VC, Vishvakarma Skills University, Jaipur, Rajasthan
Dr. Dev Swarup, an esteemed academician holding a Ph.D. and D. Litt., currently holds the position of Vice-Chancellor at Baba Amte Divyang
University in Jaipur, and also serves as the Vice Chancellor of Vishwakarma Skills University, formerly known as Rajasthan ILD Skills University. His
professional journey is marked by exceptional proficiency in academic management and forward-thinking leadership. Notably, he revitalized the
University of Rajasthan during his tenure as Vice Chancellor and played a pivotal role in the establishment of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Law University
in Jaipur. Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, his enthusiasm and academic expertise led to significant accomplishments
at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Law University. Additionally, he served as the Vice-Chancellor of Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication, showcasing his versatility.
Chairman of Exports Promotion Council for handicrafts at the Committee of Administration (COA)
Estd. in 1989, the business of handicraft that was rooted in traditional Indian techniques with contemporary flavour palatable to the global audience, appealing to their aesthetics with products that had clear utility. Dileep group is one the largest exporters of handicraft products from India
working with illustrious clients like Pottery Barn, Pier 1 Imports, Zara, H&M, Sainsbury’s, Fred Myer, Crate & Barrel, Target, Tesco, Cost Plus, Homebase and many more across 30 countries. With a vision to become India’s no 1 handcrafted home improvement brand “Ellementry” an O2O based retail brand is the newest addition to Dileep Group.
Head, School of Arts, West Dean College of Arts
Tim is an Artist and educator. He is currently Head of the School of Arts at West Dean College of Arts and Conservation having previously been Head of Programmes at Dartington, where he worked on relaunching Dartington Arts School and supporting the development of Schumacher College. For the previous 15 years, Tim was Vice Principal of Arts University Plymouth. He studied at the RCA, practising in architectural ceramics and glass, and prior to that ran a business restoring traditional timber-framed buildings.
Tim’s research interests are split between understanding and developing creative pedagogies and supporting endangered craft skills, nationally and internationally. Including ceramics, glass, wood, metals and weaving, in India, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Tim has run projects with the British Council supporting entrepreneurial activity related to sustaining crafts practice and enhancing the economic and political empowerment of women, in Myanmar, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. Tim was on the board of the Arts Council South West and co-founded Making Futures in 2009, a biannual international conference on crafts and sustainability which ran nationally and internationally until 2022.
Dean School of Design, Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun
Prof (Dr) Jyoti Chhabra, currently the Dean of the School of Design and Head of the Department of Fashion Design at Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, has a rich academic and professional background spanning 27 years. With a Ph.D. from the University of Delhi in Fabric and Apparel Science, she has excelled in both teaching and research. Her expertise includes textiles and fashion design, with a focus on areas such as History of Costume, Garment Construction, Fashion Forecasting, and Textile Design. She has guided numerous M.Sc. Dissertations, authored practical manuals, and edited a book on "Traditional Woven Textiles of India." Dr. Chhabra's research endeavors extend to Circular Fashion, Zero-waste Fashion, and Ethical Fashion, aligning with her passion for promoting Uttarakhand Costumes, Khadi, and Handloom Fabrics. She has also led significant projects, including the development of sustainable value chains and innovative designs, resulting in multiple design patents and registrations granted by the Government of India and the United Kingdom.
Honorary Director of the Adivasi Academy, Gujarat.
Dr. Madan Meena is an artist and researcher working with the rural, nomadic and tribal communities in Rajasthan and Gujarat to document their lives in a bid to preserve their cultural roots and identities. Meena delves into some of the Rajasthan’s oldest folk traditions, through the lives of their last living practitioners. His doctoral thesis “Art of the Meena Tribe”, which focused on the traditions of his own ancestral community, was accompanied by an exhibition of wall paintings by the women of the tribe, which he showcased around the country and abroad. His research projects have been supported by the University of Cambridge, The Government of India’s Ministry of Culture, as well as the Sahapedia UNESCO Fellowship, to name a few. As a curator he has designed the exhibition on brooms for the Arna Jharna Desert Museum in Jodhpur. Presently he is an Honorary Director of the Adivasi Academy, Gujarat.
Professor and Director, Institute of Design at Chandigarh University
Ashima Banker is Professor and Director of the University Institute of Design at Chandigarh University. Her illustrious career path includes a notable role as the program director for the Master of Urban Design and Development program at AnantU, where she left an indelible mark. She has also been associated with CEPT University for a decade prior to that. As an educator, Ashima's unwavering commitment is to cultivate knowledge and impart it to the next generation of innovators. Her leadership style is characterized by a deep belief in the power of collaborative, interdisciplinary teamwork, which she has harnessed to great effect.
Assistant Professor, Center for Integrative Studies, Michigan State University
Eddie Boucher is an Assistant Professor in the Center for Integrative Studies in Social Science at Michigan State University where he mentors students and conducts research in Interdisciplinary Studies & Global Cultural Studies. He holds his PhD in the interdisciplinary field of Cultural Studies, and he is passionate about promoting genuine cultural exchange through teaching and learning initiatives.
His current programs include community-engaged opportunities for undergraduate students to explore documentary filmmaking as social science research in India and Las Vegas. In India, he works in close partnership with the Indian Institute of Crafts & Design to explore the vast and complex intersections of Indian craft and design with social, cultural, economic, and global considerations.