After India's independence, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru commissioned Charles & Ray Eames (two industrial and furniture designers from the USA) to write a report on how to encourage design education in India. The India Report (Eames, 1958) would not only be unique; it would also recommend design as a value system for a nation celebrating local design with the mighty "Lota". The paper also suggests an institute, program, and several projects that would later lead to the establishment of National Institute of Design (NID). The first in the paper discussion series, in this video, we discuss details of the paper and what it has to say about the Indian design, value system, the institute, it's students, faculty, and how we should measure its effectiveness. Check out the full video on the topic: https://youtu.be/4XoGNz-PxJ8

1. Paper Notes | The India Report (Eames, 1958)
Lota: Mother of
National Institute
of Design

2. A report to encourage design
innovation in India
After India's independence, PM
Jawaharlal Nehru commissioned
Charles & Ray Eames (industrial
designers) to write a report on how to
encourage design innovation in India.
2/10 @kingsidharth

3. The India Report (Eames, 1958) talks
about food, shelter, distribution, &
communication as India’s primary
problems.
Suggests an institute that later
became National Institute of Design
(NID), several projects, and design as
a value-system in the building of a
nation.
3/10 @kingsidharth

4. 4/10 @kingsidharth
Celebrating Lota as Indian Design
Can be modified for various
purposes like ghara, suraahi, etc.
Can be made with various materials
sizes, & dimensions
The design evolved over generations
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5. •
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It’d be measured by relationships and
it’d communicate to the nation using
media like — films, posters, etc.
How do we know the institute
works?
Institute to focus on local-design,
cultures, and values
Architect students for their
background in studying local
cultures & value-systems
Warn against people looking for a
creative refuge in design
5/10 @kingsidharth

6. Project Recommendation
Project A
Study the local value system and
nuances to define standards of living
for the country.
What is a good life? What's good
health and a proper diet? And ask
many such questions.
6/10 @kingsidharth

7. Examine old problems like Food,
Shelter, Distribution, and
Communication in a new light and
with this new paradigm of local values.
Project Recommendation
Project B

8. Standard of quality in products &
services across the nation that are
adaptable to local nuances.
They give an example of the Indian
post office — where all of us can send
a SpeedPost or a regular mail, but the
post-offices adapt to different areas.
Project Recommendation
Project C

9. Create national symbols and icons that
represent the national identity.
We continue to make progress on this one with
projects like the tricolour, rupee symbol, the
UPI symbol, etc.
Project Recommendation
Project D

10. Fin.
@kingsidharth on
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