- Chief Guest calls for courage, empathy and ethical leadership as Rebecca Reubens delivers a powerful pep talk on ‘design with purpose’
- Rebecca Reubens tells young designers: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’
- Sameer Sood urges freshers to turn setbacks into stepping stones and pursue lifelong learning
- NIFT Gandhinagar welcomes Fresher Batch 2026 with a stirring call for creativity, sustainability and social responsibility
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, JULY 30
What if every sketch, stitch, product and design decision could influence not just a market, but people’s lives, livelihoods and the planet? That was the exhilarating thought with which Dr. Rebecca Reubens challenged the newest generation of designers at NIFT Gandhinagar, turning the institute’s Orientation Programme 2026 into a stirring call for moral courage, ethical creativity and design with purpose.
Welcoming the Fresher Batch 2026, Dr. Reubens, Founder–Principal Designer, RHIZOME, delivered a powerful keynote urging students to look beyond aesthetics and commercial success and recognise the enormous responsibility that accompanies the power to design. Her message was both a morale booster and a challenge: young designers must have the courage to question conventions, protect values and create solutions that serve society and the environment.
The three-day orientation programme, inaugurated at the NIFT Gandhinagar campus, brought together newly admitted students, parents, faculty members, officers and staff. Prof. (Dr.) Sameer Sood, Director, NIFT Gandhinagar, guided the programme, while Dr. Jayanti Ravi, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, Government of Gujarat, attended as Chief Guest.
The ceremony opened with the traditional Deep Prajwalan, followed by the Rashtra Geet and Saraswati Vandana, setting the tone for a new academic journey filled with creativity, learning and possibilities.
‘Design is never value-neutral’: Reubens’ call for moral courage
In the address that became the emotional and intellectual high point of the orientation, Dr. Rebecca Reubens told the freshers that design is never value-neutral and that every creative decision reflects the ethics, values and intentions of its maker.
Design, she explained, influences the movement of resources, production systems, accessibility, livelihoods and the entire lifecycle of products. Designers therefore have a profound role in shaping societies, economies and the environment.
She urged students to view sustainability not merely as an environmental concern but as a comprehensive philosophy embracing cultural preservation, indigenous knowledge, local materials and inclusive development.
Calling upon the young designers to question conventional narratives, she advocated the decolonisation of design knowledge and encouraged them to develop approaches rooted in India’s rich cultural and ecological contexts while retaining global relevance.
Her message was firmly optimistic: sustainability and commercial success need not be opposites. Mindful production, repairability, reuse, recycling and responsible material choices can create products that are both commercially viable and socially meaningful.
Dr. Reubens also urged students to see Artificial Intelligence and traditional craftsmanship as collaborators rather than competitors. Drawing from RHIZOME’s own practice, she illustrated how computational tools and handcrafted production can combine to generate innovative, socially relevant and commercially viable solutions.
Encouraging students to document their work, undertake research, publish their ideas and contribute to India’s emerging design scholarship, she quoted her mentor, late Prof. M. P. Ranjan: “Never miss an opportunity to educate or be educated.”
Concluding her address on a stirring note, Dr. Reubens called upon the students to cultivate moral courage, uphold ethical values and become responsible designers capable of creating lasting social and environmental impact.
Echoing the timeless maxim, “With great power comes great responsibility,” she reminded them that every creative choice could shape not only products and industries, but also the future of people and the planet.
Sood: Turn setbacks into stepping stones
Welcoming the freshers, Prof. (Dr.) Sameer Sood described the beginning of the orientation on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima as a moment of pride, gratitude and new beginnings.
He said a campus truly comes alive through the energy, aspirations and creativity of its students and expressed delight at welcoming the vibrant new batch into the NIFT family.
Emphasising that education extends far beyond acquiring knowledge, Dr. Sood highlighted the importance of discipline, compassion, tolerance, self-confidence, integrity and responsibility towards nation-building.
He urged students to embrace challenges with resilience and determination, reminding them that both success and failure are integral to life and that the fear of trying can often become the greatest barrier to achievement.
Drawing inspiration from Swami Vivekananda, he asked students to overcome procrastination, remain persistent and transform setbacks into stepping stones. He also cautioned against complacency and called for lifelong learning, continuous self-improvement and an unwavering pursuit of excellence.
Highlighting the rapidly changing design landscape, Dr. Sood pointed to opportunities in sustainability, circular economy, textile recycling, responsible innovation and green entrepreneurship. He urged students to contribute actively to India’s sustainability movement by creating innovative designs capable of generating economic as well as social value.
He also underlined the vast career possibilities before NIFT graduates—from fashion, lifestyle accessories, jewellery and luxury products to technology, digital media, automotive design, software, design consulting, entrepreneurship and emerging creative industries.
Jayanti Ravi: Become thoughtful changemakers
Dr. Jayanti Ravi welcomed the new batch and their parents, particularly students who had travelled from different parts of the country to embark on their NIFT journey in Gujarat.
She acknowledged the excitement and emotions surrounding the transition into college life and assured students that NIFT offers a nurturing ecosystem for academic, creative and personal growth.
Drawing from Dr. Reubens’ address, she encouraged students to develop the courage to question established ideas with humility, curiosity and respect, stressing that meaningful transformation often begins with reflection, empathy, collaboration and the willingness to challenge outdated mindsets.
Highlighting Gujarat’s spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and inclusive development, Dr. Ravi asked students to seize opportunities with honesty, perseverance and a commitment to excellence.
She also stressed collaboration over competition and encouraged students to learn collectively, support one another and grow into compassionate leaders. Holistic education, she said, must balance academic excellence with emotional well-being, physical fitness, creativity, self-awareness and ethical leadership.
She urged students to remain consistent, reminding them that lasting success is built through small, disciplined actions practised every day.
The orientation programme marks the beginning of an exciting academic journey for the Fresher Batch 2026, acquainting students with NIFT Gandhinagar’s academic culture, creative ecosystem, industry engagement and commitment to innovation, sustainability, leadership and responsible design.
Over the next three days, the freshers will participate in interactive sessions, workshops, campus familiarisation activities and engagements with faculty members, industry experts, alumni and senior students—equipping them to step confidently into a transformative journey where creativity meets conscience and design meets responsibility.
