Dr. Darlie Koshy is the Director General (Education & Training) of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (sponsored by the Ministry of Textiles, GOI) and is headquartered at the Apparel House, Sector-44, Gurgaon (NCR) and is responsible for all Education, Training, Research and Consultancy initiatives of AEPC across India and Overseas. He is the CEO for all the Apparel Training & Design Centres across the country and the Institutes of Apparel Management in Gurgaon and Mumbai.

Dr. Darlie O Koshy has been the Director of NID (Principal Admn. & Academic Officer) and member of the Governing Council from 5 th June 2000 to 26 th October 2008. During his tenure, he has been involved in a major transformation of NID. Dr. Koshy spearheaded the promotion of “Designed in India, Made for the World” through a series of pioneering efforts like CII-NID design Summit (since 2001), Businessworld-NID Design Excellence Awards (since 2003), NID-ITPO Showcase Design (since 2002) and initiatives with the world bodies of design like ICSID (since 2001) and the initiative of setting up of NDBI (2002) and Design Idea Fair (2006, 2007), etc. The first National Design Policy was initiated and drafted by Dr. Darlie Koshy which was subsequently approved by the Government of India in February 2007.

Dr. Koshy is the author of three pioneering books on International Marketing and Design Management, 2 monographs and about 100 papers and has made over 200 presentations, in India and overseas. Dr. Koshy's recent book “Indian Design Edge: Strategies for Success in the Creative Economy” published by M/s. Roli Books, New Delhi has been released all over India during September 2008 and has received enthusiastic response and acclaim. (visit www.darliekoshy.com )

Dr. Koshy's contribution to design education and promotion has been recognized by being named as one of “50 leaders reshaping Indian education” by Education World, The Human Development Magazine (Nov. 2008) and has also been felicitated with the B M Das Memorial Citation in 2006 by CLRI, Chennai for his contribution “to the generation and development of knowledge as an applied researcher”. Dr. Koshy also received the Delhi IIT Alumni Award for contribution of National Development in 2008 apart from “Premio II Ponte 2008 Award” for contribution to the Design for Development and Quality of Life instituted by the Fondazione Europea Guido Venosta, Milan Italy .

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.