INDIAN DESIGN IDENTITY

Introduction

India in 2010 stands as one of the world’s largest democracy and with its innumerable cultures, a mini-world in itself, is fast detaching the core of its old identities and struggling to wear new ones. We stand on the doorstep of the next golden chapter of our history where our country promises to lead the world in the next few decades. Globalization and technology has shrunk the world to the size of our chat windows. At this junction it would be interesting to examine the soul of this country within and its true identity.

India and its Design Identity

A national identity may be a short-lived thing. But what remains when nothing else exist, is an Indian sensibility. This is woven in each and every shade of life that an Indian sees around himself. From sharing the additional sense of the every colour to the understanding of the mechanics of living within a society, the fact is that this knowledge exists within the framework of Indian values. This understanding that is uniquely called an Indian “sensibility” is what defines India.

Design in India is evolving every day. It’s on the level of development. Which is why when a lot of foreign brands began coming to India, they ended up increasing the risk in terms of design, making every company realize the importance of design, which is still ineffective. Design in India and designers with Indian flare are truly evolving. Indian design in all its forms from tools to machinery , from pins to computers, from brands to movies have had a spicy content that has been truly unique in them and the difference has to be felt and ionized rather than blamed..
In every market there is up and down trends and new industries and technology shifts.
The growing consumerism in India in its wake has brought about a remarkable challenge, opportunities and change with new behaviors, exposure to global brands, packaging and products. But what is still lacking is upbringing of real Indian designs and products.

Study

According to a study by word press Indian by Design and National Council of Educational Research and Training many organizations in India who have started their design and development division are facing the problems of not being able to managing design innovation and creativity yet the ideas, innovations and practices are innumerable. No design school/ management school in India offers formal training in managing design. The National Institute of Design (NID) describes the traditional practices but somewhere professionals indulge and prefer to practice overseas rather than working for their own country. Like there is an urgent need for the upbringing in handicraft sector and betterment in the lives of skilled people of this country .This overall thing has a lot of potential in it, but the government itself do not have time to look upon it.

Cause

Indian craft and its millions of practicing craftspeople are a huge and important resource of traditional knowledge and indigenous technologies. A common charge against Indians is that we have a great ability to visualize dreams but not the corresponding capacity to actually realize them and to implement that in progressive direction.

In the face of receiving Western influences and those that are more uncontrolled, Indian designers struggle with a sense of identities, the familiar and vernacular forms that described their identity are under attack by more powerful forces. At one side there is lack in positive sensibilities of modern designs and on the other already existing design sector i.e. handicrafts are deprived of any importance and that is main reason for Design outsourcing in our country and even consumption of products for e.g. here people are more interested in buying and consuming products from other countries rather than those manufactured in India only .the basic reason might be quality and whole aesthetic appearance of the product.

The problem is not just about the education but also process, culture and organization structure. Use of calligraphy, distinctive composition, use of space, simplicity, detail, discipline and sense of colour work in a way which actually make people want to buy things. So be it manufactured products or electronic products, design can cost money, yet add value so much so that the consumer is motivated to buy the product. And that what happens here.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, an Indian design doesn’t have its own identity in the world market till now and it has never recognized as inspirational design aspect for products. In saying that Indian designers have had an unprocessed deal is also incorrect but woken up to the mainstream design world seems to be a total wrong statement.

If somehow Indian designers and professional indulged in these sectors manages to get over this problem the future of Indian design is bright as the sun.