Mariana Salgado
Welcome to the «Indian Design» series on Diseño y Diáspora, a multilingual podcast dedicated to design for social change! This series is hosted by Suchitra Balasubrahmanyan and me. This three-part series dives into the rich, world of Indian social design. From community-driven animation to tribal empowerment and health innovations, these episodes highlight how design can amplify marginalized voices, challenge colonial legacies, and foster ethical practices. If you’re curious about how design intersects with culture, justice, and sustainability in India, these conversations are a must-listen. Let’s break down each episode with a quick summary.
Episode 651: INDIAN DESIGN 1. Textile, Film, and Memories – A Talk with Nina Sabnani Nina Sabnani, an audiovisual designer and professor, shares her ethnographic work with communities in Kutch after the earthquake. Using textiles and animation, she co-creates films that preserve memories of migration and identity. Nina emphasizes collaboration, letting communities tell their stories through cloth as «actors,» and discusses time’s role in memory and film. This episode explores how design bridges art, culture, and healing.
Episode 652: INDIAN DESIGN 2. Tribal Design – A Talk with Sudhir John Horo Sudhir John Horo, a tribal designer from the Munda community and founder of the Tribal Design Forum, discusses reclaiming indigenous authorship and challenging cultural appropriation. He shares his journey from NID to creating a space for tribal designers to reconnect with roots and mentor others. Sudhir critiques «design denial» and calls for solidarity through platforms like forums and global networks. This episode highlights tribal identity, mentorship, and decolonizing design.
Episode 653: INDIAN DESIGN 3. Health for Communities – A Talk with Lakshmi Murthy Lakshmi Murthy, an Indian designer focused on reproductive health, talks about creating communication materials and menstrual pads for rural communities. She shares how she overcomes taboos through culturally sensitive designs, like audio dramas for boys, and uses copyleft licenses to spread impact. Lakshmi discusses her doctoral research on cloth pads and rural immersions for students. This episode underscores ethical design, sustainability, and community empowerment.
The «Indian Design» series reminds us that design is a tool for cultural preservation and social justice, blending tradition with innovation. Whether it’s Nina’s memory-weaving films, Sudhir’s tribal forum, or Lakshmi’s health tools, these stories inspire us to design with empathy and ethics. Tune in, share your thoughts, and join the conversation on design’s role in a changing world! Visit disenoydiaspora.org for more.