Anant welcomed students, educators and design professionals from across Gujarat at its campus for the design fest
Ahmedabad: Anant National University became a meeting ground for Gujarat’s design community as design and architecture students, educators and industry practitioners from across the state came together for Catalyst 2.0, the flagship inter-college design festival of the Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID), Ahmedabad.
The day-long festival saw active participation by Anant faculty and students alongside students and educators from other design and architecture institutions. Several prominent design professionals from across Gujarat were in attendance, too. Through workshops, design challenges, project reviews, debates and collaborative activities, participants exchanged ideas, engaged with contemporary design practices and learnt from perspectives across academia and industry.
Padma Shri awardee and eminent designer and architectural restorer, Ar Sunita Kohli, was the chief guest. With an extensive body of work spanning the restoration and preservation of significant sites across India and South Asia, Ar Sunita Kohli has been a prominent voice in architecture, design and heritage conservation for several decades. Speaking on the occasion, she said, “I have always believed that learning happens through dialogue and experience. The wonderful work of Anant National University brings this spirit to a generation. It gives students freedom to question, experiment and engage with practitioners beyond the classroom. For me, design education must nurture not only competence, but curiosity, cultural understanding and confidence to find one’s own voice and recognise design as a powerful means of shaping a more thoughtful world.”
Talking further about the event, Dr Sanjeev Vidyarthi, Provost, Anant National University, shared, “Design education becomes more purposeful and impactful when students have opportunities to engage with industry practitioners and diverse ideas and experiences beyond the classroom, a pedagogical approach Anant is committed to. Platforms such as Catalyst bring academia and professional practice into closer conversation, enabling design students and educators from different institutions to learn from one another. We are pleased to see that we were able to bring the larger design community together through this event.”
Ar Jabeen Zacharias, Professor of Practice, Anant National University, and Former National President, IIID, played a key role in bringing Anant and IIID Ahmedabad together for Catalyst 2.0.
Adding to the significance of a platform like this, she said, “Catalyst 2.0 creates an important space where professionals, academicians and students can engage together with the questions shaping the future of design. When education, practice and research begin to inform one another, the profession grows with greater relevance and depth. We hope this platform will truly act as a catalyst for stronger learning, richer exchange and a more prepared tomorrow. I am happy to be part of catalysing this coming together of IIID Ahmedabad and Anant National University for that shared purpose.”
Having Catalyst 2.0 on campus aligns with Anant’s continuing commitment to strengthening connections between industry and academia and expanding learning opportunities beyond the classroom. By bringing students and educators from different institutions together with accomplished practitioners and industry experts, the University seeks to encourage wider exchange of ideas, professional perspectives and contemporary design practices.
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