IIT Delhi's design centre awaits largesse

Warren Buffett stunned the world the other day when he said he would be contributing a whopping US $37 billion (over Rs 170,000 crore) of his Berkshire Hathaway fortunes to charity. Had Buffett’s charitable disposition extended beyond his philanthropic instincts into the world of transportation, perhaps India’s premier institute of learning, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, could have benefited from some of his largesse.

Even though contributions have in the past come thick and fast to IIT Delhi towards several programmes and ‘chairs’, none have really found their way into the Industrial Design Development Centre where, apart from academic pursuits, concept transport vehicles are made, new-look motorcycles designed and industrial design projects attempted by students.

The only real largesse to have come IIT Delhi’s way for automotive-related programmes is the Ford Motor Company grant for US $140,000 (Rs 64.4 lakh) to institute and operate the Henry Ford Chair for education and research in biomechanics and transportation safety.

This year, for the 12th year in a row, students of the two-year Master of Design (M.Des) Industrial Design course put up a smart display at the annual design show, mostly with their own funds. Final year student Siddharth Kumar put together a three-seat low-cost vehicle, spending over Rs 50,000 of his own money for parts and accessories.

“It’s a brilliant attempt by Siddharth,” says his mentor, Lalit Kumar Das, Head, Industrial Design, IDD Centre. Das is full of praise for his students who have this year designed a range of products that include concept models of airport vehicles, a cooking gas cylinder carrier, new-look fuel dispensers, and the full-grown three-seater called Trinity.

“The M.Des (Industrial Development) two-year course is slowly gaining significance in line with the flourishing Indian automobile industry. Till now we had 11 students with engineering and architectural backgrounds. Now we propose to increase the number of seats to 20,” says Das.

He is confident his students are capable of conceptualising design and making concept vehicles for manufacturers. But what saddens him is the lack of interest shown by automotive companies in India. He rues the fact that they prefer to spend crores on Bollywood stars to endorse their products (often with little or no vehicle sales success). In comparison, hardly any money is spent on academic programmes.

Das says a healthy dose of money will help make the M.Des course meatier. “If an auto company comes forward with a donation of about a crore, we could name this entire industrial design programme after it, or maybe the new building we’re planning. Donations would help us procure high-end hardware and software like Alias and Catia.” Das admits that some donations come through its IIT Delhi alumni but none for industrial development. The IIT don says auto companies stand to gain in the long run. “Every year, all our students are successfully absorbed in various companies including Honda R&D, Eicher, Escorts and Tata Motors. For all those who do this course, placements are 100 per cent, even before they graduate,” he notes.