Latest news with #JKLU
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Indian designer A. Balasubraman wins U.K.'s Hills Millennium Award
The first Indian to receive the Hills Millennium Award, professor A. Balasubramaniam, 64, will be felicitated in Birmingham, U.K., on July 12. The award is given annually by the UK-based IED (Institute of Engineering Designers est. 1945) to an international designer who has made significant contributions in the fields of product design and/or engineering design. Recipients are chosen by the Council, and its delegates, from nominations. The late professor Peter Hills who presented the cup to the IED in 2000 to mark the millennium, was the President of IED at that time. Past winners include Moroccan-born Spanish American automobile designer Frank Stephenson, and Marcus Engman, Creative Director at Ingka Group (IKEA Retail). Bala, as he is known fondly in design and academic circles, is a NID graduate and director at the Institute of Design at JKLU, Jaipur. Inspired by thinkers like MP Ranjan, Don Norman and Peter Hills, Bala has been a passionate advocate of design. His 2015 blog post pushing for a Ministry of Design went viral with 4,000 hits the first day. Cited as an educator to watch out for in the Higher Education Digest 2023, this win for Bala is a timely acknowledgement of India's contribution to design and design education. The designer-educator talks to us about the award and the product design scene in India. Can you tell us about getting the Hills Millennium Award? It was a surprise. I got a message from one Harrison Stocker at IED on LinkedIn saying, 'You have won an award'. I had worked with Hills, an engineering designer, years back when he came to India as an external consultant to NSIC (National Small Industries Corporation Ltd.), which is now MSME. I was a bit miffed that they needed a foreigner for expert advice, but later, we hit it off. We put together the design initiative at NSIC called PRIDE (Prototype Initiative for Design Excellence). While Hills was heading IED, I wrote an article on the state of Indian design. Over casual conversations, we found out that we both shared a birthday. I'd drop him a greeting card every year, along with a letter venting my joys and frustrations about design in India. This correspondence went on over 20 years. This year when I sent him a letter, his wife Jane wrote back saying he'd passed away in September last year. He would have been 90 this year. What does the award mean for you personally, and what does it mean for designers in India? For one, it is acknowledging an individual's contribution to the profession. This is important. At JKLU, I began the Design Guru award in honor of MP Ranjan. We celebrate one senior designer every year. In 2020 we picked Don Norman as he has been evangelizing design for a while. I'm very happy Don accepted it. Industrial designer and educator Shuchi Mathur said to me once, 'You start from nothing and you build it into something.' I was invited in an advisory role to JKLU, as founder Pramath Raj Sinha wanted to start a school of design. They already had engineering and management. Sinha was excited with my vision document, which began with a quote from Don Norman — 'Design education has to move away from schools of art and architecture and move into the schools of science and engineering.' I was the first employee at JKLU's Institute of Design and I put a team together. We decided on 4 disciplines: Interdisciplinary Design, Product Design, Interaction Design and Integrated Communication. You have practiced since the 1980s when design was not well understood in India. How did you address its perception? We would identify industries that manufactured products — like Usha – and make a design presentation. Basically, we would educate the client about design to get a project. My interest in teaching began right here. It was a 3-stage pitch-to-project process that worked. One of my earliest products was a flashlight for Eveready, with a reach to rural areas. The brief was — inexpensive to make but cannot look cheap. My product cost was just 7 rupees, including the graphics. It sold for 35 rupees a piece. They went on to manufacture 30,000 pieces on 3 shifts a day. If only I had asked for royalty! What are some issues young designers face in the field today? Are there still communication hurdles in addressing clients and industries, or funding a prototype? It is relatively easy to do product design today. There are plenty of opportunities. This generation also understands users much better, and software — they pick up many aspects on their own from YouTube. It becomes far more challenging for faculty to contribute. Projects are well-funded, and the Indian Government is getting into design. The MSME scheme was such a game changer, as it acknowledged designers' contribution to small industries. There's a charm in working for this sector as you can make a greater impact. I worked with grassroots innovators, commissioned by the National Innovation Foundation, one of Government of India's launchpads for design. I designed a multipurpose processor for a client in Haryana to process tomatoes. He thought we were going to steal his idea! We developed a safe, ergonomic and stylish prototype and told him, 'Go ahead, make it.' How has your approach facilitated your evolution as an educator and designer? Educating clients was a starting point. I like converting people, building a constituency for design. My first blog post was 'Demand good design.' Else design won't flourish and we won't have good products. It was all about — 'By now, you would have had your bath and started your day. Did the cistern save water? Did the water splash in the washbasin? Could you hold your newspaper? If all this worked, it was done by a designer.' Name some culture-specific Indian products that stand out for you. How can India become a global contender? In the 1980s, designers from Tesseract made a desktop Idli Wet Grinder — Elgi is still the best. In terms of artisanal work, I like Mukul Goyal's work, using the lost wax process. But it seems we still need a Prada to come and tell us that we have world-class design! The problem starts with the consumer. We need to be ruthless about good stuff. Living with mediocrity irritates me. My latest post is 'Demand Good Designers' with a push to advocate for aspiring graduates. Design still needs evangelizing and I am happy to continue promoting design in all forums. The writer is a brand strategist with a background in design from SAIC and NID.
Fashion Value Chain
23-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
JKLU Professor First Indian to Win Hills Millennium Award for International Designers
Prof. A Balasubramaniam, the founding Director of the Institute of Design at JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) in Jaipur has become the first Indian to win the Hills Millennium Award 2025, a prestigious award for international designers presented annually by the UK-based Institute of Engineering Designers (IED). Prof. A Balasubramaniam, Director of the Institute of Design at JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU), is the first Indian to win the Hills Millennium Award for international designers Prof. Balasubramaniam was selected for the award in recognition of his lasting contributions to the field of product design. He will be felicitated on 12th July in Birmingham, UK. The Hills Millennium Award is given annually by IED to an international designer who has made major contributions to the professional areas of Engineering Design, and/or Product Design. Prof. Balasubramaniam has designed market-leading products, as diverse as tractors and torches, for industry leaders such as Eveready, Eicher, Usha, Hero Motors, Bajaj, and intergovernmental organisations such as UNDP. He was a consultant to National Innovation Foundation and NIIT. He also writes a popular blog on Design practice in India. The selection of Professor Balasubramaniam for Hills Millennium Award 2025 is a testament to the growing influence of Indian designers at the world stage. 'Indias design ethos – rooted in centuries of craft, innovation, and cultural heritage – has long shaped global sensibilities, often without due recognition. That is why it is heartening to see the international design community acknowledge this legacy by honouring Prof. Balasubramaniam with the Hills Millennium Award,' said Professor Alka Mahajan, Pro Vice Chancellor, JK Lakshmipat University. An alumnus of National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, he had served as the National President of ADI (Association of Designers of India) from 2022-24. Before joining the Institute of Design at JK Lakshmipat University, he was the Dean of IILM School of Design in Gurgaon from 2007 to 2010 and has also been a member of the Academic Board for several design institutes, including the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi (SPA New Delhi) and Nirma University. 'I am deeply honoured and humbled by the Institute of Engineering Designers' recognition. This prestigious award is not just a personal achievement, but a reflection of the collective effort to expand the global design dialogue. I truly believe this recognition signals a critical shift toward a more inclusive narrative in design – one that values and amplifies the diverse voices and traditions shaping our field,' Prof. Balasubramaniam said on winning the award. Past winners of the Hills Millennium Award include the legendary automative designer Frank Stephenson, the designer behind some of the world's most iconic cars, including the 2001 MINI Cooper, Ferrari F430, and McLaren P1, among others. Other awardees include Dorian Marjanovic, Professor Emeritus at University of Zagreb; veteran engineering design professional Crispin Hales; and Marcus Engman, Creative Director at IKEA Retail. The Institution of Engineering Designers is a British professional engineering institution founded in 1945.
Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Science
- Business Standard
JKLU Ranked No.1 in Rajasthan, Among Top 10 in India for SDG 8 in THE Impact Rankings 2025
NewsVoir Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 18: Jaipur's JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) has been ranked No. 1 in Rajasthan and among Top 10 in India for SDG 8 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025 released on Wednesday. In addition to SDG 8, JKLU was ranked No. 2 among universities in Rajasthan for SDG 5. The Impact Rankings by the UK-based Times Higher Education are global rankings that assess universities' contribution to all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and the stewardship of their own resources. For SDG 8, which is about promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, THE assessed and ranked 1,350 universities from 109 countries/territories for their impactful contributions to the SDG. For SDG 5 which is about gender equality, THE assessed and ranked 1,559 universities from 119 countries/territories. With a global rank of 601-800, JKLU, which was established in 2011 as a philanthropic initiative of the JK Group, ranked in the same band as Anna University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and University of Hyderabad for SDG 8. Significantly, JKLU was ranked higher than some of the older institutions in India such as Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati), Christ University, GITAM University, Pondicherry University, Mangalore University and S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) for SDG 8. For SDG 5, JKLU was ranked 1001-1500 in the world and second among universities in Rajasthan. Reflecting on the role of higher education in delivering the SDGs, Prem Singh, President, Group HR, JK Organisation & Member, Board of Management, JK Lakshmipat University, said, "JK Lakshmipat University was built on the belief that knowledge gains meaning when it uplifts humanity. Our inclusion in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 reflects our growing role in the global movement for universities to serve not just as centres of learning, but as agents of sustainable progress." "We remain deeply committed to fostering a learning environment where academic excellence is inseparable from social consciousness-where we nurture responsible citizens, generate knowledge that serves society, and help shape a future that is more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable," he said. More than 2,500 universities from 130 countries/territories took part in the assessment for the seventh edition of the THE Impact Rankings in 2025, with India having the highest number of participating universities globally - 147. JKLU's rankings for SDG 5 and SDG 8 in THE Impact Rankings 2025 marks the entry of the university into the global rankings. Sharing her views on the importance of making SDGs a vital part in the curricula and operation of universities, Professor Alka Mahajan, Pro Vice Chancellor, JK Lakshmipat University, said, "The Sustainable Development Goals are not just global priorities - they are educational imperatives. For universities, embedding the SDGs into curriculum, research, and institutional practice is vital to staying relevant in a rapidly changing world. At JKLU, we see the SDGs as a guiding framework to equip students not just with knowledge, but with the mindset to lead change, address inequality, and contribute meaningfully to society." Situated in Jaipur, JKLU is renowned for academic innovation and institutional excellence in the areas of engineering, design and management. It is one of India's most forward-looking private universities-focused on experiential learning, ethical leadership, and purposeful education. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Fashion Value Chain
18-06-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
JKLU Ranked No.1 in Rajasthan, Among Top 10 in India for SDG 8 in THE Impact Rankings 2025
Jaipur's JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) has been ranked No. 1 in Rajasthan and among Top 10 in India for SDG 8 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025 released on Wednesday. JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) was ranked for SDG 5 and SDG 8 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025 In addition to SDG 8, JKLU was ranked No. 2 among universities in Rajasthan for SDG 5. The Impact Rankings by the UK-based Times Higher Education are global rankings that assess universities contribution to all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and the stewardship of their own resources. For SDG 8, which is about promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all, THE assessed and ranked 1,350 universities from 109 countries/territories for their impactful contributions to the SDG. For SDG 5 which is about gender equality, THE assessed and ranked 1,559 universities from 119 countries/territories. With a global rank of 601-800, JKLU, which was established in 2011 as a philanthropic initiative of the JK Group, ranked in the same band as Anna University, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and University of Hyderabad for SDG 8. Significantly, JKLU was ranked higher than some of the older institutions in India such as Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati), Christ University, GITAM University, Pondicherry University, Mangalore University and S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research (SPJIMR) for SDG 8. For SDG 5, JKLU was ranked 1001-1500 in the world and second among universities in Rajasthan. Reflecting on the role of higher education in delivering the SDGs, Prem Singh, President, Group HR, JK Organisation & Member, Board of Management, JK Lakshmipat University, said, 'JK Lakshmipat University was built on the belief that knowledge gains meaning when it uplifts humanity. Our inclusion in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025 reflects our growing role in the global movement for universities to serve not just as centres of learning, but as agents of sustainable progress.' 'We remain deeply committed to fostering a learning environment where academic excellence is inseparable from social consciousness-where we nurture responsible citizens, generate knowledge that serves society, and help shape a future that is more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable,' he said. More than 2,500 universities from 130 countries/territories took part in the assessment for the seventh edition of the THE Impact Rankings in 2025, with India having the highest number of participating universities globally – 147. JKLU's rankings for SDG 5 and SDG 8 in THE Impact Rankings 2025 marks the entry of the university into the global rankings. Sharing her views on the importance of making SDGs a vital part in the curricula and operation of universities, Professor Alka Mahajan, Pro Vice Chancellor, JK Lakshmipat University, said, 'The Sustainable Development Goals are not just global priorities – they are educational imperatives. For universities, embedding the SDGs into curriculum, research, and institutional practice is vital to staying relevant in a rapidly changing world. At JKLU, we see the SDGs as a guiding framework to equip students not just with knowledge, but with the mindset to lead change, address inequality, and contribute meaningfully to society.' Situated in Jaipur, JKLU is renowned for academic innovation and institutional excellence in the areas of engineering, design and management. It is one of India's most forward-looking private universities-focused on experiential learning, ethical leadership, and purposeful education.
Business Standard
04-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
How JKLU's BBA Programme Builds the Foundation of a Thriving Career
NewsVoir Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], June 4: With hundreds of undergraduate programmes to choose from, it is quite common for a Class 12 student to feel nervous about making the right choice -- because that one decision, about which programme to pursue, could shape their life for years to come. For students not inclined towards conventional paths like engineering or medicine, a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) offers a dynamic and future-ready alternative. But just as choosing the right programme is important, selecting the right institution is an equally significant decision. Jaipur's JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) stands out with its future-focused BBA programmes that not only equip students with the skills and experiences necessary for success in the evolving global job market but also train and support them to embark on an entrepreneurial journey. Future-Ready Curriculum Aligned with Industry Needs In an era where artificial intelligence and automation are transforming industries, the demand for skilled business leaders remains robust. Recognising this, JKLU has meticulously crafted its BBA curriculum to integrate emerging technologies and multidisciplinary approaches, ensuring that students are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of Industry 5.0. According to Dr. Ashwini Sharma, Acting Director of the Institute of Management at JKLU, "The curricula of our BBA programmes are highly distinctive and have been meticulously designed to meet the current as well as future industry needs. With Industry 5.0 resetting the norms of production and consumption, we take special care to prepare students to become active collaborators in achieving the shared goal of building a better and sustainable world." Students at JKLU can specialise in areas such as Entrepreneurship; Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI); Financial Technologies (Fintech); Business Analytics; and Marketing. This flexibility allows them to tailor their education to their interests and the demands of the market. Emphasis on Critical Thinking and Communication Skills A significant concern in higher education today is to equip graduates with essential soft skills. As Deloitte's 2025 Human Capital Trends Report underlines, "As AI takes over more tasks, workers will be increasingly asked to invest in work that requires critical thinking, innovation, collaboration and meaningful human interaction." As per World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, analytical thinking remains the most sought- after core skill, followed by resilience, flexibility and agility, along with leadership and social influence. Taking cognisance of the need to equip graduates with 21st century skills, JKLU has integrated critical thinking and communication skills into its BBA programmes. Through case studies, group discussions, and presentations, students are encouraged to think analytically and express their ideas effectively. This approach not only enhances their academic performance but also prepares them for leadership roles in their careers. Leveraging the Legacy of JK Group With a legacy spanning over 140 years, the JK Group has established itself as a prominent industrial conglomerate in India. This rich heritage provides JKLU students with unparalleled industry connections and networking opportunities. The university's affiliation with the JK Group facilitates internships, mentorships, and exposure to real-world business scenarios, bridging the gap between academic learning and industry practices. World-Class Faculty and Vibrant Campus Life At JKLU, students benefit from a world-class faculty comprising experienced academicians and industry professionals who bring practical insights into the classroom. With the university's wide range of clubs, events, and cultural activities infusing dynamism into its campus life, each student can experience what it means to have opportunities for holistic development. Internship Opportunities and Global Exposure Experiential learning is a cornerstone of JKLU's educational philosophy. The university has established strong ties with leading organisations, providing students with opportunities for internships that offer hands-on experience in their chosen fields. Additionally, JKLU's global exposure initiatives, including opportunities to study for a semester at Hanyang University in South Korea and St. Cloud State University in the USA, equip students with a global perspective, enhancing their employability in an interconnected world. Robust Placement Support JKLU's commitment to student success extends beyond academics. The university's Office of Corporate Relations & Placements works proactively to connect students with potential employers, offering career counseling, resume building, and interview preparation services. The strong industry ties and the university's reputation ensure that graduates have access to a wide array of career opportunities. With a future-ready curriculum, emphasis on 21st century skills, industry affiliations, and robust placement support systems, JKLU stands as a beacon for students aspiring to make a mark in the world. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
