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CoEK TEAM

Sudha Dhingra

Director

Professor Dr Sudha Dhingra is the Project Director of CoEK, which was set up in the year 2021 at NIFT as a sponsored project by the Ministry of MSME to support KVIC. She is a senior faculty at the Textile Design department at NIFT, New Delhi, and has also held the position of Dean (Academics) at NIFT since 2023. Her core competence lies in craft studies, Indian and World textiles. She has co-authored books on ‘Traditional Indian Textiles’ for CBSE, class XII, and two books on ‘Textiles Crafts of India’ and ‘Anant- Sustainable handloom textiles of India’. Her Doctoral Research is on Natural dyeing with Morinda citrifoliaand handloom weaving in Bastar of Chhattisgarh and Kotpad village of Odisha.

CMA Ujjal Dutta

Head Finance, Accounts and Administration

Ujjal Datta is a qualified Cost and Management Accountant, a Fellow Member of ICMAI, an MBA (Finance and Marketing), and a Specialised in Forensic Accounting & Fraud Examiner (FAFE). He has 25 years of rich experience in Private, MNC and PSU. He has worked in diverse sectors such as service, manufacturing, trading, media, Export and Import of Handicrafts and Handlooms.

Vibha Jain

Associate Designer - Gandhinagar

Vibha is a textile design graduate from NIFT, Delhi. She has experience working in different design disciplines, including textiles, surface ornamentation, weaving, graphics and space design. She is enthusiastic about Indian arts and handicrafts and wants to make a difference through her sensibilities

Shubham Srivastava

Merchandiser

Shubham is a post graduate (M.F.Tech) from NIFT Chennai having over 10 years of work experience in Merchandising, Buying & Category Management of apparel & textile products. He has worked with several renowned brands such as Fabindia, Raymond and Tailorman, as well as with leading buying houses like Triburg (For American Eagle & OJG brand). He has handled Product Development & Production of a variety of Khadi, Handloom & Craft products. He has also collaborated on multiple industry projects with reputed brands.

Asha Mishra

Merchandiser Textiles

Experienced Merchandiser with 9 years of expertise in home textiles and bedding products. Worked with leading organizations including D'Decor, Sutlej Textiles, SleepyCat, and Trident Group. Skilled in end-to-end merchandising, product development, order execution, buyer communication, costing, production coordination, and quality compliance. Strong ability to manage cross-functional teams and ensure timely delivery while meeting customer expectations. Possess a good understanding of market trends and customer requirements, with a proven track record of building strong client relationships and contributing to business growth through efficient merchandising operations.

Santanu Kumar Mahalik

Social Media and Content Creator

Santanu Kumar Mahalik is a designer, illustrator, and storyteller whose work is deeply inspired by the textures of Indian art and craft. A graduate of National Institute of Fashion Technology, he began his journey in fashion design and is now expanding into the worlds of communication & graphics. Currently venturing into social media and content creation at Coek , he weaves together craft, culture, and contemporary design to tell stories that honour tradition while imagining new possibilities.

Hari Dutt

Manager - Accounts

Hari Dutt is a qualified Cost and Management Accountant, an Associate Member of ICMAI. A finance professional more than 25 years of rich experience in Private and PSU. He has worked in Finance & Accounts, Import and Exports of Handicrafts, Handlooms, Apparel and Gold Jewellery, Taxation and Audit.

Vriti Thakkar

Assistant Designer

Vriti’s work is a dialogue between tradition and innovation. With Indian textiles at the heart of her practice, she explores the textures, stories, and techniques of craft clusters across the country. Rooted in the study of Textile Design at NIFT Delhi, Her interdisciplinary process is guided by mindfulness, cultural sensitivity, and a curiosity to keep learning.

Nargis Zaidi

Head - Apparels / Fashion

An alumnus of NIFT, Gandhinagar, Nargis, has over 23 years of rich and vast experience in Indian textiles & fashion. She has been associated with leading Indian wear brands like Fabindia, Kilol, Aavran, and SEWA Gujarat. Her area of interest lies in natural fabrics, hand block printing and traditional Indian embroideries & crafts. The adaptation of traditional aesthetics into everyday clothing is her forte

Shrutika

Manager - Branding, Marketing & Communications

An alumna of NIFT, Shrutika brings over 15 years of extensive experience in retail design, visual merchandising, and brand building. She has worked with leading brands such as Lifestyle, Nike India, VIP Bags, Lotto Sports, and Sports Station. Her expertise lies in curating impactful in-store experiences, developing strategic brand narratives, and integrating digital marketing to strengthen customer engagement. With a sharp eye for design and a deep understanding of retail dynamics, she specializes in creating cohesive, consumer-driven retail journeys.

Dharmveer Dhirhi

Associate Designer - Bhubaneswar

Dharmveer brings over 14 years of dedicated experience in the field of textile design and technology. Graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology and holding a diploma from the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology, Jodhpur, As a textile designer, he specializes in woven textiles, handlooms/pit looms, power looms, jacquards, and tufted woven products. He also has hands-on experience in print design development, proficient in both screen and block printing techniques.

Charu Kandpal

Associate Designer - Bangalore

Charu is a textile designer and an alumna of NIFT Delhi and NID Ahmedabad, with a strong academic and practical grounding in textiles. She brings over six years of industry experience, having worked with renowned brands such as Raw Mango, Abraham & Thakore, and Nalli Silks. Her area of expertise lies in sarees, with a deep focus on weaving and printmaking. Charu has worked extensively with craft clusters across India, developing a nuanced understanding of traditional techniques.

Bandita Mushahary

Associate Designer - Guwahati

Bandita is a crafts enthusiast and an alumna of Pearl Academy, Jaipur. She has worked extensively with handloom especially from Assam for her clothing label Bibaar and other craft-oriented brands and NGOs like Aagor by the ANT and Kilol. She is also enthusiastic to work with Khadi for the upliftment of our grassroots level artisans and the betterment of society as a whole.

Payal Kumari

Assistant Designer

Payal Kumari is a fashion design graduate from NIFT New Delhi, with a strong focus on Indian textiles and sustainable fashion. She has experience designing for both Indian and international markets, blending traditional crafts like Khadi and handloom with contemporary styles. She has explored various crafts and sustainable practices during her academic journey. Her work reflects a thoughtful balance of functionality, aesthetics and storytelling, making heritage crafts relevant for contemporary audiences.

Sujit Kumar Roy

Assistant Administration

Post-Graduate Professional with over 12 years of experience in Administration and Accounts within the Government Handloom & Handicrafts sector. Skilled in managing day-to-day financial operations, office administration, and compliance with government policies. Adept at handling budgeting, payroll, vendor management, and supporting sectoral projects aimed at promoting traditional crafts and artisans.

Sahil Rout

Assistant Designer

Sahil is a Textile Design graduate of National Institute of Fashion Technology. With a strong focus in handwoven textiles and natural dyeing, I strive to create textiles that echo the cultural richness of India. As a designer, I particularly enjoy working closely with different artisan communities and traditional textiles which push me towards sustainability and eco-conscious practices. My work often bridges tradition with contemporary relevance, finding connections with everyday people and their stories.

Sunanda Dawar

Head - Textiles

Sunanda is a textile graduate from Nift with an experience 25 years of in varied sectors. She started her career as a textile designer at Himatsingka Seide ltd., Bangalore. The love for handloom and the craft brought her back to Delhi to join the Rehwa Society based in Maheshwar. After 12 years at Rehwa, she decided to move to Uttaranchal to design textiles for Avani. After that, she joined The shop as a design manager, where she had a perfect mix of crafts and exports.

Prince Ashutosh Sunny

Design Manager - Textiles

Prince Ashutosh Sunny is a Textile cum Fashion Designer whose creative journey is deeply rooted in the diverse heritage of Indian arts and crafts. A lifelong apprentice of rich Indian arts and crafts, he holds an M.Des in Textile Design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and a B.Des in Fashion Design from NIFT Gandhinagar. With rich industry experience across menswear, bed linen, and handcrafted carpets, Prince brings a nuanced understanding of material, technique, and market relevance.

Shashirekha Mohanta

Associate Designer - Kolkata

Shashirekha, is a textile and craft designer with expertise in weaving specially Ikat, natural dyeing, and sustainable product development. As a graduate of NIFT, Bengaluru and NID, Ahmedabad she has experience of working in both retail and craft sector. Her skillset spans from developing print and graphics to contemporary collections rooted in India’s textile heritage, mentoring artisans in design innovation, and promoting locally sourced materials without compromising craft skills.

Nisha Maurya

Associate Designer

Nisha is a Fashion Design graduate from NIFT Gandhinagar. While pursuing her graduation, she developed a unique style reflective of traditional crafts and textiles. She has worked with renowned design labels and retail houses such as Shahi Exports, Simar Dugal, and Fabindia. she focuses on craft documentation, design development, and sustainable handloom practices. Known for her sari draping expertise and passion for folklore and cultural studies, Nisha envisions creating a global presence for Indian craft through a fusion of heritage and contemporary design.

Rishabh Verma

Communication Designer

Rishabh Verma is a Communication Designer and AI Generalist with 8+ years of experience in brand identity, visual storytelling, publication design, photography, and digital communication. A B.Des. (Fashion Communication) graduate from NIFT Delhi with an MBA in Marketing, he blends design thinking, brand strategy, and emerging technologies to create impactful communication across print and digital platforms. His experience spans startups, established brands, and government-led initiatives, where he has developed identities, campaigns, and editorial systems that balance creativity, clarity, and cultural relevance. He believes great design combines strategic thinking, meaningful storytelling, and innovation to create lasting impact.

Parshad Solanki

Assistant Designer - Hyderabad

Parshad is a textile design graduate from NIFT, Gandhinagar. He has experience working in Textiles, weaving and print design. He is fascinated by the emergence of a cultural movement that values traditional and organic materials and emphasises local, low-impact production.

Deepa Singh Bisht

Assistance MIS

With over nine years of multifaceted experience across the retail, banking, and data management sectors, She began her career in Gurugram, managing end-to-end data operations and reporting for retail store management. she also have expertise and experience in the banking industry. In addition to her professional accomplishments.

Kavisha Parikh

Associate Designer

She is an accessory designer and NIFT alumna with over nine years of experience in sustainable fashion, having worked with renowned brands such as 11.11, Bodice, and Bandhej. My practice centres on upcycling, surface development, craft, and textile reuse. I enjoy working closely with artisan communities, exploring how materials, colours, texture, shape, form and traditional techniques can be reimagined into contemporary design stories.

GET IN TOUCH

Head Office

4th Floor, National Institute of Fashion Technology, 

Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016

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