‘Design Needs An IPL-Like Platform’: Amit Shah At NID Event

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said India’s design sector requires opportunities similar to the Indian Premier League (IPL) model in cricket to encourage talented youth to confidently pursue careers in design.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Incubation and Innovation Centre at the National Institute of Design, Shah said creative fields often struggle to attract participation unless they offer stable career prospects and commercial opportunities.

Drawing a comparison with cricket, the Minister recalled that legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar once earned modest payments despite his talent.

“Sunil Gavaskar ji used to receive Rs 500 for a five-day Test match. Parents used to tell children, ‘What will you do? You will starve. Prepare for exams’,” HM Shah said.

The Home Minister said perceptions changed significantly after the launch of the IPL. He added that the tournament transformed cricket into a financially attractive profession.

“After the arrival of IPL, parents now say, ‘Play cricket, you may become something’,” the Minister said.

Using the example to explain challenges faced by young designers, Shah said India had not yet fully explored the commercial potential of design talent.

“NID was established in Gujarat so that the commercial potential of your discipline and your art can be explored one hundred per cent,” he stated.

Shah added that many talented students still hesitate to choose design because of uncertainty around recognition and employment opportunities.

The Minister urged NID to develop systems connecting designers with industry needs and commercial platforms. He suggested creating a separate vertical focused on commercialising design work.

“Here, there are people of design. There are no people here who commercialise it. NID will also have to bring these two together,” he said.

Referring to vehicles designed by Indian designer Pratap Bose showcased during the event, Shah said Indian designers often do not receive the same global recognition as foreign designers. He added that Indian designers possess capabilities comparable to their international counterparts.

The event was attended by Bhupendra Patel, Piyush Goyal, Harsh Sanghavi, NID officials, faculty members and students.

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