In this exclusive conversation, Sumit Chaturvedi, Editor-In-Chief VOIWORLD speaks with Avik Chattopadhyay, the founder of INDEA—the Indian School for Design of Automobiles. The discussion explores the vision behind establishing India’s first dedicated automobile design school, the gaps it aims to fill in the country’s design ecosystem, and how it plans to shape the future of the Indian automobile industry. Here are the excerpts from this conversation”
Sumit Chaturvedi: Let’s begin with Indian School for Design of Automobiles (INDEA). What does it mean and where did the idea come from?
Avik Chattopadhyay: The idea was born out of my 20+ years of experience in the automobile industry. While India is world-class in manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, and retail practices, the area of design was a white space. Fresh graduates from design schools required 18–24 months of additional training to meet industry standards because of theoretical curriculums, limited industry interface, and lack of quality faculty. That’s when I decided to set up India—the Indian School for Design of Automobiles—dedicated to advanced automobile design and design management.
Sumit Chaturvedi: Are you the only one in India with such a dedicated focus? Where else do such schools exist globally?
Avik Chattopadhyay: Yes, India is the only school in India dedicated solely to automobile design. Globally, most design schools offer multiple design streams, and automobile design is just one among them. What makes us unique is the integration of advanced design with design management—something rarely taught elsewhere, even globally. We’ll be the first in India and Asia to do this, and possibly even the first in the world.
Sumit Chaturvedi: How does this help the Indian auto industry become truly world-class?
Avik Chattopadhyay: The industry needs a consistent pipeline of high-quality design talent. With more automakers creating ground-up projects in India—for both private and public transport—designers with deep cultural understanding are essential. Successful global automakers (Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, etc.) carry their cultural DNA in design. Similarly, India must develop its unique design DNA. Manufacturing generates revenue, but design generates value—like Apple, whose valuation comes from being “Designed in California.” For India to become a $10–25 trillion economy, design must be at the core of value creation.
Sumit Chaturvedi: What is your vision for the school and for the larger Indian automobile industry?
Avik Chattopadhyay:
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For the school: To create a world-class talent pool of designers who can shape India’s unique design DNA. We want a small, focused intake of around 25 students each year, nurtured individually through world-class studios, advanced tools, and direct industry mentorship. Each student will graduate with their own specialization—rendering, 3D modeling, clay modeling, CMF (color, material, finishes), prototyping, additive manufacturing, or even design team leadership.
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For the industry: Much like IPL transformed Indian cricket into a talent powerhouse, this school will create a never-ending talent pipeline for Indian and global automakers. With XLRI as a partner, design management will also be taught alongside design skills—covering project, cost, human behavior, and organizational management.
Sumit Chaturvedi: Where does the project currently stand?
Avik Chattopadhyay: The institute is being set up at XLRI’s new Jamshedpur campus. Fundraising is in progress, and the infrastructure will include India’s most advanced automobile studio—from sketching to working prototypes, including clay modeling. The aim is to ensure students are industry-ready from day one.
Sumit Chaturvedi: Any final thoughts?
Avik Chattopadhyay: Our mission is simple—to give back to the automobile industry by creating a design ecosystem in India that generates global value while carrying our own cultural DNA.
