Academic Facilitation • Research • Strategy • Textile
Akshaya Manoj M P is a young professional designer and academic facilitator, with a Master of Design (M.Des.) in Design Strategy from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Gandhinagar, and a Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Textile Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Kannur.
Akshaya has been recognized as one of the top 20 designers under the age of 35 ("20under35"), studioiF & Audacity, for the 15th Annual Design X Design Exhibition 2025, showing her work (in industrial lifestyle product category) at the Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Française de Delhi in February 2025.
She is passionate about creating meaningful solutions, through research, strategy and innovation, that blend design with social-centered design and impact at the grassroots level.
She looks forward to engaging with social entrepreneurship and impact. She is a Director of Care Form Labs Pvt Ltd, a social-design lab, engaged in designing and developing innovative (including utility patent-filed) well-being and lifestyle products, and services.
Akshaya have academic facilitation experience at premier institutes like the BITS Design School of BITS Pilani in Mumbai, and the School of Design Innovation of Mahindra University in Hyderabad.
Throughout her journey, Akshaya has contributed to impactful industrial projects and ventures. This includes ARTISANS’ Art Gallery and Shop, where she contributed to the role of design strategy to reposition the brand’s strategy post-pandemic. She also worked with Fabric Monde as a textile designer, focusing on print development, quality assurance, and trend analysis.
Academia:
• Pursing PhD from School of Design Innovation, Mahindra University, Hyderabad, from January 2025.
• Master of Design (M.Des.) in Design Strategy from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Gandhinagar, from 2021-2023. Akshaya was the recipient of the Best Post-Graduation Project Award in the 2023 batch.
• Bachelor of Design (B.Des.) in Textile Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Kannur, from 2016-2020.
Awards and recognitions:
• Recognized as one of the top 20 designers under the age of 35 ("20under35"), studioiF & Audacity, for the 15th Annual Design X Design Exhibition 2025, showing her work (in industrial lifestyle product category) at the Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Française de Delhi in February 2025.
Paper presentation:
• Ongoing • Abstract titled "Transforming Indigenous Wall Art into Contemporary Production through Community Participation and Distributed Manufacturing", accepted for full paper submission in I-4AM’26 to be held at the Department of Design and Manufacturing (DM), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, January 08-09, 2026. • Co-authors: Pramod Priya Ranjan and Prof. Saurav Khuttiya Deori.
• Ongoing • Abstract titled "Evolution and potential future of indigenous wall art from Jharkhand, with strategic innovations, for flourishment of the art and its artisans", accepted for the next stage of the review process for ICDHS14: Cultures of Design, to be held at IIT Delhi, New Delhi, from 10–12 October 2025. • Co-authors: Pramod Priya Ranjan and Prof. Saurav Khuttiya Deori.
• February 2025 • Presented an accepted abstract of a co-authored paper titled "Jharkhand’s Indigenous Art: Preservation, Promotion, and Contemporary Adaptations" at the International Conference on Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices: Designing Sustainable Futures, organized by Anant National University on 22nd February 2025. • Co-authors: Pramod Priya Ranjan and Prof. Saurav Khuttiya Deori.
• January 2025 • Gave an Oral Presentation of an accepted co-authored paper titled "Jharkhand’s Indigenous Art: Evolution and Strategic Pathways Forward" at the National Conference on Preserving the Handicrafts Heritage of India. The theme of the conference was ‘Reimagining Handicrafts in the Contemporary Era and Vision Viksit Bharat@2047: Past, Present, and Prospects.’ It was co-organized by the Symbiosis Center for Behavioral Studies, the Symbiosis Institute of Design, and the Symbiosis School of Planning Architecture and Design, with support from the Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR), and Symbiosis International University. • Co-authors: Pramod Priya Ranjan and Prof. Saurav Khuttiya Deori.
Facilitation of academic courses at Mahindra University Hyderabad:
• DXZZZ Sustainability Design course • Faculty: Prof. Xyz • Teaching Assistant: Akshaya Manoj M P and xyz • Batch (30 students) • February 2025 - March 2025 • X Weeks
Facilitation of academic courses at BITS Design School Mumbai:
• DSXXX Material Studies 102 course • Faculty: Prof. Samir Parker and Prof. Gaurav Shergill • Teaching Assistant (Academic Fellow): Akshaya Manoj M P and Aditya De • 1 Section (35 students) • January 2025 - February 2024 • 4+ Weeks
• DSXXX Elective course • Guest Faculty: Prof. Xyz • Teaching Assistant (Academic Fellow): Akshaya Manoj M P and Pramod Priya Ranjan • 1 Section (35 students) • December 2024 • 1 Week
• DSXXX Professional Development Programme course • Faculty: Prof. Nandita Abraham • Teaching Assistant (Academic Fellow): Akshaya Manoj M P and Pramod Priya Ranjan • 4 Sections (140 students) • July 2024 - December 2024 • Semester long
• DSXXX Design Methods 101 course • Faculty: Prof. Khushboo Jogani and Prof. Lakshmi S. • Teaching Assistant (Academic Fellow): Akshaya Manoj M P and Pramod Priya Ranjan • 2 Sections (70 students) • September 2024 - October 2024 • 4 Weeks
• DSXXX Material Studies 101 course • Faculty: Prof. Samir Parker • Teaching Assistant (Academic Fellow): Akshaya Manoj M P • 1 Section (35 students) • July 2024 - September 2024 • 7 Weeks
Facilitation of academic activities at BITS Design School Mumbai:
• Co-designed and co-curated an event gathering titled "Vijay Kumar x ADI (Association of Designers of India)," organized by BITS Design School Mumbai, and supported by ADI (Association of Designers of India) Mumbai, on 9th January 2025. Vijay Kumar, Professor Emeritus and the Charles L. Owen Endowed Chair in Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Institute of Design, shared his perspectives on addressing complex challenges through design. He emphasised on methodical, human-centric approaches to innovation in areas such as city planning, public health, and policy-making. He also highlighted emerging technologies like AI, VR, AR, and 3D and their transformative potential in governance and sustainability. The gathering was attended by over 50 industry professionals in addition to the faculty and students of BITSDES. Prior to the event, facilitated an academic session between Vijay Kumar and students of BITS Design School, and another academic session titled "AI & Design: A Tectonic Shift" by Prapti Jha and Harsh Wardhan, associates of Vijay Kumar.
• Co-designed and co-curated a Lift-off week titled "Ctrl+Alt+Create" for a new academic semester at BITS Design School Mumbai. The Lift-off week was themed on futuristic design, with (1) a few hands-on workshops by external experts, (2) a hackathon-like design acvitity titled "Makeathon", and (2) guest lectures on the theme, which was a week-long engagement, from 6th January 2025 till 10th January 2025.
• Mentored the "Innovation and Making Club" of BITS Design School Mumbai, for 7 months, from August 2024 till February 2025.
• Conducted a workshop on "Tie and Dye" organised by the Innovation and Making Club of BITS Design School Mumbai, in November 2024.
• Co-designed and co-curated (as a member of the Experience and Delegate team) an international conference titled "Care, Value, Place: Building Design-Led Project Frameworks with Community", hosted by BITS Design School Mumbai in partnership with RMIT University, Melbourne, in September 2025. The conference is curated by Prof. John Thackara, Writer, Curator, Professor at Tongji University, and advisor to BITS Design School. In "Care, Value, Place", over two days, a group of experienced project leaders, together with expert contributors, collaborated to identify the practical steps that can be taken, right now, to effect lasting, positive systemic change. At the closing segment, Don Norman, advisor of BITS Design School, shared his views on the collaborative projects developed by the provocateurs and the inputs from the contributors, providing a deeper perspective on the work they had undertaken.
Employment experience:
• Director (Strategy) at Care Form Labs Pvt Ltd, a social-design lab • 22nd February 2025 onwards
• Teaching Assistant at School of Design Innovation at Mahindra University, Hyderabad • 10th February 2025 onwards
• Academic Fellow (Teaching Assistant) at BITS Design School, BITS Pilani, Mumbai • 10th July 2024 till 7th February 2025
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