DesignsGeo

20/04/2026

How black became my favourite colour.

I had a massive crush on a girl during my college days. She was five years my senior. Age is just a number, right?

Every time I saw her, she seemed to glide on a cloud of happiness. And that smile… felt like an oudh-scented mist on a hot summer day.

I remember one outfit with unreasonable clarity. A plain white top, a blue wraparound skirt with Bacopa flower prints, tan Kolhapuris, and a slightly darker tan bun stick with tiny roses and a pearl tassel.

Her hair was tied in an amboda, and when it would loosen, she’d take the stick out, let that cascade of chestnut brown hair fall onto her shoulders, and then tie it back up again.

I’ve now completely lost track of what I came here to say. Right, favourite colour.

My first paid design job came through her. Apart from gliding, she also worked part-time at the institute where I was learning design. She knew I existed, and that I was “good with CorelDraw”, which at the time was basically my entire personality.

One day after class, she asked if I could stay back for a few minutes. I was essentially living for such moments, so I said yes. She explained the brief, a t-shirt design for a major inter-college event, and I, in full confidence, said I’d deliver it in 10 days.

For the next week, I disappeared into the work. Libraries, bookstores, references, sketches, iterations, the whole deal.

On the tenth day, I walked to a telephone booth, and with a racing heart, I dialled her number. “I… have the design ready,” I said, trying very hard to sound like a functional human being. She sounded genuinely excited and asked if I could come over and show it to her.

I borrowed a bike and got there early evening. The lights were already on, and I caught a glimpse of her through the window while parking, and for a brief second, time did that slow-motion thing it does.

She welcomed me in, asked if I wanted something to drink, and I said water. Hydration felt like the safest emotion to express at that point.

I showed her the design, and her face just lit up. She said it was beyond what she had imagined.

She stepped into another room and...

27/10/2025

Do chocolate makers need a palate cleanser?

I asked this to Ketaki, the chocolate expert collaborating with Varanashi Organic Farms in Mangalore. After all, chocolate is the palate cleanser most of us reach for.

She smiled and said yes, unroasted semolina in hot water. It clears the cacao butter from the tongue, helping you taste better. Somehow, that felt like a metaphor for the whole experience.

The Cacao Residency, beautifully put together by Anisha and team Goya, was a treat for all five senses. A journey that went beyond words, which probably explains the flood of photos.

We began with a tour of the farm, harvesting fresh cacao pods and produce. Then came Eleni, who took us deep into the world of fermentation. (Not saying this because I grated the raw mango, but the chunda we made was easily the best of the batch!)

Thomas introduced us to tepache, and Anisha and Bhavya led a wonderful storytelling session, reminding us that better questions lead to better stories. We also got a crash course on using the golden ratio to compose better images.

Chef Gokul wrapped up the day with a meal so good it demanded extra stomach space. The beet-cacao halwa alone was worth the trip.

The next morning, the early risers got a sunrise tour of the farm’s water bodies with Partha, who later explained the idea of regenerative farming. Take care of the soil, and the soil takes care of you. That stayed with me.

As the day went on, Ketaki showed us the art and science of chocolate-making, from tempering to the role of cacao butter. Patricia then turned us into chocolate connoisseurs, teaching us how to really taste.

The final day was a community cook-out, with everyone chopping, stirring, and plating together under Chef Gokul’s guidance. It was one of those moments where everything aligned, the place, the produce, the people.

And somewhere between the stories, the soil, and the cacao, I realized this residency was a palate cleanser for me too.

In a world where design often orbits around humans, this was a reminder that maybe we need to design with the planet in mind. Because when you nurture what surrounds you, it has a way of nurturing you back.

25/08/2025

Sixteen people walk into a workshop.
They leave as one.

The storytelling workshop by Ameen Haque was both enlightening and therapeutic.

We spent four days in the quiet little village of Moira, absorbing the many shades of green as the rains painted everything with a fresh coat of colour, the birds provided the background score, and Tiya, our host, wrapped us in warmth and love.

As the sessions equipped us with imagination, curiosity, and (far too much) black coffee, we picked up storytelling skills beyond our expectation.

On one hand, our cups were filled with tools, frameworks, and ideas. On the other, we emptied out different cups. Stories of resilience, love, and sacrifice. It left us feeling heavy and light, proud and vulnerable, tired and refreshed, all at once.

We learnt how to construct a story.
How to take an audience on a journey.
How to listen deeply. How to appreciate silence. How to build that elusive attention muscle.

We learnt how to enjoy music, to be conscious of our breath, and to ace Simon Says.

We uncovered never-before-heard secrets about Romeo & Juliet, James Bond, and even a caterpillar.

We laughed, we cried, we sang (yes, even me, ahem), and we returned changed in mind, body (damn that chocolate cake), and spirit.

Life experiences change us, they say. This one definitely makes the list.

We also learnt how to edit a story, though clearly, I’m still practising that part.

Thank you, Ameen, for your generous guidance.
And thank you, gang. What an inspiring lot you are!
being

10/02/2025

Wrapped up an incredible experience at at IHC, Delhi—an event that highlighted how UX is shaping the present and future of design. From behavioral insights to designing for the next billion users, every session was packed with thought-provoking ideas.

Big shoutout to the speakers—Parameswaran Venkataraman, Deepa Bachu, Mrinal Kanti Rai, Aakash Kumar, Ankit Khanna, Anthony Lopez, Megha Seshadri, Anuj Kapur, Veena Sonwalkar, Akshata Malhotra, and Sagar Gupta among others—for sharing their wisdom and pushing the boundaries of UX.

The takeaway? UX isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about impact. Excited to apply these insights moving forward!

27/01/2025

Monday to Sunday.

24/01/2025

Be good.

22/01/2025

What was it that came with great power, anyone?

31/12/2024

🎨✨ Nothing screams season's greetings like a series of hand-illustrated postcards featuring drool-worthy recipes! 🍰🎄

Thrilled to have teamed up with the incredibly talented Lakshmi for this sweet project—literally. 💕 More power (and pastries) to you, Lakshmi!

👩‍🍳📝 Note to self: NEVER work on recipe projects on an empty stomach. The struggle was real, but the results? Totally worth it. 😋🎉

06/11/2022

23/05/2022

Right, Monday again! Fight the blues!
If you’d like to have this artwork, DM me with your email id and I’ll send over the high-res PDF. For maximum visual impact, print these artworks in A4, A3 or A2 sizes.
Art inspired by Paul Colin’s 1928 French Art Deco theatre poster.

03/10/2021

Props to you, Eugene Bozzi!