CODE-EDU

Garima Agarwal is a seasoned Fashion and Textile Design mentor with over 19 years of experience in academia and industry. Currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Fashion Design from Presidency University, Bangalore, she combines her strong academic foundation with practical expertise. Garima holds a degree in Fashion Integration from NIFT Gandhinagar and an MA in Garment Production and Export Management from the University of Rajasthan.

She has held key academic positions, including Academic Head at Atlas Skill Tech University and Assistant Professor at multiple institutions. Garima has contributed to curriculum development and has taught courses in Sustainable Systems, High-End Fashion Techniques, and Traditional Textiles. She is also the founder of FUTKER Design, an e-commerce brand, focusing on fabric selection and production management.

A proponent of sustainable design, Garima integrates Circular Economy principles into the fashion industry and has conducted workshops on Paper Folding, Hand-block printing, and Yarn Craft. She has mentored students for prestigious events like Lakme Fashion Week and Bangalore Fashion Week, cementing her role as a respected leader in design education and innovation.

Rahul Bhattacharya is an educationist, art historian, and experience designer currently anchoring and seeding a Communication Design Department as an Adjunct Faculty at Alliance University Bengaluru. Bhattacharya's career spans over two decades, during which he has held various academic positions, including the Head of the Department of MDes Integrated Programme and Assistant Director of the Department of Communication Design at the Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID). His leadership at UID has seen him design courses, curate workshops and coordinate significant events like the Ahmedabad Design Week. Previously he was an Associate Professor at the School of Visual Arts, World University of Design, where he taught subjects such as Art History, Aesthetics, and Visual Communication. His work is characterised by a commitment to interdisciplinary design and social impact, with an active passion for curriculum development and mentoring and developing intellectual property rights.

In addition to his academic roles, Bhattacharya has been instrumental in various public art initiatives. He co-founded the Kolkata International Performance Art Festival, which has become a vital platform for dialogue in South Asia. He was a key figure in the NINE Schools of Art collective, focusing on workshop-based teaching methods. His curatorial practice extends to community interventions and large-scale public art projects, reflecting his dedication to making art accessible and relevant to diverse audiences.

A prolific writer, Bhattacharya has contributed extensively to discussions on contemporary Indian art and interdisciplinary design. He has served as Managing Editor of Art & Deal Magazine, where he played a crucial role in repositioning the publication within the art community. His academic publications and presentations reflect a deep engagement with the evolving landscape of art and design in India.

His design practice includes consulting for small businesses on brand outreach and client experience enhancement, with a particular focus on integrating AI into design processes. His workshops on design thinking, storytelling, and art history demonstrate his holistic approach to education and practice, emphasizing the importance of context in design.

Currently, Bhattacharya is exploring alternative training methods for language models and the implications of AI on design practice, driven by his commitment to social and ecological sustainability. As a co-founder of dotai, he aims to customize AI user experiences for the Indian context, further bridging the gap between technology and human-centred design.