XLRI Delhi-NCR Launches INDEA

  • XLRI collaborates with industry expert Avik Chattopadhyay to establish INDEA, focused on producing world-class automobile designers and managers

Driven by a strong post-pandemic revival, evolving consumer tastes and the need for sustainable mobility solutions, India’s automotive sector is poised for its next phase of growth. A critical component will be the capability to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Design in India’ through highly skilled design talent. Recognising this need, it has announced the setting up of the ‘Indian School for Design of Automobiles’ (INDEA) a school for automobile design in India in association with XLRI alumnus and automobile industry expert Avik Chattopadhyay.

INDEA will offer various programmes, from a Master’s in Automobile Design & Management to refreshers for practising designers and inductions for CXOs. Seminars, master classes and workshops will also be planned as part of the annual calendar. A programme in Automobile Restoration is also proposed.

The Masters in Automobile Design & Management will be a 1-year post-graduate programme with intake of 20-25 students every year from all graduate schools through a screening process. Details of the curriculum are being finalised. The school will be operational by the end of 2025.

INDEA aims to balance intuition and industrial knowledge, provide a rich industry interface and expose students to global thought and application, to attract respected designers as visiting faculty.

Dr Fr K S Casimir, Director, XLRI, Delhi-NCR Campus, said, “Our effort with ‘Indian School for Design of Automobiles’ is to bridge the gap for skilled designers who also understand the nuances of management and customer preferences creating well-rounded professionals for the Indian Automotive industry.”

“Despite the presence of design schools in India, the country has yet to produce designers of international acclaim. The lack of industry interface, overemphasis on traditional pedagogy, quality of faculty and insufficient investment in the latest hardware and software are the reasons for this gap”, Dr Fr K S Casimir, added.

Avik Chattopadhyay comes with extensive experience in the automotive sector with stints across prominent companies such as Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen India, PSA Peugeot Citroen, ExxonMobil and Apollo Tyres.

“My experience in the automotive industry and interactions with my peers over the last few years have led me to come up with the thought for INDEA as I owe this to the industry that has nurtured me. As a team, XLRI and I look forward to building INDEA to serve the needs of the market and the nation,” Avik Chattopadhyay, said.

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