BW Businessworld hosts 7th edition of Future of Design Summit & Awards

The seventh edition of the BW Businessworld Future of Design Summit & Awards was held on 18 September 2026 at Novotel Hotel, Andheri, Mumbai, bringing together leading voices from design, business, technology, mobility, entertainment and the creative industries to explore how design can contribute to a more self-reliant India.

Themed ‘Designing for a Self-Reliant India’, this year’s Summit came at a time when India is focused on reducing import dependence, strengthening manufacturing, building digital capabilities and investing in its young population through skilling and education. The conversations highlighted how design is increasingly moving beyond aesthetics to influence products, businesses, technology, mobility and human experiences.

The Summit brought together leaders who are using design, innovation and creative thinking to address the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly evolving India. From automotive design and technology to storytelling and entertainment, the discussions explored how Indian ingenuity can create products and experiences that are rooted in local needs while meeting global standards.

A key highlight of the Summit was a conversation with Ajay Jain, Head of Design Studio, Tata Motors, who discussed the thinking behind the revival of the iconic Sierra and the broader philosophy of designing specifically for Indian consumers.

Beyond The Car: Designing The Future Of Mobility

Jain spoke about how contemporary automotive design extends beyond exterior styling to encompass user experience, interiors, controls, materials and the emotional connection between consumers and vehicles. Discussing the new Sierra, he emphasised that the objective was not to simply recreate the original launched in the 1990s, but to reinterpret its distinctive character for a new generation.

The design process combined traditional craftsmanship, including full-size clay modelling, with digital tools such as virtual reality. Jain also highlighted the importance of designing around Indian family usage patterns and retaining the vehicle’s intended proportions and identity despite commercial and engineering considerations.

The Sierra’s strong market response, including 70,000 bookings on its first day, and its international recognition, including a Red Dot Award, were cited as examples of how design developed in India can create both consumer appeal and global recognition. For Jain, the larger lesson was clear: “Good design is something that drives business growth.”

Storytelling, Emotion And The Human Experience

The Summit also brought the creative industries into focus through a conversation with actor Vijay Varma, who spoke with Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld, about storytelling, preparation, audience engagement and the enduring role of human emotion in cinema.

Reflecting on his work in ‘Matka King’, Varma spoke about the importance of research and imagination in building characters, particularly when portraying periods and experiences outside an actor’s own lived experience. He also stressed that while artists can control the quality and preparation that go into their work, audience response remains beyond their control.

Varma described a good story as one capable of transporting audiences beyond their immediate reality and creating an immersive emotional experience. The conversation also touched upon artificial intelligence and its growing role in storytelling. Varma maintained that the emotional responses generated by art and performance remain uniquely human. “No AI can invoke such a stir inside me,” he said, underlining the enduring importance of human emotion in creative expression.

The discussion reinforced a central idea of the Summit: while technology is transforming the way products and stories are created, the human experience remains at the heart of meaningful design.

Recognising Design Excellence

The Future of Design Awards recognise outstanding prototypes and finished designs across categories and industries. The awards celebrate products, spaces and technologies that demonstrate the ability of design to respond to contemporary needs and create meaningful human experiences.

This year’s winners included TTK Prestige, Noise, Desmania Design and EVEREADY Industries India, JSW MG Motor India, Beyond Designs, POVA and WeWork India.

The Product category saw TTK Prestige’s Linea Gas Stove receive the Gold Award, while Noise Master Buds 2 won Silver and the EVEREADY Armada DL 180, designed by Desmania Design for EVEREADY Industries India, received Bronze.

In the Space category, JSW MG Motor India’s MG SELECT Experience Centre received the Gold Award, while Beyond Designs’ Forest Table received an Honourable Mention.

The Tech category saw Noise Master Buds 2 receive Gold, POVA 8 receive Silver and the WeWork India Mobile App receive Bronze.

TTK Prestige’s Linea Gas Stove was also recognised with the prestigious Design of the Year Award.

 The Jury

The awards were evaluated by a distinguished jury chaired by Prof. Pradyumna Vyas, President, World Design Organisation (WDO). The jury comprised Annurag Batra, Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld; V. Sunil, Design Thinker, Brand Architect, Co-founder, Motherland and Founding Trustee, Kochi Biennale Foundation; Geet Nazir, Managing Director, Landor; Ajay Jain, Head of Design Studio, Tata Motors; Mohan Krishnaraj, Global Head, Design, Product and Studios, Cognizant Moment; Sonali Bhagwati, Partner, Designplus Architecture; David Abraham, Creative Director, Abraham & Thakore; Rakesh Thakore, Creative Director, Abraham & Thakore; and Preeti Vyas, Chairwoman & Founder, Vyas Giannetti Creative.

Curated by Deputy Editor, Jyotsna Sharma, the seventh edition of the BW Businessworld Future of Design Summit & Awards underlined the expanding role of design in shaping India’s future. As the country moves towards greater self-reliance, design is increasingly becoming a bridge between manufacturing capability, technology, creativity and human needs.