NID plans sector-specific centres; to begin with animation, auto

The National Institute of Design (NID), the national level design institute under the aegis of the Union ministry of commerce and industries, is planning to come up with sector-specific design centres soon.

The institute has selected three sectors "" animation, automobiles and jewellery "" to start with. The institute is in talks with the Society for Indian Automobile Manufacture Association (SIAMA) to come up with an automobile design centre at Pune.

It has also tied up with the Birmingham Institute of Art design for its upcoming jewellery design centre at Ahmedabad, while the institute, with the help of the Kerala government, is setting up the Kinfra International Animation School in Kerala.

"We are introducing sector-specific design centres in the country to impart design education in sectors like animation, automobiles and jewellery to start with. Design development for specific sector like jewellery and automobile will come up with UNIDO support," said Darlie O Koshy, executive director, National Institute of Design.

NID is also in talks with the National Automative Testing Research Implementation Project (NATRIP), with funds of Rs 1,700 crore for the automobile centre.

At present the institute is conducting a study to access the demand for design in the automobile sector. Each sector-specific design centre would cost over Rs 5 crore and the institute is planning to tie up with various agencies to raise the finances apart from the ministry's grant.

Earnst & Young has submitted a draft report to the institute for the automobile centre. The institute is also planning to introduce a full time sector-oriented course from 2006 curriculum.

"The institute's design vision centre, which has been set up with an outlay of over Rs 5 crore, will be dedicated by the president of India on January 5, 2005. The design vision centre at NID integrates rapid prototype development, high performance visualisation system, modelling and related processes through computer-aided product development and innovation technologies under one umbrella," said Koshy.

The design vision centre was financed by ICICI Bank with zero-per cent interest and a moratorium period of 10 years.

The institute will allow the design vision centre to be used by industry and corporates on a time shifting basis for designing purposes and is expected to fetch the institute a revenue of around Rs 1 crore per annum.

The institute is also in the process of setting up a research and design centre at Bangalore. The activities of the research and development centre would include, research and development related programmes in industrial design in manufacturing and information, communication and technology for the masses.

The applied research and development activities specifically related to the IT, animation and game design sectors. The new centre would include construction of campus with lecture halls, studio facilities and research units among others.