Research · Case studies
Stories of how design gets decided in India.
The payment layer that quietly scores you. The court order that never became a room. The tools dissolving design into AI. Each is a real decision, read closely and argued with — innovation stories built to sharpen how you see, not to be admired.
Every case ends with a question, not a verdict — what would you have decided?
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Whose job is it to translate a right into a room?
When justice has quietly run in English, is multilingual access a feature — or a right?
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When justice has quietly run in English, is multilingual access a feature — or a right?
UPI applies invisible risk scoring to individual transactions — no notification, no contestation path for the person it acts on.
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Should a system that can silently block your payment be contestable by design?
UPI applies invisible risk scoring to individual transactions — no notification, no contestation path for the person it acts on.
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Research · Writing
Essays & Papers
Long-form writing that builds the argument — what design literacy is, and how design capability is distributed in India.
Featured · Conference paper
Design Literacy as a Missing Layer: On the distribution of design capability in India
India had one design school in 1961; it now has over 2,000. Professionalisation has produced designers — but not a corresponding distribution of design capability across society. This paper offers design literacy as a lens for that gap.
Who I learn from
Mentors on this journey
A few people actively shape how I think and work — through deep conversations, challenges, and leading by example.
Prof. Ashoke Chatterjee
Design education advocate · Ex-Director, NID Ahmedabad
AC is the guiding light and inspiration behind this project.
Prof. Mookesh Patel
Professor Emeritus, Arizona State University
Mookesh provides deep insights and necessary pushbacks on my research writing.
Prof. Shilpa Das
Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies, NID Ahmedabad
Shilpa helps me keep my writing grounded and groundbreaking at the same time.
Manali Mitra
Designer & LEGO Serious Play Facilitator
Manali helps transform my ideas and concepts into powerful learning experiences.