Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari virtually laid the foundation stone for the Indian School for Design of Automobiles (INDEA) at XLRI Delhi-NCR campus. INDEA will be India's first institution focused exclusively on automobile design and management.
INDEA operates under XLRI's Centre for Automobile Design & Management (XADM) and is led by Avik Chattopadhyay, the institute's founder and XADM chairperson. The school aims to train automotive designers capable of meeting both global standards and local requirements.
The foundation pillar, named "Param," was designed by installation artist Vibhor Sogani. The steel structure serves as the symbolic centerpiece of the institution.
Speaking at the event, Gadkari emphasized the automobile sector's importance for economic growth and employment generation. "India's automobile sector holds the key to economic growth, employment generation, and global competitiveness," he said. "I am confident that the young talent trained at INDEA will become catalysts for change."
The minister noted the industry's shift from cost-driven to quality-focused approaches, emphasizing design, safety, and sustainability.
Fr. Dr. K.S. Casimir, Director of XLRI Delhi-NCR, described the ceremony as a step toward creating an institute that combines design thinking with technical skills and industry alignment.
Chattopadhyay stated that INDEA aims to function as more than an educational institute, positioning itself as a driver of India's design capabilities.
The ceremony was held at the XLRI Delhi-NCR campus and attended by industry leaders, government officials, and academic representatives. The event highlighted the role of design in India's automotive sector transformation.
INDEA will offer a master's program for graduates in automobile and transportation design. The curriculum focuses on hands-on training in design, prototyping, and design management, aligned with the Make in India initiative.
The school operates from XLRI's Delhi-NCR campus and plans to establish partnerships with industry players to support India's automotive design development.