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05 Sep 2025

Design Lecture Series 2025

The Design Lecture Series 2025 featured Miriam Chandy Menacherry, Writer, Director, and Producer, in a session titled “Discovering the Invisible Stories Within Our City,” with a screening of her documentary The Leopard’s Tribe (2022). The film portrays a forest-dwelling community within Mumbai and their coexistence with leopards, opening conversations about habitat and urban life. In her talk, Miriam reflected on research methods, storytelling language, and collaborative filmmaking. Founder Director of Filament Pictures, her documentaries including From the Shadows (2022), Lyari Notes (2015), and The Rat Race (2011) have won national and international acclaim. A BAFTA Breakthrough Talent from India (2024) and National Award winning director, she shared how cinema can uncover hidden narratives within everyday urban contexts.

In the Design Lecture Series 2025, Prof. D. Udaya Kumar, Designer and Academician, presented a talk on “Case Study of a Logo Design.” The session offered an in-depth look at the logo design process, covering method, creative exploration, multiple iterations, and the key design decisions that shaped the final outcome. Best known as the creator of the official Indian Rupee (₹) symbol, Prof. Kumar shared valuable insights from his extensive experience in typography, design research, and visual communication. Currently heading the Department of Design at IIT Guwahati, he has been recognized with prestigious awards including the Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal, IIT Bombay’s Young Alumni Achiever Award, and CNN IBN’s Young Indian Leader Award. His reflections provided students and faculty with a rare glimpse into the rigor, thought process, and creativity behind impactful logo design.

As part of the Design Lecture Series 2025, Venu Madhav Vodnala, Independent Artist and Academician, delivered a talk on “Impact of AI on Visual Arts.” The session explored how artificial intelligence, while functioning through engineered prompts, intersects with the creativity of artists. Vodnala discussed ways in which AI can be integrated with personal visualization to achieve meaningful artistic outcomes, raising critical questions about authorship, originality, and the evolving role of technology in creative practice. With over 18 years of experience in the arts and design fields, his insights drew from a wide ranging career that includes projects with ISRO, government initiatives, brand collaborations, and his authorship of Graphite Realism. He also shared perspectives from his ongoing artistic and academic work, offering students and faculty an engaging dialogue on the future of art in the age of AI.

The Department of Design hosted a talk by Vijaya Madhuri, Founder and Designer at WoodlyWoo, as part of the Design Lecture Series 2025. Titled “Designing for Children Exploring Form, Function and User Experience”, the session highlighted the nuances of designing for young users where safety, usability, and emotional connection play an integral role. Drawing from her extensive experience across product, toy, game, lifestyle, and user experience design, Madhuri shared insights on how form influences children’s cognitive, sensory, and motor development. Through case studies on sustainable toys, mobility products, and learning solutions, she demonstrated how thoughtful design can foster creativity, play, and learning while ensuring lasting value. With over 18 years of experience in the field, Madhuri also reflected on her journey across leading organizations and her current work with WoodlyWoo, bringing valuable perspectives to the dialogue on child-centered design.

The Department of Design hosted a talk by Dr. Adity Saxena, Professor and Dean of the School of Arts & Design at Woxsen University, as part of the Design Lecture Series 2025. Titled “Designing the Future: The Role of Designers in Transforming Indian Higher Education”, the session explored how design practice, grounded in systems thinking, participatory design, and speculative futures, can contribute to reimagining India’s higher education landscape in light of policy transformations such as NEP 2020. Dr. Saxena addressed critical questions of access, well being, interdisciplinarity, and the decolonisation of curricula, drawing on frameworks like Activity Theory, Design Justice, and Transformative Learning Theory. Through interactive engagement, the talk emphasized the evolving role of designers in shaping institutional cultures and educational experiences.