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Get a big picture view of the state of design in india and learn about opportunities for partnerships between creative communities around the world and from India. That is the spirit of the upcoming Bangalore Design Summit, a joint initiative taken by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and National Institute of Design (NID), on 12 and 13 December.

The conference has an official website, but apparently the site maintained by Uday Dandavate (bio), who is a member of the core team organising the conference, is a bit more up to date.

You will hear some interesting stories and ideas from:

• Poonam Bir Kasturi (who has developed an open source compost bin project)


• Hari Nair (head of Whirlpool Consumer Design Asia)


• Jacob Mathew (founder and director of idiom, India's largest design firm)


• M.P. Ranjan (a highly respected professor of design who has explored two ends of technology: high tech and appropriate tech)


• Surya Vanka of Microsoft Corporation, responsible for developing user experience teams within the Microsoft organization around the world


• Dr. Darlie Koshy, executive director of NID, who in his position is responsible for helping the government with the implementation of the national design policy


• Jun Lee of ReD Associates Denmark: He was invited at a special request from the Indian design community, for bringing an articulate person from Asia who has insights about how Asian companies are increasing their competitiveness in the global economy


• Anne Kirah, dean of the 180 Academy will share her experience of driving innovation training in corporate settings


• GK VanPatter of the Next Design Leadership Institute will outline challenges and opportunities that the design community worldwide faces

An above all, the dialogue between Kishore Biyani and Bruce Nussbaum (Business Week) would turn out interesting because both have helped bring design to the mainstream within their respective fields of influence. Kishore Biyani is considered the King of Retail in India. He funded the growth of idiom design and understands the value of design as a business strategy. Uday Dandavate will be moderating the dialogue.

The organisers have invited six different students from six different design schools in India to discuss the "Big Design Challenges for India." Dandavate believes that there is a significant generation gap between the younger generation and the older generation. He says there is a need for the professionals to understand the dreams of younger generation and assimilate their view of the world and of the future.

This year Italy is participating as "Partner Country" at the summit. An Italian Exhibition: "100 Objects of Design" showcasing a selection of some of the most meaningful objects of Italian design, ranging from the post-war period up to the present would also be the part of the summit.