Latest news with #NID
New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
'More women need to do electronica'
Delhi artist Sijya's journey began in the world of music by accident. A trained graphic artist from India's National Institution of Design (NID), after NID, she was helping artists to design their album artwork, when she came into contact with an online radio community station. "Although I was designing for their events, gig flyers, and album art, it was the support of the community that made me take a plunge and produce my first single, 'Have to make my bed', which came out on their compilation, Suchi Selects. Suchi, an international DJ, selected a few artists for the compilation, and I was one of them. Later, my first EP, Young Hate, came out, and this time, it was a UK-based record label, Accidental Records, of artist Matthew Herbert,' she says. Although Sijya is soft-spoken, her music flows to a different beat. Her upcoming album, Leather & Brass, is a testimony to that. Sijya also started out late, at 27, she started producing electronica. 'I learnt how to make music through software, and I realised how much I enjoy it,' she says. The upcoming EP has six songs and is a mix of soundscapes and words. 'Compared to my last two EPs, Young Love (2023) and Young Hate (2022), this EP has more words, as I explored songwriting more. The album is named Leather & Brass, after the two materials my family has a history of working with,' she says. The album talks about the multiple layers of human feelings—from being lost in a complex and competitive world, forcing one to believe in oneself, and the many layers of human relationships. 'Tabla', the only released single from the album so far, talks about the challenges that one faces while creating art in the 21st-century world. The other singles like 'Do I Know' and 'Rust' also deal with many existential questions. The challenges Sijya is now three and a half years old in the electronic music industry, and it has challenges for aspiring and ambitious musicians. 'In India, the electronic music scene has not fully ripened. DJs can survive, but the scene for independent artists and music producers is something else. They struggle with getting shows as there are not many venues and proper infrastructure to support them. Besides, the live-music listening culture is still growing in India. My stage shows attract 150-200 people. Hence, earning remains a constant concern for artists like me,' she says. Being a woman artist also has its set of challenges. 'The biggest problem is perception. Many think that female artists are not technically skilled; that's the impression they have. They refuse to believe that as a female music producer, I can make my own music—that annoys me a lot. However, if more and more women join the electronic music industry, it will get better,' she says. Although electronic music is popular across the globe, with 1.5 billion listeners according to a report by the IMS Business School, India's case is different. Despite the large Gen Z and millennial population, the 'scene' is not ready due to the absence of venues, grants, promoters, and needed infrastructure. Sijya is hopeful that with time, the scenario will look up.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tribal designer sends NID legal notice for erasing authorship
Vadodara: Tribal designer and honorary director of the Tejgadh-based Adivasi Academy, Sudhir John Horo, issued a legal notice to the director of India's premier design institute, the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad, alleging erasure of tribal authorship. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Last month, the country's premier design institute was in the spotlight after Horo, an alumnus of NID, alleged that his name had been removed from the records pertaining to his past work and from course materials he presented at the institute as a visiting faculty member. Horo said that considering the continued silence and confirmed tampering of institutional metadata records, authorship attributions and academic file histories at NID, he served the second legal preservation notice to the institute on Saturday. "Following the original legal preservation notice on May 27 and submission of a comprehensive metadata correspondence report, this second notice is being formally issued to hold NID and affiliated institutional actors accountable for any deletion, redaction, renaming or unauthorized alteration of files, course materials, presentation decks, authorship attributions or archival records related to my contributions," the notice states. The notice says Horo was not credited for India's national branding projects, including the "India Future of Change", the "Indiafrica Project", the "Invest India" visual identity, TDF-linked curriculum or elective documentation, other presentations and related frameworks developed between 2010 and 2017. The national branding and public diplomacy projects were carried out with the external affairs ministry, some creations of which were showcased at the World Economic Forum's annual meetings and during the World Expo Dubai. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Jharkhand-born Horo said that instead of giving him individual credit, institutional phrases like "teamwork" were used, effectively erasing his authorship. An NID spokesperson earlier told TOI that the matter is being thoroughly analysed and investigated by an internal committee. The institute said it will be sharing the findings of the committee.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission postponed to June 10
BENGALURU: Group Captain and three other crew members of the Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4) to the International Space Station (ISS) will now launch at 5.52pm, IST, on June 10, pushed by two days from the earlier launch date of June 8. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'The Ax4 crew is scheduled to launch to the ISS on June 10 at 8:22am (Eastern Time) from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Centre,' Axiom Space said Tuesday, without elaborating on the cause for postponement. With just a few days to go for launch, Shukla addressed the world with a stirring message of resolve, gratitude and vision—one firmly rooted in science and proudly anchored in India's cultural heritage. He spoke as part of the crew's final interaction before lift-off. Stating that he feels deeply inspired, prepared and confident going to the International Space Station (ISS), he said: 'Even stars are attainable.' 'The last few months have been nothing short of extraordinary, of discovery and unshakable resolve. From diverse systems to advanced platforms, across continents and cultures. This training has been intense but deeply rewarding,' he said. He reiterated that he won't be carrying just instruments and equipment, but the 'hopes and dreams of a billion hearts', and said he will conduct seven Indian-designed experiments developed by research institutions from across the nation. 'These investigations will explore how microgravity affects everything from stem cell cultures to crop seeds, advancing India's footprint in space-based science. These experiments will pave the way for India's progress in microgravity science. And I am proud to be the bridge between Earth and orbit for this pioneering research,' he said. 'Joy' in Orbit Ax-4 commander Peggy Whitson, stating that every mission is different as every crew brings something new to the table and that she has been incredibly impressed by the dedication, the work ethic, and the passion of her team, she said: '.... Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And then, there's 'Joy'—the crew's chosen zero-gravity indicator, and a symbol of the cultural mosaic onboard.' The swan, named Joy, represents 'Wisdom in India', 'Resilience in Poland', and 'Grace in Hungary'. 'More than just a companion, Joy will signal our arrival in microgravity shortly after launch. Through Joy, we'll celebrate our diversity and our unity in the shared journey of space exploration,' she said. NID Souvenirs The mission isn't just scientific. To mark India's artistic and cultural spirit, Shukla is carrying souvenirs crafted by students from the National Institute of Design — artefacts that represent the spirit of India. 'I carry them with deep pride.' On whether he would have a live interaction with PM Modi from ISS, he said: '...We have several planned live events from orbit, including interactions with Indian VIPs, students, academia, and the space industry to share my experiences with people back home.' Reiterating that India's first astronaut, Wing Commander (retd) Rakesh Sharma has been a great mentor, Shukla said: 'I am carrying something to honour him, but I cannot reveal it as I still haven't told him what it is and I want that to be a surprise.' Sharma won't be travelling to view the launch. 'I am carrying a few delicacies from India. We have a very rich culinary culture, so some of the items I'm bringing include mango nectar, moong dal halwa, and carrot halwa. Some of these are my favorites, and I'm so happy to be able to carry them to share with my colleagues and the astronauts who are currently on the station,' Shukla said. He called upon the youth of India to invest in the country's future in space. 'Space is not a distant dream, but a future they can shape… Bharat, with missions like Gaganyaan and space station, will need the young generation to be invested in space exploration. Hence, I call upon every Bharatvasi to join us, participate, engage and dream boldly,' he said.
Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
NID Ahmedabad terminates agreement with Dhaka institute
Citing 'paramount interest of national priorities' in the wake of political and economic tensions between India and Bangladesh, the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, on Monday prematurely terminated the collaborative agreement with Pathshala South Asian Media Institute in Bangladesh's Dhaka with immediate effect. NID Ahmedabad and Pathshala had signed the agreement for mutually beneficial academic activities in 2023. 'We are with the country and with the government. For the institute, nation is first and in that direction a call was taken. There were no directions from any government (state or central),' NID director Ashok Mondal told The Indian Express. The agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two institutes was valid for a period of five years. 'However, in view of the current situation and in the paramount interest of national priorities, NID Ahmedabad has decided to take a firm stand and in solidarity with national sentiment as well as in alignment with its ethical framework, the institute has processed termination of the collaborative agreement signed between the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh,' NID stated in an official statement. In 2015 too, the two institutes had signed a similar agreement, which was valid for three years. 'Though not a legal binding, it was essentially an agreement for academic activity between the two institutes. It was a generic MoU for exchange of academic activities like faculty and student exchange programmes… However, no such activity was undertaken since the signing of the agreement. In the previous agreement too, there was not much exchange programmes or events,' International Programmes Officer Sameer More told this paper. The official statement further stated: 'NID Ahmedabad remains committed to prioritising national interests and upholding its institutional values, responsibilities, and will continue to support the decisions taken by the government. The agreement was not with a specific department or faculty, but between the two institutes to have a larger scope.' Pathshala offers various short-term and long-term programmes in photography, film and multimedia journalism. Started in 1998, the institution has slowly grown to become a full-fledged photography educational institution. NID Ahmedabad signs various MoUs with government, social and public institutes, organisations and entities along with state governments to foster exchange of design activities. The institute also works on several projects commissioned to them from these organisations.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘National priorities': NID ends collab with B'desh institute
Ahmedabad: The National Institute of Design (NID) in the city on Monday announced termination of a collaboration with a Bangladesh-based media institute citing "national sentiment". The agreement was for a range of academic activities, said officials. In a statement issued by the premier design institute, officials announced termination of collaboration agreement between NID and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute based in Dhaka that was signed a few years ago. "In view of the current situation and in the paramount interest of national priorities, NID Ahmedabad has decided to take a firm stand and in solidarity with national sentiment as well as in alignment with its ethical framework, the institute has processed termination of the collaborative agreement," read the statement. Ashok Mondal, the NID director, told TOI that the design institute remains committed to prioritising national interests. "The decision is taken in light of the recent developments aligning with the institutional values. The institute will continue to support decisions taken by the govt," he said. Sources close to the development said that the agreement was part of international collaborations of NID and was initiated in 2015 which ended in 2018. It was again renewed in 2023. "As part of the agreement, some collaborative activities took place especially in the photography vertical. Since 2023, there have been no joint activities," said sources. The move comes amid recent strain in India-Bangladesh trade relationship with India imposing import restrictions on Bangladeshi goods in retaliation to Bangladesh's imposition of transit charges on Indian exports. It is notable that several institutions in India including Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia. Chandigarh University and Maulana Azad National Urdu University have severed ties with countries such as Turkey and Azerbaijan in wake of the two countries supporting Pakistan in the recent Indo-Pak conflict in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack.
