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    Top 15 young Indian designers to know right now

    MAR 21, 2016 | By Jaina Chandwany
    4. The Baugh collection of merino wool carpets that have been inspired by spring blossoms and Mughal art. 1. Parul & Mooshir Vahanvati’s, Urban Tweeter drink ware line created for Rayden Design Studio that won the kitchen category at the EDIDA (ELLE Decor International Design Awards) 2015. 7. Avni Sejpal’s Chapki Totem Series of upcycled furniture made using old saris and the Gota Na Phool Marigold seating collection inspired by marigolds and imagined with origami petal silhouettes. 3. Valay Gada’s winning EDIDA entries – the Pie Chart serving platters in brass and copper pay ode to the Indian thali while his Garuda and Makara clay faucets are based on Tibetan Buddhist aesthetic.
    2. The Curved Brass Chair with its frozen rope like backrest and the Reed Chair inspired by its namesake grass-like plant by banduksmithstudio, Chirag Shah and Monica Sampat for Various at Dhobi Talao. 9. Sandeep Sangaru’s handmade Bamboo range for Sangaru Design Studio. 15. The Ishi-Kiri Collection by Ruchika Grover that is crafted in natural stone and inspired by pleats and origami. 8. Lekha Washington’s award winning Dot chair and Kiku light that won EDIDA awards 2015.
    5. Ishrat Sahgal’s Loka and Amara series of hand woven rugs in silk crafted using leftover yarn collected from South Indian sari weavers. 14. The NYPD Road Block bench by Ishan Khosla that takes after a discarded road divider and functions as a table and a chair. 7. Avni Sejpal’s Chapki Totem Series of upcycled furniture made using old saris and the Gota Na Phool Marigold seating collection inspired by marigolds and imagined with origami petal silhouettes. 11. Sujay Das’ winning product for Godrej Design Lab2015 – the Iktar accent chair that takes inspiration from the Bengali folk instrument Ektara.
    10. Blub Vide Poche by Saif Faisal that is a ceramic and aluminum container that screws onto a wooden base. 6. Among several of Aakriti Kumar’s eclectic collections is the angular table lamp crated from reclaimed wood and fitted with hypnotic Edison bulbs. 12. The Bota table by Ranjan Bordoli that was showcased at London Design Festival 2015. 13. The EDIDA 2015 Bedroom winning line, the Asmaani collection by Chinar Farooqui that uses traditional Bhujodi weaving techniques from a village in Kutch.

    It’s not everyday that you hear a success story. Starting their own design firms, producing signature products and works of art, one thing is clear – these 15 fresh faces take their passions very seriously.
    Here’s our curated list of young guns who are changing the face of India’s design industry, one product at a time.
    1. Parul & Mooshir Vahanvati The creative duo, who have their respective degrees in Industrial design and engineering, create sleek products that have minimal aesthetics and impeccable finish. They run Pune based Rayden Design Studio – a multidisciplinary firm that operates at the confluence of design, art and technology. Website: www.raydendesign.com
    2. banduksmithstudio This architecture, design and research studio founded by architects Sachin Bandukwala and Melissa Smith, is constantly involved in formulating unique designs. In association with Chirag Shah and Monica Sampat, they responsible for Mumbai’s Various at Dhobi Talao that showcases their furniture and objects as well as several other collaborations. Website: www.banduksmithstudio.in; www.variousatdobhitalao
    3. Valay GadaThis New Delhi based designer and sculptor of Cobalt Designs makes products by marrying traditional motifs to scientific narratives and contemporary perspective. Most of his work reflects concerns with regards to urban landscapes, the environment and the preservation of India’s cultural heritage. Website: www.valaygada.com
    4. Anjali RanaShe meticulously handcrafts home linen, accessories and embroidered felt rugs, collectively for her brand called Mohabbat. Her eye for art, led her to imagine the Baugh collection of merino wool carpets, inspired by spring blossoms and Mughal art and hand felted by Kashmiri artisans.Website: www.anjaliranadesign.com
    5. Ishrat Sahgal Based out of New Delhi, she is the young soul behind Mishcat Co, a design studio that uses recycled sari silk, hand spun wool and more to envision a line of carpets and objects for contemporary spaces. We love her Loka and Amara series of handmade carpets that reflects intricacy, fine fusion and detail. Website: www.mishcatco.com
    6. Aakriti Kumar Having completed her degree in BFA from Parsons in New York, she settled down in Gurgaon and opened her own furniture company Differniture. From materials to manufacturing, she creates sustainable and zero waste designs in the form of objects, accessories and custom made furniture. Website: www.facebook.com/differniture
    7. Avni Sejpal An architect in environmental design, her design firm Studio Avni offers 3D textiles, furniture and lights. She has been devoted to creating mix media products that reside in the realm between art and design. Her famous creations include the Champki Totem series of upcycled furniture made using old spangled sarees that are braided to resemble a chotli or jooda. We also love her Marigold seating collection called ‘Gota Na Phool’ that is inspired by marigolds and uses origami petals for its form.  Website: www.studioavni.com
    8. Lekha Washington Based out of Mumbai, the product designer and artist runs studio Ajji where she envisions simple, original and user driven pieces. Her signature piece, the Dot chair, looks like a giant dollop of paint.,Its most recent version being the Moon Art cover that she recently showcased at Ambiente Frankfurt. Website: www.ajji.in
    9. Sandeep Sangaru The NID alumnus specialises in furniture design and runs Sangaru Design Studio where he works with artisans and local materials to produce global products. Among his several furniture collections, we love his handmade Bamboo line that is environment friendly and durable. Website: www.sangaru.com
    10. Saif Faisal The young Bengaluru based designer’s appreciation for geometry and strong forms can be seen all throughout his unique work. His Blub – Vide Poche that won the EDIDA Table Top category 2015 is a container in ceramic and aluminum inspired by Japanese and Scandinavian design that screws onto a wooden base.Website: www.saif-faisal.com
    11. Sujay DasThis Bengaluru based product designer uses traditional Indian crafts and local elements in innovative forms to envision user centric furniture pieces. Combining his love for his Indian heritage, he envisioned the Iktar accent stool that draws inspiration from the Bengali folk music instrument Ektara. This chair not only won a category in the Godrej Design Lab contest 2015 but it was also showcased at India Design ID 2015. Website: www.dezineandwit.com
    12. Ranjan Bordoloi This Assamese designer works with artisans to give local craft a contemporary flavour. At the  London Design Festival 2015, he showcased the Bota table, which draws inspiration from the Assamese bell object Bota, used for offering betel nuts to guests. He also won Godrej Design Lab 2016 for his concept Kathfula chair that he fabricated in association to Godrej. Website: www.facebook.com/Studiobordoloi
    13. Chinar Farooqui Based out of Jaipur, her sophisticated linen lines, under her label Injiri, employ the skills and ingenuity of local artisans. Made from organic cotton, the blue and white Asmaani collection uses traditional Bhujodi weaving techniques from a village in Kutch. Proving her refined and minimal aesthetic, she interpreted the textiles of the Rabari clan to suit modern day decor.Website: www.injiri.co.in
    14. Ishan Khosla Using diversity as his creative mantra, the New Delhi based creative started Ishan Khosla Design with the idea to create products, illustrations and installations that are free and edgy. A discarded road divider that he chanced upon while crossing a street in New York inspired his NYPD Road Block bench that was a winning entry at the Godrej Design Lab contest 2015. Website: www.ishankhosla.com
    15. Ruchika Grover Founder and director of Odyssey: Stone, Architecture and Design – she plays around with the potential of natural stone as an architectural and design element. Among her famous work, The Ishi-Kiri Collection crafted in white marble, takes pleats and origami for its form and rethinks customised front-lit and back-lit surfaces which are typically only done in onyx, Website: www.odysseystone.com/about
    Also read: 15 young International designers you should know right now