Sponsors lukewarm to fashion institute

Mohali-based Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (Niift) is taking projects from big business houses to design their products.

Talking to Business Standard, the director of the institute, Vijay Sharma, said there was a huge market for garments in India and abroad, and therefore placement was no problem.

"Ninety per cent of our students get jobs before the completion of the course," she added. The students of the institute have recently designed for the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Development Corporation.

In the recently-held annual fashion show "Anukama", the institute exhibited designer wears by the outgoing students.

According to Sharma, the role of companies in funding the students through scholarships has been encouraging. Various scholarships have been instituted by firms, the most prominent being Groz Beckert India, a giant in the needle industry. The scholarship is for knitwear designing and technology.

But for the annual show Anukama, the response remains lukewarm. Sponsors had to be persuaded to give money generously, she said. The Vardhman group and Chandigarh Overseas Ltd were the major sponsors, she said.

Sharma said among the firms hiring from the institute were RMX Joss, Globus, Orient Craft, Sewa Exports, Impulse Buying house, and Spykar Jeans. Besides, leading fashion designers have picked up students from Niift, Mohali.

Responding to the removal of quantitative restrictions in January this year, the institute has introduced a course in textile designing with 300 seats.

The institute serves the textile clusters in Ludhiana, Baddi, Lalru, and Derabassi.