Jaipur, April 2026: JK Lakshmipat University (JKLU) successfully concluded Jaipur Design Week 2026, held from April 4 to April 11 in Jaipur, Rajasthan, under the theme Make it Max. The campus transformed into a vibrant hub of creativity, becoming a living laboratory where students, educators, and industry practitioners came together for immersive design-led dialogue, experimentation, and collaboration.
The week-long event opened with a keynote and workshop by acclaimed animation filmmaker Suresh Eriyat, setting the tone for a dynamic lineup of sessions. This was followed by engaging interactions with artist Abhijit Paul and Microsoft Senior UX Designer Bindiya Mutum. Adding a unique creative twist, designer Chandrashekhar Bheda delivered a stand-up comedy performance titled Bheda Fry, centered around design.
Welcoming participants, Dr. Vijaysekhar Chellaboina, Vice Chancellor of JKLU, highlighted the significance of experiential learning in design education. He emphasized that Jaipur Design Week continues to evolve beyond traditional classrooms, fostering a collaborative environment that shapes responsible and future-ready creators.
A key highlight of the event was the ThoughtSpot series, which brought together prominent voices such as Tanu Sinha of PepsiCo India, along with designers Paul Sandip, Suhasini Paul, and Gajesh Mitkari. The series also featured the launch of a book on Jawaja by Ashoke Chatterjee, sparking conversations around design, culture, storytelling, and social impact.
The Open Studios segment offered hands-on learning experiences through immersive electives led by renowned puppeteer and Padma Shri awardee Dadi Pudumjee, alongside experts like Margie Sastry, Radhika Gupta, Kavya Agarwal, and Jishnu Roy. Specialized workshops were also conducted by Ayush Kasliwal, Sudebi Thakurata, and Sumit Baruah, exploring diverse facets of design practice.
Celebrating emerging talent, Jaipur Design Week 2026 honoured Mubassirah Khalid Khatri—India’s first female Ajrakh artisan and a Forbes India 30 Under 30 honoree—with the Emerging Designer of the Year Award, recognizing her contribution to preserving and innovating traditional craft.
Reflecting on the event, A. Balasubramaniam, Director of the Institute of Design at JKLU, noted that this edition underscored the power of interdisciplinary thinking, where craft, technology, and storytelling converged to redefine contemporary design.
Jaipur Design Week 2026 reaffirmed its role as a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary learning, critical inquiry, and creative collaboration. By bringing together voices from animation, UX design, industrial practice, branding, puppetry, and traditional crafts, the event created a space where ideas were not only exchanged but actively tested and reimagined.
As the curtains closed, the event left behind a strengthened community of emerging designers and thought leaders, a renewed commitment to socially responsible design, and a shared vision for building inclusive, innovative, and culturally rooted futures through design.
