policies and facilitate design promotion and to enhance understanding of emerging trends, design domain developments, sharing of design knowledge and resources through focused activities and joining in existing activities on either side;

IDC is an autonomous body setup by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India and UK Design Council, is a charity incorporated by Royal Charter which champions great design.

The expansion and development of cooperation between the two organizations will contribute to enhance cooperation between India and United Kingdom in the domain of design. The bilateral cooperation can build a firm base for a bright future and could be a platform for both the parties to leap onto the next level of design.

Both the parties will encourage and develop cooperation and exchanges in the field of design on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, and reciprocity. The parties will make every effort to promote favorable conditions for the fulfillment of this cooperation and these exchanges.

The parties will enhance understanding of emerging trends, design domain developments, sharing of design knowledge and resources through focused activities and joining in existing activities on either side.

In accordance with the National Design Policy, 2007, the four new National Institutes of Design (NID) may soon be established in a year or two i.e. by 2014 or 2015 according to Pradyumna Vyas, Director, National Institute of Design (NID) who was in the capital for the 3 th CII NID Design Summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the National Institute of Design.

Source: India Education Dairy and India Edu News

NIDian’s map to help students save big bucks

Ahmedabad - Amdavadis love their Activas, Pulsars, Swifts and Scorpios. Then there are those who swear by the green autos that populate every gali and nukkad of Ahmedabad. But when it comes to saving money, they could do well by taking an AMTS bus. Convinced of this, a student of National Institute of Design in Paldi is helping his fellow students save thousands of rupees by pointing out the right bus route to their most frequented destinations. Jishnuram CA, a final year student of graphic design, is designing a bus map that will help cut down travel expenses of students from a whopping Rs 2.16 lakh during their fiveyear stay to just Rs 30,000 – a cool save of Rs 1.86 lakh! Jishnuram was working on his year-long classroom project when he found that almost 95 per cent of NID students travel by autos within the city. “Even if three students shared an auto, the expenses were pretty high. By the end of the project, I decided to design a map that will bring down their expenses. Travelling by bus would cost them Rs 500 compared to the Rs 3,600 they spend on autos every month,” said the 25-year-old. The research was conducted between November 2011 and September 2012. It took Jishnuram a year to draw the map featuring places from where budding designers could get raw material like paper, fabric, tools, printers etc for their projects. It also highlighted important points like hospitals, premier institutes, railway stations malls, cinema halls and tourist destinations. “Each route is demarcated using a separate colour. The bus numbers are written in Gujarati as well as English. The map mentions starting and ending point of each route, along with the frequency of buses,” said Jishnuram. There are legends marking the airport, bus stands, bus stops, cinema halls, educational institutes, hospitals, place of interests, railway stations, materials and services. Tying the legend to the logo (a chabutara), the place of interest is marked by a flying pigeon. The 25-year-old said, “Most students come here from other cities and states. They do not know anything about Ahmedabad. This map will help our community find places where we can gain material, inspiration and essential help at a glance.” Rupesh Vyas, head of information technology at NID, said, “When the institute director learnt about Jishnuram’s research findings, he began the initiative to provide this essential service to NIDians. It will be launched next week.” The map will initially be distributed to students for free. It might later be sold at NIDUS, the design outlet, for Rs 20. A student spends Rs 2.16 lakh on auto fare during his 5-year stay at NID. This amount can be reduced to Rs 30,000 if they take a bus. AMTS frequents almost every destination that a design student visits in the city for academic or recreational purposes. ►►► I always waited for my friends so we could share an auto and save money. Also, bus numbers are written in Gujarati so I had to ask other people for help. This map is helpful for students at various levels - Kiran Ravindran Product design student   ►►► I know where to source fabrics from, but had no idea about the places I crossed to reach my destination. Taking an autorickshaw was easier but expensive. This map will push us to try public transport - Swathi Rajgopal Textile design student Source: Pune Mirror

Preparing for NID Entrance Test - 2014

What should students focus on for the next six months in order to crack the NID Design Aptitude Test 2014? For the next six months, students should consider strengthening their drawing skills and keep abreast with current affairs, both national and international. 

 However, it is not just about learnt skill and talent, but largely about the creative process and design thinking. Students, most importantly, should know how to communicate an idea to the masses. 

It would also help to have a portfolio in place. If the student is consistent with his sketching and is up-to-date with his or her work s/he will have a range of work to showcase during the interview. Having worked with a variety of media is always beneficial for a strong portfolio. Work can range from doodles to finished pieces of work; there is no set criterion with regards to what should go in your portfolio. Play on your strengths.

What is the importance of joining a coaching class?

Coaching classes are not a must-do for students wanting to successfully attempt the NID entrance. While they do offer some insight — common queries of what to expect from the paper and solve sample papers — student shouldn't rely on it entirely. However, do remember that the question paper pattern is not set in stone and they must be flexible enough to deal with the diversity of questions.

What is the pattern of the question paper?

 In the 2013 exam, 25% of the questions focused on general knowledge; 25% logistic reasoning; another 25% allotted to drawing skills related to human anatomy and postures. The last 25% were based on creative thinking and applications . This was a rough breakdown in our paper, but it varies each year, we are told. There is no negative marking.

How can students manage a good score?

 The question paper, even though it grades, is qualitative in nature. It is important to answer sensibly and be confident about what you are drawing and answering. One should not worry about marks or scoring high; the focus should be on communicating your ideas creatively in the paper.

What kind of preparation is required post the written exam?

 Post the written exam, if selected, you'll have a studio test and portfolio interview at the campus. Studio test checks not only your creativity but also tests your hands-on skills and spontaneity. Observation and memory retention are other traits you'll be tested for. In the portfolio interview, you will be required to talk about your work over the past few years and answer questions put forth by the panelist.

> IMPORTANT DATES

APPLICATION DATE

The admissions announcement is published in leading national dailies around end of September, beginning of October

EXAM DATE:

The written test is conducted during January and short-listed candidates are invited for studio tests & interviews around April

Courtesy: Educationtimes.com

House panel visits NID to assess ‘excellence’ claim

A nine-member team of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance led by chairman Shanta Kumar visited the National Institute of Design (NID) campus on Thursday to assess its claim for becoming a Centre of Excellence (CoE).

The team, with members from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, saw display work by students of various courses and interacted with the faculty members and students before moving to Gandhinagar to meet state government officials. The NID bill is expected to be put forward during the monsoon session of the Parliament, seeking to bring it at par with the IIT's.

"This is in line with the procedure for the NID bill to be cleared . The team took a look at the facilities and education offered. They also saw the students' diploma projects along with the socio-economic development projects taken up by different departments," said Pradyumna Vyas, Director, NID.

In 2009, the UGC (University Grants Commission) had rejected the institute's plea for deemed university status. To retain its autonomy, NID's governing council had drawn up a draft to apply for the CoE like the IIT's and NIFT Act.

"Once the institute is declared a Centre of Excellence(CoE), we can offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees rather than diplomas and PhD Degrees, while maintaining our autonomy in terms of curriculum and pedagogy. We want NID to be at par with institutes like IITs," added Vyas.

The bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on March 11, 2013 and had then been referred to the Committee on Commerce headed by BJP leader Shanta Kumar.

Presently, NID is recognised as an autonomous body under the DIPP( Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Source: Indian Express

Fewer foreign students at NID this year

The National Institute of Design’s (NID) move to attract foreign students at the campus suffered a major setback as India’s premier design institute managed to get only 15 NRI students.

Last year, when the idea to have 10 percent seats allotted for students of foreign origin and NRIs was proposed, the management gave it a green signal as the institute was confident of attracting students from across the globe.

However, the real story showed a completely different picture as the 15 students selected from the 26 applications are from countries such as Thailand, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Dubai and Qatar. The institute was expecting major participation from students from countries such as the UK, US, Australia and Germany which has a major chunk of NRIs.

Despite this, NID registrar Vijaya Deshmukh is still upbeat about the decision and said the poor response is because the institute did not adequately advertise overseas.

“The news of admission to foreign students has spread through word of mouth. As we plan for the next academic year, we intend to advertise with help from the Indian Embassy and through advertisement in newspapers overseas,” she said.

NID had decided to give admission to 10 percent foreign students from the
academic year 2013-14. As per the system, if the institute gives admission to 100 students, 10 additional students from the new criterion will be admitted.

Source: DNA News

NID to redesign Tirupati museum

With the National Institute of Design (NID) bagging the project to redesign the three-decade-old Sri Venkateshwara Museum at Tirupati, devotees to the Andhra Pradesh shrine will be able to see the history of one of the richest and most protected shrines in the world.

The institute, given the project by the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam Museum Project Committee, will revamp the temple museum located adjacent to the temple complex in two-year time.

The temple museum body took almost one year to finalise the project with NID, which has formed a core team, led by NID faculty Anil Sinha with colleagues Mihir Bhole, Krishnesh Mehta and Bhadresh Shukla to overlook the project as part of the institute's consultancy services.

"Currently, the museum has no thematic sequence or story. Our idea is to engage with the lakhs of devotees who wait for several hours before they get to enter the temple premises for darshan or prayers. We plan to divide the museum into three areas — pilgrimage, homage and passage. We will try to weave the story of Lord Venkateshwara and the temple around it," said Sinha.

While NID's core team have come up with a concept for the museum, they will research the artifacts within the museum in the next six months.

Source: The Indian Express

Destiny's design: Rag-picker makes it to NID

Sanjay Parmar spent much of his childhood picking rags, sifting through mounds of waste at Rama Pir No Tekro in Vadaj area of Ahmedabad to supplement the family's meagre income. Sanjay's father Dineshbhai was a driver and barely managed to put food on the table for his three children. On lucky days, he would find a pair of footwear for his little sister Manisha in the garbage. When bored, Sanjay would fashion boats out of waste paper and cars from discarded thermocol packaging.

Then destiny intervened. At 19, Sanjay is perhaps the only one with a rag-picking past to make it to the country's premiere design school 'National Institute of Design' - and aims to become an automobile designer.

But first, he wants to design is an aid which cuts the burden of LPG cylinder deliverymen. "I have seen my father break his back delivering cylinders in multi-storey houses which don't have lifts. It is my dream to design a simple aid," he says.

The young boy's life turned when he was selected as one of eight kids who were enrolled in a special project by NGO Visamo Kids which gave bright children from poor families a chance at a good education. "If I was not plucked out of the slums and given an education, I would not have gone beyond class X. All my best friends are school dropouts", says Sanjay.

Initially, it was tough for Sanjay to adjust to the new world. "He was an angry, stubborn child. He was not good at learning and writing but he was good with his hands," says Amee Shah, boarding in-charge of Visamo Kids. Sanjay calls Amee his second mother. While the residential programme covers education till class XII, an anonymous donor came forward to fund his education when he made it to NID. He was also trained by city-based designer Bhanvar Rathore for the entrance test.

"I did not have the means to educate Sanjay; I could just provide him a roof. When he becomes a man, he will buy us a house," says Dineshbhai.

Source: TOI

Dream never dies: CM ensures it for tribal boy

For 25-year-old Karmu Majhi, the distance from Rayagada to Ahmedabad was unimaginably long. On Wednesday, when he set out for the prestigious National Institute of Design (NID) at Ahmedabad, he would have felt it as the beginning of the journey of his lifetime.

For someone, who hailed from the forested and hilly Uparjhiri village of tribal-dominated Rayagada district’s Kashipur block replete with stories of hunger and cholera outbreaks, pursuing a Degree course in Graphic Designs at the NID was a fairytale that came true.

Thanks to the generous support from Odisha Government, Karmu boarded the train to the Gujarat capital on Wednesday to take admission in the two and a half-year course. Till last Monday though, he would have doubted he could make it. He approached Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell seeking financial support for pursuing the course for which he had toiled day and night.

It had all started with his childhood passion for drawing and painting. He drew his way to top and bagged numerous prizes in his district but his financial background was feeble. He slogged hard and with support from his father, a BPL card holder farmer who had to raise five other children, Karmu had got admitted to BK College of Art, a government college where he studied Visual Art and supported himself by making wooden partitions as a part-time job. 

But dreaming of an NID degree that cost more than Rs two lakh towards course fee was a crime but dream he did.

He appeared for the entrance test and cleared it. He went on to qualify the studio test and personal interview. There were just 15 seats up for grabs and Karmu had one to his name. But it was that Rs two lakh that mattered.

When he approached the CM’s Grievance Cell last Monday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed SC and ST Development Department to contact NID and assure State Government’s willingness to pay Karmu’s course fee which will be transferred electronically.

With NID beckoning, Karmu left for Ahmedabad by train on but not before meeting Naveen at his residence to express his gratitude.

Source: The New Indian Express

Japan to help set up India's 2nd NID in Haryana

India's second National Institute of Design (NID) will be set up in Haryana's Kurukshetra district with provide technological assistance from Japan.

The Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma on 22 May, 2013, laid the foundation stone of the NID to be set up in Urmi village of Kurukshetra district, Haryana. The first NID was set up in Ahmedabad in 1961.

Sharma said that he had been to Japan recently where he urged Japan to collaborate in the setting up of the NID in Kurukshetra.

"It is a matter of happiness that Japan would provide technological assistance to this institute," he said while addressing the gathering at the foundation stone laying function. He said that in view of its national importance, the NID has been declared as a centre of excellence.

Spread in over 20 acres, the new NID will have an investment of over Rs.160 crore. It will offer under-graduate and post-graduate courses to over 500 students.

"This institute would provide world class design education and training to the professionals in the field of animation, films, exhibitions, graphics, products, Ceramic and Glass, lifestyle and furniture and interior design. The concerned departments of the ministry have been directed to complete all the relevant formalities so as to set up this institute in a record time," Sharma said.

Source: India EDU News

NID Phase 2 Results Announced

NID Phase 2 Results for Entrance 2013- 2014 is announced. Click on the link below to check your admission status. Target NID congratulates all the selected students.

Click Here for NID Phase 2 Results

World's first smartphone for the blind made in India

The world's first smartphone for blind people is here. Soon, they will be able to read SMSes and emails on this phone, which converts all text into Braille patterns.

"We have created the world's first Braille smartphone," says its innovator, Sumit Dagar, whose company is being incubated at the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship, located in IIM Ahmedabad campus. "This product is based on an innovative 'touch screen' which is capable of elevating and depressing the contents it receives to transform them into 'touchable' patterns," he says.

Dagar, who is a post-graduate from the National Institute of Design (NID), says he was motivated to develop the device when he realised that so far, technology was only serving the mainstream and ignoring the marginalised. He is collaborating with IIT Delhi on making the prototype, which is currently being tested at L V Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad.

"The response during the test has been immense. It comes out as a companion more than a phone to the user. We plan to do more advanced versions of the phone in the future," Dagar adds.

Dagar started the project three years ago while studying interaction designing at NID. After working with a couple of companies, he gave up his job to concentrate on his technology, formed a team of six people and started his venture, Kriyate Design Solutions. Currently, the venture is being funded by Rolex Awards under its Young Laureates Programme, in which they select five people from across the world every two years and fund their projects.

How it works

• The smartphone uses Shape Memory Alloy technology, based on the concept that metals remember their original shapes, i.e. expand and contract to its original shape after use.
  
• The phone's 'screen' has a grid of pins, which move up and down as per requirement. The grid has a Braille display, where pins come up to represent a character or letter.
  
• This screen will be capable of elevating and depressing the contents to form patterns in Braille.
  
• All other elements are like any other smartphone.

Source: TOI News

Choosing Applied Arts as a Career

Applied art is the application of design and aesthetics to objects of function and everyday use. Whereas fine arts serve as intellectual stimulation to the viewer or academic sensibilities as well as produced or intended primarily for beauty; the applied arts incorporate design and creative ideals to objects of utility, such as a cup, magazine or decorative park bench. There is considerable overlap between the field and that of the decorative arts; to some extent they are alternative terms. 

The fields of industrial design, graphic design, fashion design, interior design, decorative art and functional art are altogether considered applied arts. In a creative and/or abstract context, the fields of architecture and photography are considered applied arts. Many applied art objects are collected, for instance ceramics, textiles, jewelry, glass, furniture, children's toys, cars, electric guitars, as well as various forms of images produced in commercial contexts, such as film posters or old advertisements.

Target NID PICK - Undergraduate Applied Arts Colleges in India 

We have shortlisted colleges based on independent surveys and student friendliness index. 

• MS University Of Baroda - Faculty of Fine Arts, Vadodara 
• Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai 
• College of Art - University of Delhi, Delhi 
• Bharati Vidyapeeth's Bharati Kala Mahavidyalaya, Pune 
• Faculty of Fine Arts - Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata
  
• Rachana Sansad College of Applied Art & Craft, Mumbai 
• Padmashree Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Applied Arts & Crafts, Pune 
• Goa College of Art, Goa 
• Government College of Art, Chandigarh 
• Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University, Hyderabad

Need Help about admission process? Shout your queries at Query Zone now.

Fall in Line - Be A Commercial Artist

Applied Art or Commercial Art is used to convey a message. It could mean informing readers about the miracles of an anti-ageing cream creatively with a beautiful illustration featured in an advertisement. 

Designers might also have to simplify and explain a complex process — say how the human body reacts to a certain medicine, making a user-friendly map for easy navigation. They might have to create logos highlighting the vision and mission of an organisation, or an amusing animation film or posters around a theme. Artists have to make illustrations or graphics manually or use specific design software such as Coreldraw or Adobe. It’s all about creating interesting visuals to give life to a story or an advertisement. He/she is responsible for creating design solutions that have a high visual impact. Designs are required for websites, advertising, books, magazines, newspapers, posters, computer games, product packaging, exhibitions and displays, and all types pf communications etc.

A Day Being a Graphic Designer

6.30 AM: Get up and go for a walk in the park where I get ideas related to my work by observing the birds, animals and people around me

7.30 AM: Return home, get ready and have breakfast

9.00 AM: Leave for office

9.30 AM: Make a to-do list

2.00 PM: Choose to have a working lunch during which I browse the net to keep myself updated, reply to emails

5.30 PM: Finish work

6.30 PM: Head back home and go for yoga classes

8.30 PM: Freshen up, play music, have dinner, sit with a book or watch TV 

The Payoff

Money is not a constraint for deserving candidates. Once you have proven your mettle, you can expect good money in the market. Money at the start, however, is not very good. You can get anything between Rs. 10,000 per month to Rs. 2.5 crore for creating a logo. A good designer designs his or her own growth by evolving with changing times and trends. The sky is the limit commercially for the deserving 


Skills / TRAITS

* Oodles of creativity and imagination

* Has to be tech savvy

* Should be able to feel the pulse of society and should have a fair idea of what will work

* Research-oriented, unbiased and devoted to work

Getting There

After Class 12, you should go for a bachelor of fine arts programme in applied art, painting, animation or visual communication or even sculpture, depending on your interests and abilities. These programmes will be available at any college of art in your city. The well-known National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, also trains commercial artists. The entry process usually involves an aptitude test. Many private institutes and academies, too, run relevant courses 


Applied Arts Institutes (Click University Name to visit their official website)

* College of Art, Delhi University

* Sir JJ School of Art and Sir JJ School of Applied Art, Mumbai

* Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

* National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad

Pros and Cons

* Plenty of career avenues

* You may have to work 24/7

* If self-employed or freelancing, may have to run after payments People with a genuine interest in art should enter this field. Quality work and good business strategy can take you places. 

Deelip Khomane, veteran graphic designer and creative consultant at Ogilvy in Mumbai.

Source: HTeducation

Best Applied and Fine Arts Colleges - India Today Survey

For centuries, royal patronage made art a way of life for the inhabitants of Vadodara. Besides commissioning royal portraits from painters such as Raja Ravi Varma, the ruling Gaekwads set up a museum to display their stunning collection of rare works sourced from around the globe. But it was only later-in 1949 with the setting up of the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) as part of Baroda University-that it became the nursery of Indian art.

For the complete list of India Today's Best Fine Arts colleges Click Here 

Over the next few decades, FFA earned a reputation of being a liberal, progressive institute that encouraged artistic experimentation. It provided students space in which to dream and create and encouraged a healthy exchange of ideas as well as a spirit of inquiry. The faculty was supportive of experimental efforts, working with new and unusual mediums, and exploring a new visual language. Art students from across the country vied for admission, for a chance to learn from teachers such as Laxma Goud, Nasreen Mohamedi and Sankho Chaudhuri. As other art schools in the country struggled to make a name for themselves, FFA was far ahead of its contemporaries.


Gulam Mohammed Sheikh, 75, artist and former professor who taught art history and painting at the institution for years, says, "FFA was the first fine arts college in the country to start full-fledged degree courses. The institution had a unique cosmopolitan nature. 


It belonged to everybody and yet to nobody; its gates were never closed."

Rekha Rodwittiya, 53, an alumnus of the college between 1976 and 1981, says, "FFA in the late 1970s and early 1980s was a space of intense learning that inculcated, quite rigorously, a theoretical and art historical framework of teaching visual arts. A political consciousness was also prevalent that enabled individuals to contextualise personal positions of affiliation by which to define self-representation."

But somewhere around the late 1990s the institute went into a slump. For the next 15 years FFA found itself beset by controversy, attacked by religious fundamentalists and overrun by petty politics. "FFA's standards have been on the decline for over a decade. Today, its reputation only exists because of its golden past. Because all the other visual arts colleges in India are equally pathetic, Baroda continues to hold the distinction of being considered the best," says Rodwittiya.

Despite this, FFA is beloved to many. Over 1,600 artists practise and reside in the city, while close to 130 students take admission each year in a graduate or postgraduate programme and enter the hallowed portals of the Faculty of Arts-designed in Indo-Saracenic architecture style by Robert Fellowes Chisholm in the 19th century.

Sculpture is one of three major studio disciplines apart from painting and applied arts taught here. But the department of painting rules supreme. In the six decades of its existence, FFA alumni have gone on to participate in exhibitions worldwide, such as the Paris Biennale, the Sao Paulo Biennale, and the Tokyo Biennale. Many of India's best known and respected artists can thank FFA for teaching them the basics, reason enough why it has been ranked the finest fine arts college in India in the 2012 India Today Nielsen annual colleges survey.

Art patrons from across the world descend on the university campus in search of a new star every year at the annual students' exhibition. "Vadodara is a laidback city and just an overnight train journey from Mumbai and Delhi, the two commercial centres of the Indian art market," says Shailendra K. Kushwaha, 60, dean in-charge, FFA, since 2009. Struggling art students can take hope in the knowledge that at FFA, their dreams of attaining glory someday are within reach.

Source: India Today

NID set to give Heritage Railway Sites a Facelift

The National Institute of Design (NID) and the Ministry of Railways is set to enter into a collaboration to give a facelift to heritage railway sites across the country.

The National Rail Museum (NRM) and its heritage wing in Delhi will soon partner with NID to sign an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) wherein design students will promote railway’s heritage sites in the country.

As part of the project, students of the design institute will disseminate information at rail museums through digital technology and light, sound and interactive media, designing souvenirs and outdoor signages. “The idea is to give railway museums a facelift and make them more tourist-friendly through effective design intervention, booklets and digital communication,” said Pradyumna Vyas, director of the NID.

The project will cover railway lines built in the nineteenth and early twentieth century by the British in India, like in Darejeeling, Kalka-Shimla, Kangra valley, Kashmir, Nilgiri mountains in southern India and Matheran in Maharashtra.

The railway lines in Darjeeling, Nilgiri mountains and Kalka-Shimla have already been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The project will be part of the course for NID students. “Souvenirs form a big part of tourism promotion in any country. So it is a great work experience for design students to create relevant designs that showcase the same,” Vyas said.

Officials from heritage wing of the Indian Railways had visited NID last month to explore the possibility of partnering with the institute.

Source: indianexpress

NID gets Cabinet Nod to Award Degrees

The Union Cabinet announced Thursday that it has “approved the declaration of the National Institute of Design (NID) by Parliament by law as an ‘Institution of National Importance’.”

“The status of ‘Institution of National Importance’ would authorise NID, Ahmedabad, to award degrees to its students. This, in turn, may prove to be beneficial for students who wish to pursue post-graduation,” the Cabinet said in a statement. Currently, NID offers diplomas and PG diplomas.

NID director Pradyumna Vyas said in Ahmedabad that he was “extremely happy and thankful” to the Cabinet for approving NID’s new status and expressed the hope that the development would not only benefit design education, but also the aims and objectives of the India Design Council and national design policy.

Meanwhile, Gujarat’s Higher Education Commissioner Jayanti Ravi has said that her department is translating and will print and circulate a Gujarati version of a book on design by veteran designer and ex-NID faculty Kumar Vyas as the textbook for an introductory course on design that universities in the state can offer.

Source: expressindia

NID holds its 33rd convocation

Around 250 post-graduate and under-graduate students of National Institute of Design (NID) received their diplomas at the institute’s 33rd convocation ceremony on Thursday.

Addressing the gathering, CMD of Mahindra& Mahindra, Anand Mahindra, who is also the chairman of NID’s governing council, said degrees in designing were like the new MBAs.

“I can smell a revolution in the air as I stand here at the campus.The future belongs to artists, designers, inventors, innovators and explorers. There are battlefields like workplaces and public landscapes where you will have to bring in change.We will do our best to multiply your tribe (designers),” he said while talking about the four new NIDs that are being mentored by the NID, Ahmedabad.

In his welcome address, NID director Pradyumna Vyas highlighted four new collaborative agreements that the institute has signed with similar entities across the world.

NID is awaiting Central nod for a “Centre of Excellence” status for itself. If it comes, the institute will get Rs 25 crore for infrastructure development from the Centre.

Noted filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, who was the chief guest for the event, also spoke, urging young designers to develop a “new paradigm of culture through design”.

Source: Express India

NIDians begin Job Mela with Rs. 38 Lakh offer

If the whopping Rs38 lakh per annum offer to two students, the highest ever package offered to a student of National Institute of Design (NID) is anything to go by, the economic slowdown does not seem to have affected the prospects of design students. Placements Season-2012 at NID began on Friday.

The offer by Japan-based Toshiba company is reportedly more than three times higher than the highest offer made last year — thanks to a new initiative by the institute called Student Online Portfolios. This initiative aims to connect industries and students to minimise the gap between education, research and industries. The portfolios can be accessed by design community and industries.

As per the figures shared by the institute last year, Rs11.08 lakh per annum was the highest salary offered to students. In a press release, the institute said that on the first day of placements, 32 companies, including big names like Honda R&D (India) Pvt Ltd, TCS, Maruti Suzuki, Titan Industries and Toshiba, had participated.

Source: DNA News