He conducted an immersive three-day course in sustainable textile design in London in September. We spoke with him about the challenges and rewards of teaching design, India’s rich textile traditions, responsible consumption and more.

--

What sparked your fascination with textiles in the first place?

What sparked my fascination with textiles in the first place was my early love for working with 2D mediums like drawing and painting. As a child, I was always drawn to creating on flat surfaces, and textile design felt like a natural extension of that - it's essentially about designing for a 2D surface that comes to life through texture, pattern, and material.

My schooling at Shantiniketan played a huge role as well. Being exposed to a wide variety of artistic mediums in such an open and creative environment helped me explore freely and eventually made it easier to choose the path that felt most intuitive to me. Textile design stood out because it allowed me to stay close to visual aesthetics something I’ve always gravitated toward.

Along the way, I was fortunate to find gurus like Prof. Riten Majumder, Prof. Pranab Kr. Roy and Prof. Prasun Bhattacharya who guided me and helped me see the depth, potential, and poetry in textiles. Their mentorship made me feel confident that this was not just an interest, but the right choice for me.

More than complex philosophical ideas, I’ve always been moved by beauty—by the visual harmony, tactile richness, and emotional resonance that well-designed textiles can offer. That appreciation for beauty, combined with my comfort in surface-based art, made textile design feel not just like a choice, but a calling.

What do you find rewarding about teaching design, and what are its challenges?

What I find most rewarding about teaching design is the opportunity to shape young minds, helping them see the world through a creative and problem-solving lens. Design is not just about aesthetics it's about systems, empathy, and innovation. Watching students grow into confident thinkers and makers is deeply fulfilling.

My journey in design education has been shaped by some pivotal experiences. After completing my bachelor’s degree at Visva Bharati University, Shantiniketan, I was fortunate to receive the Inlaks Scholarship, which gave me international exposure and significantly broadened my thought process. That exposure to global design practices helped me understand how design can be integrated more holistically into education systems.

Later, teaching at the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad opened my eyes to the state of design education in India. I realized that design was still confined to a few premier government institutes like NID and NIFT, whereas it truly deserves a broader platform. A subject as vital and interdisciplinary as design should be part of the university structure across the country.

After working abroad for a few years, I returned to Visva Bharati University, where I took on the role of Head of the Department. One of my most meaningful contributions was successfully enlisting the nomenclature "Bachelor of Design (B.Des.)" in the list of approved degrees by the University Grants Commission (UGC). This made Visva Bharati (an institute of national importance) the first central university to start a professional design program. It was a significant step, but far from easy. Establishing design education in a conventional academic setup came with resistance and challenges.

As a national consultant for the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, I advocated along with many others for creative subjects to be treated at par with mainstream academic disciplines. It’s heartening to see that these conversations are now gaining traction at the policy level.

That said, teaching design today comes with new challenges. One of the most concerning trends is that many students pursue design education not out of curiosity or passion, but as a means to obtain a degree—a piece of paper that they hope will fetch them a job. What they often overlook is that real opportunities come to those who are skilled, passionate, and entrepreneurial in their thinking. Design education is not just about employability—it's about enabling individuals to create opportunities, even become entrepreneurs themselves.

So while teaching design is deeply rewarding, it also demands persistence, advocacy, and a constant effort to shift mindsets not just among students, but within the educational system itself.

Sustainability can often be a buzzword. How do you think clothing brands can make their sustainability efforts truly count?

Sustainability is often treated as a buzzword in the fashion industry, but to make it truly count, it has to go beyond marketing it must become a way of thinking and living. For me, the idea of sustainable living was instilled very early on. I still remember how my father would remind me to switch off the lights and fan when leaving a room or to close the tap and avoid wasting water. These small, daily habits shaped my mindset, making me realize that sustainability isn’t just about big gestures it’s a way of life.

This mindset is deeply rooted in our cultural and philosophical heritage. Thinkers and reformers like Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, and William Morris all championed the idea of living in harmony with nature, valuing handcraft, self-reliance, and mindful consumption. Their teachings continue to inspire how we think about sustainable living today.

There are clothing brands today that genuinely embody sustainable practices, and Beej and Co in Santiniketan is such an attempt that I supported. They are committed to ethical sourcing, handcrafted processes, and environmentally conscious production all while honoring local craft traditions. Brands like these show that sustainability can be authentic, place-based, and community-oriented. Many clothing brands around the world have begun to adopt sustainable practices whether through using organic or recycled materials, promoting slow fashion, or ensuring ethical labor practices. But it’s important to remember that sustainability is not a one-size-fits-all concept. The meaning and application of sustainable practices can vary depending on where you are. For example, in developing economies, sustainability might be about resourcefulness, using what’s available, or preserving traditional crafts and livelihoods. In contrast, in developed countries, the focus might be more on carbon footprints, material innovation, or recycling technologies.

For clothing brands to make their sustainability efforts truly count, they need to understand and respect this context. It’s not just about following trends or ticking off boxes it’s about committing to long-term change, collaborating with local communities, and educating consumers. Most importantly, sustainability must be integrated into the brand’s values and operations, not treated as a separate campaign.

Ultimately, sustainability is about responsibility towards the environment, towards people, and towards future generations. And that begins not in boardrooms, but in everyday life.

Could you tell us a bit about textiles and traditions that deserve recognition and preservation?

India's textile traditions are incredibly diverse, deeply rooted in regional identities, and carry centuries of cultural, spiritual, and artistic significance. Yet, many of these traditions are undervalued or at risk of disappearing in the face of mass production and globalized fashion. It's essential to recognize, celebrate, and preserve these crafts not just as heritage, but as living, evolving practices that continue to hold relevance.

One such tradition that deserves greater recognition is Shantiniketan Batik. Though batik originated in Indonesia, it found a unique expression in India particularly in Shantiniketan, where it was revived and nurtured under Rabindranath Tagore’s educational philosophy that emphasized art, nature, and handcraft. Shantiniketan batik is known for its warm color palette, flowing forms, and distinctly handcrafted quality. Unlike commercial batik, it retains a strong connection to storytelling and cultural symbolism.

Equally remarkable is the Shantiniketan leather craft, especially its rare form of leather batik. This technique, which applies the wax-resist batik method onto leather surfaces, is not practiced at this scale or sophistication in any other country. The resulting products bags, journals, wallets—are not only functional and beautiful but also embody a fusion of textile sensibility and leather craftsmanship. This is a powerful example of innovation within tradition and a unique contribution to global craft heritage.

Beyond Shantiniketan, countless other textile practices across India are equally deserving of preservation:

Toda embroidery from the Nilgiri Hills, characterized by bold red and black geometric patterns on white;

Pattachitra from Odisha and Bengal, known for its intricate storytelling through hand-painted textiles;

Khes weaving from Punjab, a humble but culturally rich cotton weaving tradition.

But preserving these crafts also means preserving the ways in which they have traditionally been transmitted. The Guru-Shishya Parampara the ancient tradition of knowledge transmission from master to student is central to sustaining the integrity and depth of many craft forms. Similarly, the ashram system, as practiced in institutions like Shantiniketan, promotes holistic education that blends art, philosophy, manual labor, and community living. These pedagogical systems are as important as the crafts themselves, and they too deserve recognition and revival in modern education.

In today’s world, only the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Japan, and parts of Africa still have living, breathing craft traditions that are practiced within communities as a part of daily life. In contrast, much of the rest of the world has pushed its crafts into museums, treating them as relics of the past rather than as dynamic practices connected to identity, livelihood, and creativity. This makes our responsibility even greater to not only preserve these crafts but to ensure they are respected, practiced, and passed on meaningfully.

Sustainability, tradition, and education are all interconnected. Preserving crafts is not just about technique—it's about nurturing the ecosystems that support them, from knowledge systems and cultural values to ethical markets and meaningful learning environments. The future of craft lies not just in preservation, but in participation.

How can we, as consumers, choose textiles more mindfully – both in terms of preserving culture and the planet?

Choosing textiles more mindfully is not just a matter of personal taste or fashion it’s an act of responsibility, both toward our planet and the diverse cultural traditions that textiles represent. As consumers, we have far more power than we often realize. Every purchase is a vote for the kind of world we want to live in, the kind of practices we want to support, and the kind of future we want to shape.

To begin with, mindful textile choices mean understanding the story behind what we buy. Where was it made? Who made it? What materials and techniques were used? Supporting handcrafted textiles especially those rooted in cultural traditions helps preserve artisanal knowledge that has often been passed down for generations. When we choose a handwoven sari, a naturally dyed scarf, or a piece of traditional embroidery, we’re not just buying a product we’re helping sustain a way of life.

At the same time, we must also consider the environmental impact of textiles. Opting for natural fibers like cotton, silk, wool, or linen especially when they’re organically or locally sourced is one way to reduce synthetic waste and chemical pollution. Being conscious of overconsumption, embracing slow fashion, repairing rather than discarding, and reusing or upcycling old textiles are all part of a more sustainable lifestyle.

Importantly, we must remember that sustainability doesn’t have a single, universal definition. What is considered sustainable in one country may look very different in another. In developing countries, sustainability might mean using every part of a resource, valuing handcrafted items, or supporting local, small-scale production that provides livelihoods. In developed nations, it might emphasize carbon-neutral processes, advanced recycling systems, or the use of certified eco-labels. Both approaches are valid, but they must be seen in context.

This is why cultural sensitivity is crucial in textile consumption. A handmade textile from a rural artisan carries different values than a mass-produced, certified “green” product from a corporate brand. True mindful consumption considers both the environmental footprint and the cultural fingerprint.

Ultimately, mindful textile choices begin with awareness and empathy. Ask questions. Value craft. Choose fewer, better-quality items. Support local makers. And above all, remember that the textiles we wear or use aren’t just objects they’re stories, traditions, skills, and often, a lifeline for communities.