National Institute of Design Notable Alumni List, Famous NID Alumni

National Institute of Design Notable Alumni List, Famous NID Alumni

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NID DAT Application Date:11 Sep' 25 - 01 Dec' 25

Sumeet SudarshanUpdated on 12 Sep 2025, 03:49 PM IST

The National Institute of Design is a pioneer design institute known for its creativity and innovation in the design industry, with a long list of notable NID alumni. Over the years, NID has successfully produced some of the best designers in the country who are also representing India globally. National Institute of Design alumni have made remarkable contributions across various design disciplines, further cementing the premier institute’s reputation as one of the top design colleges in India. Candidates appearing for NID 2026 or studying at NID campuses can look forward to being part of this elite list. This article talks about the notable alumni of NID, their achievements, and more. So, here we have brought you a comprehensive NID alumni famous list. Read ahead and learn all the important information about the notable National Institute of Design alumni.

This Story also Contains

  1. List of NID Alumni Famous
  2. Where can I find a list of notable NID alumni?
  3. Have any NID alumni won national or international awards?
National Institute of Design Notable Alumni List, Famous NID Alumni
nid alumni

The NID campuses in India offer B.Des and M.Des programmes by admitting candidates through the NID DAT entrance exam. NID campuses at Ahmedabad, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam offer the B.Des programme. Only NID Ahmedabad, NID Bengaluru, and NID Gandhinagar offer the M.Des programme. Candidates have to appear for NID DAT M.Des 2026 for PG admissions at NID.

List of NID Alumni Famous

Details about some of the notable alumni of NID are mentioned below, along with their achievements and more.

Dayanita Singh

Dayanita Singh is one of the notable National Institute of Design alumni. Singh was born on March 18, 1961 in New Delhi. She is a renowned photographer whose primary format is the book. She completed her graduation from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, majoring in Visual Communication. She later went to study Documentary Photography at the International Center of Photography in New York City. Singh has published a total of fourteen books. This NID alumni famous photo portfolio includes Zakir Hussain, Myself Mona Ahmed, Privacy, Chairs, Go Away Closer, Blue Book, and Dream Villa, among others.

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Lekha Washington

Lekha Washington is another notable alumni of NID born on April 30, 1984. Lekha is an Indian actress, product designer, and artist. She primarily works in Tamil and Telugu language films and also in a few Hindi films. Speaking of her educational background, she attended Good Shepherd Convent, Chennai, and then earned a degree in Fine Arts at Stella Maris College, Chennai. Furthermore, she first enrolled in the Lifestyle Product Design at National Institute of Design, but later changed to the Film and Video Communication course. This NID alumnus famous portfolio includes her works in many films such as Kadhalar Dhinam (1999), Yuva (2004), Dynamite (2015), and many more. She owns her own product design company called “Ajji” based in Mumbai.

Harun Robert

Harun Robert, an NID Ahmedabad alumnus, was born on December 28, 1978 in Delhi. He is a trained animation filmmaker. Robert attended National Institute of Design Ahmedabad and College of Art, Delhi. He is currently active on various social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube with his channel “Artguyrob” and “Mad Stuff With Rob.” He also appears on Disney India’s new show “Imagine That.” Moreover, Robert was the creative director and host of popular television show “Do it yourself (DIY) M.A.D".

Ishu Patel

Among the NID alumni famous list, another popular name is Ishu Patel. He is an Indian-Canadian animation film director, producer, and educator. He spent his twenty-five years of life at the National Film Board of Canada where he developed animation techniques and gave a new shape to his themes and vision. Ishu was born in Gujarat, India on April 20, 1942. He is also a NID Ahmedabad alumni. He received the 2009 Award of Excellence in Animation.

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Sujata Keshavan

Sujata Keshavan is an Indian graphic designer born in 1961. In 1984, she earned her degree from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. She went on to do a master's degree at Yale University in graphic design. This notable alumnus of NID is a founder of Ray and Keshavan, a brand design firm located in India. Furthermore, Sujata is the only Indian graphic designer to be honoured twice as the Graphic Designer of the Year at the annual Advertising and Marketing awards.

Rahul Mishra

Among the National Institute of Design's notable alumni, Rahul Mishra stands out. Rahul Mishra is an Indian fashion designer from Delhi. He was born on November 7, 1979. He did his post-graduation in apparel design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He got the opportunity to showcase at the Haute Couture Week in Paris as the first Indian designer. He has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the International Woolmark Prize (2014), the MTV Youth Icon of the Year (2008), Best Womenswear Designer (2012), etc.

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Aditya Vikram Sengupta

Aditya Vikram Sengupta, a notable National Institute of Design alumni, was born on 6 September 1983 in Kolkata. He is an Indian film director, cinematographer, and graphic designer. After completing his schooling at St. Xavier’s Collegiate School, he enrolled at the prestigious National Institute of Design in Paldi, Ahmedabad. In 2014, he released his debut film Asha Jaoar Majhe or Labour of Love, which debuted at the 11th Venice Days section of the Venice International Film Festival. He received the National Award for Best Debut in India for this incredible work.

Aditya Pande

Aditya Pande, another notable figure among the National Institute of Design notable alumni list is an Indian contemporary artist. He was born in 1976. He was born in Lucknow but raised in Chandigarh. In 2001, he graduated from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He had his first solo show, “A to Zoo,” at Chatterjee and Lal, Mumbai in 2008.

M.P. Ranjan

M.P. Ranjan’s full name is Mundon Pandan Ranjan, was born in 1950 in Madras, Tamil Nadu. He was an Indian Designer and educator. He is well-known for his book Handmade in India: A Geographic Encyclopedia of Indian Handicrafts. It is about Indian arts and crafts that he edited along with his partner and fellow design pedagogue Aditi Ranjan. Unfortunately, this famous NID alumni died on 9 August 2015 at the age of 65.

Orijit Sen

Orijit Sen is an Indian graphic artist and designer. This NID Ahmedabad alumni is known for his graphic novel River of Stories published in 1994 by Kalpavriksh which is considered as the first graphic novel of India. in 1990, he co-founded a collaborative studio and store for artists, designers, and craftspeople called “People Tree.” Moreover, he is a co-founder of The Pao Collective.

Where can I find a list of notable NID alumni?

One can find the names of notable NID alumni on the respective NID's official website. Besides, the alumni can also be found on social media platforms. Popular fashion magazines and news websites also carry details of notable personalities in the fashion industry who are alumni of NIDs.

Have any NID alumni won national or international awards?

The list of NID alumni who have won national and international awards is quite long. One can check the names above to get the names of celebrated NID alumni.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is NID famous for?
A:

NID is famous for its top-quality, innovative design courses offered by its different campuses across India.

Q: Is NID a government college?
A:

Yes, National Institute of Design is a central government institute.

Q: What is the salary of NID students?
A:

According to the 2023 placement, a student got an average salary package of INR 15 LPA, where the highest package offered was INR 35 LPA.

Q: Which is the top NID in India?
A:

NID Ahmedabad always holds the first rank among all the NID campuses across the country.

Q: Does 12th marks matter for NID?
A:

No, a candidate just has to pass in all subjects, the admission is based on only the NID entrance exam score and studio test/personal interview. However having a 50% aggregate would be safe while applying to top colleges.

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Questions related to NID DAT

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to NID DAT ?

Hi daksh

As 563 rank in nid dat exam cannot guarantee admission in designing college but it could be a good chance to explore some campus as if you are not from general category as category role plays an important role . But now you can do one thing focus on your strengthening your protofile or preparing for the studio test (bdes) or interview (mdes).

Thanks.

No, IPU (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University) does not accept NID DAT Prelims score for admission to the B.Des (Bachelor of Design) program.

Instead, IPU conducts its own entrance test or may consider CUET (UG) scores for B.Des admissions, depending on the latest admission guidelines. Always refer to the university's official prospectus for the year you're applying to for the final admission criteria.

NIT DAT (https://www.shiksha.com/design/articles/nid-admissions-2025-colleges-accepting-nid-entrance-exam-scores-for-bdes-mdes-courses-blogId-13097)

Hello,

Yes, it's possible to prepare for the NID DAT 2025 exam on your own, even with limited time, by following these steps:

  1. Understand the Syllabus : Focus on key areas like design principles, creativity, visualization, and observation skills.
  2. Solve Previous Papers : Practice with past NID DAT papers to understand question types and patterns.
  3. Time Management : Dedicate daily hours to sketching, problem-solving, and revision.
  4. Strengthen Drawing Skills : Practice daily to improve speed and accuracy.
  5. Use Online Resources : Utilize free tutorials, sample papers, and design blogs.
  6. Mock Tests : Take regular mock exams to assess progress and manage time efficiently.

Hope it helps !

Hello,

There are numerous websites which give free study material and classes to prepare for entrance exams NID DAT, UCEED, or NIFT. Here are a few popular ones:

YouTube: YouTube has many educators as well as institutes, which have been uploading free video lectures on important topics, on aptitude for design, and how to give these exams. Useful content can be found in the channels "Design Coach" and "NID Preparation".

You can download free courses offered on websites like Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy on the topics of design principles, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Official Websites: Both NID and UCEED and also NIFT would usually release sample papers and previous question papers for self-preparation.

Study Groups: One can join online forums or social media groups which are dedicated to NID, UCEED, and NIFT preparation for peer-to-peer learning assistance.

The resource utilization would bring in good preparation for the exams and, therefore, increase in confidence.

Hello,

Preparing for the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) entrance exam involves focusing on several key areas. Here’s a structured approach to get you started:

1. Understand the Exam Structure

Familiarize yourself with the NIFT entrance exam format:

  • General Ability Test (GAT): Tests general knowledge, current affairs, and quantitative ability.
  • Creative Ability Test (CAT): Assesses your creative and visual ability through sketching and design-based questions.
  • Situation Test (for B.Des): Evaluates your ability to create a design from given materials.
  • Group Discussion and Personal Interview (for M.Des/MFM): Tests your communication skills, understanding of the fashion industry, and design knowledge.

2. Gather Study Materials

  • For GAT: Use general knowledge books, current affairs magazines, and quantitative aptitude guides.
  • For CAT: Practice sketching and drawing regularly. Books on design and creativity can be useful.
  • For Situation Test: Practice creating models from various materials and understanding design principles.
  • For GD/PI: Prepare by staying updated on fashion trends, industry news, and developing a strong portfolio.

3. Create a Study Plan

  • Daily Study: Allocate time for each section based on your strengths and weaknesses.
  • Weekly Goals: Set goals for completing practice papers and revising key concepts.
  • Mock Tests: Regularly take mock tests to simulate the exam environment and improve time management.

4. Enroll in Coaching Classes (if needed)

Consider joining a coaching institute that specializes in NIFT preparation. They can provide structured guidance, practice tests, and expert feedback.

5. Work on Your Portfolio

If you’re applying for design courses, develop a strong portfolio showcasing your creative work. Include sketches, designs, and any relevant projects.

6. Refer to Previous Years’ Papers

Solving past years' question papers helps you understand the exam pattern and types of questions. It also aids in identifying important topics.

7. Stay Updated

  • Follow fashion industry news to stay informed about trends and innovations.
  • Read relevant books and articles about design and fashion.

8. Practice Creativity

Engage in activities that boost your creativity, such as drawing, painting, or crafting. Keep experimenting with new ideas and techniques.

By focusing on these areas, you'll build a solid foundation for the NIFT entrance exam. Good luck with your preparation!

You can also refer to the following articles to better understand the NIFT examination and its preperation strategy :-

1. https://design.careers360.com/articles/how-prepare-for-nift-entrance-exam

2. https://design.careers360.com/exams/nift-entrance-exam


Hope it helps !