In a remarkable celebration of learners’ accomplishments, The Design Village recently hosted its 4th Felicitation, dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the extraordinary pathways of its learners. The ceremony, attended by learners, parents, and faculty members, was an occasion filled with inspiration and pride.
Pradyuman Vyas, President-Elect of the World Design Organization, inaugurated the joyous event at Alliance Française de Delhi, and later broadened the perspective of those present during the program.
Keynote speaker Umang Bedi, Co-Founder of Verse Innovation and former Managing Director (India & South Asia) of Facebook, delivered an impactful address, he said “The world is full of problems, and design can offer solutions to them. The world brims with opportunities, and through design thinking, we can seek those solutions. The students at TDV have the opportunity and passion to seek solutions and create an impact in society. Ultimately, the experience defines the brand, not just the logo we present, but the experience that connects people with the design. Design thinking involves creating with available resources and making an impact through that creation”
Mridu Sahai, Co-founder of The Design Village, congratulated the graduates in a motivational speech. She urged them to bear the torch of education and make a positive impact, stating, “Entering a new era of human creativity with AI posing challenges to traditional designers, Design Villagers bring skills that Artificial Intelligence cannot replace – strategic thinking, ethical reasoning, contextual understanding, and multidisciplinary problem-solving. These are essential for the designers of today and the future.”
Under the guidance of Mudita Pasari, Academic Dean; Vatsal Agarwal, Associative Dean of Executive Affairs; and Latika Chaudhary, Campus Dean; the felicitation ceremony further featured an inspiring exhibition showcasing learners’ projects from interdisciplinary domains, a testament to TDV values of Courage, Awareness, Perseverance and Compassion. The projects addressed complex problems and proposed new ways for the future, stemming from TDV’s novel pedagogical approach.
Sourabh Gupta, Founder of The Design Village, emphasized in the ceremony the societal responsibilities of designers. He stated, “Our society needs a reboot. We have an obligation to future generations. Designers cannot be linear anymore; we need to complete the cycle. We need circularity. We need to solve societal challenges. I am proud that our pedagogy has armed our learners with this mentality.”
