Summary of Domain Expertise
Marketing / Branding / Retailing / Merchandising strategies
Insights into Indian-Global Retail / Export Markets & Softgoods branding & merchandising
Crafts as foundation for Innovation
Creative Economy Think Tank
Structure / practices / retail systems & processes for
different retail formats
Textile / Fashion Marketing / Design Management
Design Policies / Government / Industry Interface
Intellectual Property Management &
Macro Perspectives on IPr
High communication / Articulation / Presentation skills
Innovation / scenario building / Clarity /
Management of people / teams
Current Position & Designation
The Director
(Principal Administrative & Academic Officer),
National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad
from 5th June 2000 till now.
Office Address
National Institute of Design
Main Campus, Paldi, Ahmedabad 380 007
Tel: 079 26605241 / Fax: 079 26605242 / E-mail: Koshy@nid.edu
Mailing/Contact Address
Director’s Riverfront Bungalow
National Institute of Design (NID Campus)
Paldi, Ahmedabad 380 007
Tel: 079 26610069
Educational Qualifications
Ph.D. in the area of Management from the
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD)
Master of Business Administration (MBA), CUSAT
One Year advanced Training in
Fashion Management at FIT, NY, USA
UNDP research Fellowship covering 8 countries
for study of International Marketing of Apparel.
Marital Status
Married with two children (one son - 25 & one daughter - 16)
Domains of Expertise
Marketing & Branding
Successful marketing strategies for Janata sarees / fabrics in rural areas in Karnataka & silk fabrics and sarees across India with the launch of “PRIYADARSHINI” showrooms and achieved record sales through exhibitions / promotions (1977-79) and organized training programmes for sales and field staff.
Created marketing / retail strategies for Madhya Pradesh State Textile Corpn. by launching “AVANTI” retail outlets and holding exhibitions across India (1979-1980).
Repositioning and managing over 300 retail outlets across India & launching of first Handloom Garment showroom for Kerala State Handlooms and devising various promotional schemes (1981-84).
Conceived and launched “Yarn Banks” in weaving clusters and created National Handloom Marketing Complexes in Jaipur, Cochin, Calcutta for National Handloom Development Corporation, GOI (1984-86).
Achieved turnaround of Hanveev, A Govt. of Kerala organization (Report in Business Today - 1987) and expanded retail outlets including launch of mobile showrooms.
Formulated India’s first Fashion Marketing & Merchandising PG Programme for NIFT and built a cadre of high caliber professionals now occupying senior positions in Fashion / Retail / Export organizations (1988 - 2000).
Launched India’s first Fashion Retail Management Programme in the country (1998)
Published 2 books on Apparel marketing for the first time in India (1995-97).
Training 3000 front-end sales and supervisory staff for Raymonds (1998-2000).
Consultant for marketing & branding strategies for clients like Zoerex, Mothercare, Madura Garments, Weekender, ITC, Meenabazaar, Pantaloon, Dash, Inter Shoppe etc. (1989-2000).
Fashion / Retail
Trained in FIT, New York on Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and studied merchandising policies of major stores and importers in USA / EU.
Served on the Board of Fashion Design Council (2002-04).
Serving on the Lakme-Lever Fashion Week Advisory Board (2005-2006).
Wrote a path-breaking research based article for the first time in India on “Lifestyle Retailing” (1989) and developed a film on the subject for IGNOU.
Wrote a path-breaking research based article for the first time on “Sensory Retailing” (1990) and introduced Fashion Retail Management & Technology (FRMT) Programme at NIFT & developed Retail curriculum.
Developed continuing education programme on Garment Export Merchandising for working executives (1994-2000).
Retail consultancy for Remembrance, Blackberry, Intershoppe,
Meena Bazar etc.
Design
Working as the Director for the 7th year in world’s leading design institute National Institute of Design, (listed as Top 25 European / Asian Design Programme in the world – Business Week, USA ’06).
Leading a team of 65 faculty, 200 staff and 800 students with 3 campuses in Ahmedabad, Bangalore & Gandhinagar.
Achieved transformation of NID in all its activities - Education, Research, Outreach & Design Consultancy Projects by scaling up national presence and focusing on qualitative upgradation through SEED/Credit Evaluation System / Peer Group Review.
Commenced 15 PG Programmes in different design domains especially in new areas like New Media, Information Design, Strategic Design Management, Automobile Design, Design for Digital Experience, Design for Retail Experience etc.
Placed focus on Research-led design education and initiated several industry sponsored Research Chairs.
Interacts with Design Community in India and overseas at various levels on a regular basis for developing design policies, exchanges, promotions etc.
Initiated & set up a new Design R & D Campus in Bangalore and conceived & developed PG Campus in Gandhiangar.
Since 2001, leading the design movement in the country through initiation of
CII-NID Design Summits, BW-NID Design Excellence Award, setting up of India’s
first ITPO-NID Design Showcase at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi & drafting the
National Design Policy for the Government of India (2004-2007)
Top Managerial / administrative/ Academic
positions prior to June 2000
Managing Director Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation and Chairman, Kerala Garments (subsidiary of KSHDC) - (1986-87).
First General Manager of the National Handloom Development Corporation, (NHDC) Lucknow (1984-86).
Chief Marketing Manager, Kerala State Apex Handloom Co-operative (Hantex)
(1980-1984).
In-charge of over 300 retail outlets.
Marketing Manager, Madhya Pradesh State Textile Corporation (1979-1980).
Sales Manager, Karnataka State Handloom Development Corporation. (1977-79).
Marketing & Retail Management consultant to various leading organizations
(1988-2000).
Founding Professor in Fashion Management Studies
at NIFT (1988-2000)
Design Policy Promotion & Global Exposure
Serving on the board of ICSID – World body of Societies of Industrial Design (2001-2003 / 2005-2007).
Inviting ICSID, ICOGRADA - world design bodies to India and organizing major events like
ICSID Seminar, (2002) ICOGRADA Seminar 2003 etc.
Collaborative venture with
India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) to commence a India’s first Design centre
(Showcase Design) for Design Promotion in the country. (2002)
Founding in collaboration with CII Design Summit annually from 2001 BW-NID Design Excellence Awards from 2003, thus catalyzing a design movement in the country.
Signed MOUs with 25 design universities / Institutions around the world for exchange programme of faculty / students.
Have made over 200 presentations in India and around the world and published over 100 papers / articles in the area of Marketing, Design Policies, Retail and fashion Industry etc.
Policy experience
Developed a National Design Policy (Draft) for Government of India(2004-2007) & currently serving as Member-Secretary of National Design Policy Implementation Committee.
Convener and co-coordinator for the/Committee of GOI on “Textile Exports: Vision 2005 AD" headed by
Mr. B.K. Zutshi (1996).
Selected by the Government of India for the working group on "Ready-made garment industry" under the expert group on “Textile Policy''
headed by Shri Satyam, (1998).
Formulating report for International Foundation of Fashion Technology setting up of Institutes (IFFTI) along with International delegates from UK, US, Amsterdam and Australia, 1998.
Has dealt with the highest levels in International bodies, Apex industry associations, Export promotion councils, Planning Commission, Various central and state government ministries, National Research & educational institutions for meetings / presentations and policy making processes (2000-2006).
Prepared Blueprint for spread of Design Education in India for AICTE.
Founding NID-Businessworld Design Excellence Awards from 2003.
Board Member, Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Ltd, New Delhi
(Since 2000)
Director on the Board of Pantaloon Retail Ltd. (Since 1999).
Governing Board Member, Indian Institute of Crafts & Design, Jaipur (Since 2000).
Governing Board member, Footwear Design & Development Institute, NOIDA
(Since 2000).
Governing Board Member, National Centre for Jute Diversification, Calcutta
(Since 2000).
Chairman & Member, National Technology & Innovation Committee of CII & Chairman CII Task Force on Design & Innovation (2004-2005).
Board Member Pt. Dwarka Prasad Mishra Indian Institute of Information Technology Design & Manufacturing, Jabalpur.
Governing Council of National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Board Member on Handloom & Handicrafts Export Corporation of India. |