Prof. Pradyumna Vyas
Design statesman and institution-builder with over four decades across education, policy, and industry. Currently the first Indian President of the World Design Organisation (WDO). Former Director of NID and founding member of the India Design Council (IDC), he has advanced India’s design education, innovation, and policy landscape globally.
Current Roles
Leading global and national design initiatives that shape policy, innovation, and education.
President, World Design Organisation (WDO)
First Indian to lead WDO, driving global collaboration and design-led innovation across 185+ member organizations in over 40 countries. Focused on advancing design for a better world.
Senior Advisor (Design Promotion & Innovation), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Advising CII on integrating design into national industry strategy. Supporting India’s innovation ecosystem through design thinking initiatives and policy-level engagement.
Leadership & Boards
Proven record of institution-building and governance across premier design bodies and leading corporations.
Institutional Leadership
Director, NID (2009–2019)
- Achieved “Institute of National Importance” status.
- Supported Govt. in establishing 4 new NIDs.
Member Secretary, India Design Council
- Launched India Design Mark (I-Mark) with JDP Japan.
Board Roles & Corporate Governance
Titan Company Ltd. (2019–2024)
- Independent Director
Kirloskar Brothers Ltd. (2019–2022, 2025-Present)
- Independent Director
Dynamatic Technologies Ltd. (2019–Present)
- Independent Director
Carysil Ltd. (2023–Present)
- Independent Director
Education & Honors
Academic foundation and honorary recognitions from premier global institutions in design and innovation.
M.Des (Industrial Design)
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Honorary M.A. (2010)
University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, UK
Honorary Doctorate (2024)
Karnavati University, Ahmedabad, India
Distinguished Professor
Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, China
Recognition & Global Jury
Honored for lifelong contribution to design education and innovation, serving on international juries and awards panels worldwide.
- Outstanding Contribution to Education (2015)
Lifetime Achievement — Times Education Icons (2017)
Lifetime Achievement Award — UniCom (2016)
Good Design Fellow (Japan) — Japan Institute of Design Promotion (2019)
Good Design Award (G-Mark), Japan — Jury Member (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016)
German Design Award — Jury Member (2022-2025)
Design Intelligence Award (China) — Jury Member (2018-2024)
Taiwan International Student Design Competition — Jury (2024)
Golden Pin Design Award, Taiwan — Jury (2024)
Business World Design Excellence Awards — Jury Chair (ongoing)
Committees & International Engagement
Active contributor to global design forums and committees, advancing sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven design practices worldwide.
President, World Design Organisation — elected at 34th General Assembly (London 2025)
Academic Committee Member, World Eco-Design Conference (2024)
Areas of Expertise & Speaking
Thought leadership across design policy, innovation strategy, and sustainability — inspiring conversations on design’s impact in society and industry.
Areas of Expertise
Design Policy & Ecosystems, Institution Building, Education, Accreditation, Corporate Governance, Innovation Strategy.
Speaking Topics
Design for National Competitiveness, Building Design Institutions, Sustainability in Design, Industry 4.0 & Society 5.0, Global Collaboration.