New Delhi, March 2025.
On the sidelines of the ‘Women in Design’ summit in New Delhi, Mugdha Sinha, IAS, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, delivered an insightful keynote address. The IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre highlighted the critical role women play in shaping the design sector, both in India and globally. Reflecting on her journey, Mugdha shared how she became involved with design policy while serving as Secretary of Science and Technology in Rajasthan. In 2019, she founded a design cohort, integrating design with science and technology. Rajasthan, home to 13 design schools majorly led by women, benefited from this initiative linking academics with practical application.
Mugdha emphasized that design intersects with multiple disciplines, including art, statistics, and technology, and plays a crucial role in policymaking. Addressing gender disparities in the design field, Mugdha Sinha, IAS, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, said, “Although more women enroll in design courses, the transition to professional practice is still a challenge, with the representation dropping from 60% to 45%. Evidence-based policymaking is essential to bridge this gap for data collection on women’s participation in the design industry.” She also urged policymakers and institutions to engage with reports from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) to assess employment trends and challenges faced by women in design.
The key priorities for women in design revolve around promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), according to Mugdha. She underscored the importance of ethnographic research in understanding user experiences and the need for inclusive policies that account for diversity, including LGBTQ+ representation. The World Bank’s initiative on sex-segregated data collection was cited as a model for promoting equity in design. She called for empowering women through education, autonomy, and equal opportunities, reinforcing that getting the design right in policy and practice will create the way for a more inclusive and creative future.
During the summit, World University of Design (WUD), India’s first university dedicated to creative education, honored three outstanding women designers with the SrijanShakti Awards for their remarkable contributions to the field. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice Chancellor, World University of Design, said,“Women in design are not just shaping aesthetics; they are shaping perspectives, industries, and societies. Their ability to blend empathy with innovation, intuition with strategy, and creativity with resilience makes them indispensable to the future of design. At the World University of Design, we celebrate and champion women who challenge norms, redefine boundaries, and lead with vision. The world of design is richer, more inclusive, and more impactful because of them—and it is our responsibility to ensure they have the platforms, opportunities, and recognition they rightfully deserve.”
A distinguished jury, including Ms. Rathi Vinay Jha, Padma Shri Geeta Chandran, and Ms. Pia Kaikonen, selected the winners across three categories. Nutan Dayal won Design Entrepreneur of the Year for global sustainable fashion. Dr. Shaon Sengupta earned Industry Innovation Champion for digital healthcare leadership, while Monika Khanna Gulati received Social Impact Catalyst for 25 years of design-driven change.
