“Make in India= Good
Design=India Design Mark”
An India Design Council and National
Institute of Design Initiative
in partnership with Department of
Industrial Policy & Promotion, Government of India
On Wednesday, June 29th, 2016 at
Silver Oak, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi
http://www.indiadesignmark.in/imark2017launch
“Design is crucially important. We can’t have advances in technology any longer, unless design is
integrated from the very start.”- John Underkoffler
The multifarious manifestations of Good Design, affect everyone‟s daily life, impacting various levels of
existence including our culture and identity. Design creates fresh nuances by transforming an existing
situation, to respond to a need, within a set of constraints, where each Design holds the potential of an
opportunity to achieve social, economic and environmental benefits and contribution to enhancing the
quality of life, in keeping with Von R. Glitschka‟s mantra, “Marketing without Design is lifeless,
and Design without marketing is mute.”
In the endeavor to give Design its increasingly significant place under the sun, this year, on the occasion
of World Industrial Design Day, Prof. Pradyumna Vyas (Member Secretary - IDC & Director - National
Institute of Design) and Mr. Hrridaysh Deshpande (Consultant Advisor -India Design Council), in
partnership with Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Government of India hosted an exclusive
session on “Make in India= Good Design=India Design Mark”, in the capital.
The Keynote Address by Chief Guest Shri Ramesh Abhishek (IAS Secretary - Department of Industrial
Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India) was followed by Special
Addresses by Dr. Naushad Forbes(Chairman - Governing Council, National Institute of Design&
President - Confederation of Indian Industry),Prof Pradyumna Vyas(Member Secretary –India Design
Council and Director - National Institute of Design) and Shri Rajiv Aggarwal (IAS - Joint Secretary,
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India).
Other Speakers included Suresh Sethi (Vice President -Design South Asia, Whirlpool Corporation), who
elaborated on „What is Good Design‟ and Suhas Kulkarni(Associate VP and Head of R&D Appliances
Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd.) elaborated on „The IMark Experience‟, while Hrridaysh
Deshpande(Consultant Advisor, India Design Council) spoke on „India Design Mark‟ and at the end,
presented the closing remarks.
Prof Pradyumna Vyas, (Member Secretary, India Design Council and Director, National Institute of
Design) emphasized, “We believe that the India Design Mark system and process is very relevant to the
Make in India, initiative, as it communicates Design Excellence, along with establishing the quality of
manufacturing. Many Asian nations such as Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines have now
adopted this process to boost design, manufacturing and exports."
Hrridaysh Deshpande, (Consultant Advisor, India Design Council) enunciated, “Design, innovation and
manufacturing are linked. Innovation and Design aren’t simply about new products or technology. They’re
about Good Design, which is to improve products in everyday use, leading to reduced costs, increased
usability and new business opportunities. Companies that use design are more successful than those that
do not. “India Design Mark” is a prestigious symbol that showcases the strength of an integrated
partnership between design, engineering and business. “India Design Mark” is a corollary to position India
as a Design Nation.”
In his Keynote Address, Chief Guest Shri Ramesh Abhishek, (IAS Secretary, Department of Industrial
Policy & Promotion, Govt. of India) said, “We are waiting to partner and support the design community in
any way. Give us suggestions and we will offer support. The 'Jago Grahak Jago' campaign which is a
very popular advertisement can be clubbed with different avatars of design awareness to spread the word
through wider audiences and stakeholders.”
Shri Rajiv Aggarwal, (IAS - Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of
Commerce & Industry, Government of India) enunciated, “Everything in our life should be Design centric.
Everyone who moves into a new employment, whether a service or any other, should have an element of
Design. The Design Clinic Scheme in this respect has been a fantastic initiative by the government and
one of the consistently successful schemes executed by NID.”
Dr. Naushad Forbes, (Chairman, Governing Council National Institute of Design& President,
Confederation of Indian Industry) said, “India Design Mark is close to my heart. Our challenge is to foster
the cause of design in the country and identify routes to bring it to mainstream as also to raise the profile
of design in India. How do we bring about this equality of Make in India= Good Design=India Design
Mark? Japan started with their own system of good technology and quality way back in 1957 and the
small country is now associated with all that is good in the world! Let us also consciously usedesign to
move up the value chain of products and their manufacturing, from cheap and cheerful to high quality
design.”
Suresh Sethi, (Vice President Design South Asia, Whirlpool Corporation) articulated, “I believe that what
should concern us, is how the expressive need and energy so delicately enshrined in the culture, can now
find a new vehicle for Design. The vision should be the symbolic relationship with our times and should be
directed towards a positive change for society and world at large. Change comes from encounters,
conversations and dialogues of people. Together in this journey, we are deeply engaged with the new
world. Let the new landscape for design education blossom from observing the real world and bring about
the flowering of goodness in the lives of millions.”
Suhas Kulkarni, (Associate VP and Head of R&D Appliances, Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.) said,
“The India Design Mark presents a good confluence of traditional and modern Industrial Design. There is
a clear shift from small “D"to big “D”. Good Design if executed well can be a great symphony. A wide
spectrum of products including air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machine, have won the IMark at
Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. ltd. Encouragement from IDC, led our company to participate in G-Mark.”
There was an invigorating exchange of ideas, where the patrons of design and renowned members of the
capital‟s design fraternity shared, a possible route plan for achieving Design Excellence and Design
Leadership in today‟s climate, with access to a plethora of resources.
On the occasion, theIndiaDesignMark2017, the India Design Mark Catalogue 2015-16 and a compilation
of projects executed by National Institute of Design for the Government, were launched. The catalogue is
a documentation of Good Design in India, serving as a reference point for new applicants to apply for
subsequent editions of the “India Design Mark” award. The catalogue stands relevant not only for big
corporate players, but for effective use by medium and small-scale enterprises as well. It establishes that
Design is not merely about aesthetic styling, but is also a unique strategic tool that creates innovation and
product differentiation, thus improving the competitive advantage of an enterprise.
“India Design Mark” provides a strong differentiation and market positioning as a Design and Innovation
leader. It acts as a brand extension and imparts a competitive advantage to the product in local and
international markets. It serves as a unique promotional launch pad for new products and services
entering the market.
The “India Design Mark” symbol is a trustworthy indicator of excellence. The symbol can be used
extensively e.g. in advertisements, catalogues, product packaging and other promotional mediums.
All types of mass-produced products are eligible for the “India Design Mark”, including consumer
electronics, computer and communication products, machine tools, construction machinery, lighting
systems, white goods, household appliances, capital goods, medical equipment, toys, vehicles,
agricultural machinery, etc.
Indeed, the coordinated efforts of India Design Council and National Institute of Design to support the
country‟s mandate for “Make in India”, is laudable in placing Design on a creative path with a defined
strategy and objective to place India in the forefront of the nations, offering cutting edge Designs to the
world.
For more information on India Design Council, National Institute of Design and India Design Mark,
please view : www.indiadesigncouncil.org;www.nid.eduandwww.indiadesignmark.in.