The 45th Convocation of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, scheduled for 22 January 2026, marks a significant academic and institutional milestone, celebrating NID’s contribution to design education, research, and practice in India. The Convocation will be graced by Dr V. Narayanan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, as the Chief Guest, who will deliver the Convocation Address to the graduating students.

In addition to celebrating the accomplishments of the graduating students, this historic occasion underscores NID’s evolving role at the intersection of design, technology, society, and national development. Following the Convocation Ceremony, the campus will host a series of academic showcases and public-facing events—including Graduate Show 2026, Young Designer, Design Panorama, Annual Design Show 2026, Design Street, and the Craft Bazaar—which collectively present the diversity of student work, interdisciplinary design-led inquiry, and institutional collaborations. The celebrations will also feature displays of key initiatives such as Integrated Design Services, the National Design Business Incubator, and ongoing Research & Development activities, offering visitors a comprehensive view of NID’s academic ecosystem, professional outreach, and innovation culture, and positioning the 45th Convocation not merely as a ceremonial milestone, but as a dynamic platform demonstrating design’s potential as a catalyst for creativity, collaboration, and societal transformation

Live Streaming of the Convocation ceremony.

The 45th Convocation of the Institute will be held on 22nd January 2026 at the National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar Campus, Live Streaming of the Convocation ceremony can be viewed at 5:00 pm on NID official YouTube channel and Institute Website.

45th Convocation Map

Young Designer 2026

The Young Designer website showcases the creative and professional journeys of all graduating students in their final semester, highlighting the work produced during their industry internships. Visitors can explore students’ projects, gain insight into real-world design practices, and learn about the NID faculty mentors who guided them throughout their graduation projects.

Annual Design Show 

NID’s 45th Graduate Show, presented on the occasion of the Convocation, stands as a celebration of design’s evolving role in shaping people, societies, and the futures they inhabit. Rooted in People & Society, the exhibition reflects deep engagement with human needs, social equity, identity, and community, demonstrating how design can act as a catalyst for empathy and positive change. Through Culture & Craft, the graduating cohort honours India’s rich traditions while reinterpreting indigenous knowledge, materials, and skills for contemporary contexts. These explorations seamlessly extend into Living & Lifestyle, where everyday practices—how we live, work, consume, and interact—are reimagined through thoughtful, human-centered design interventions.

The theme of Technology & Interaction highlights the meaningful integration of digital tools, emerging technologies, and interactive systems, emphasizing usability, accessibility, and responsible innovation. Complementing this, Systems, Infrastructure & Futures addresses complex, large-scale challenges by examining networks, services, urban systems, and speculative futures, encouraging resilient and adaptive thinking for an ever-changing world.

At its core, the Graduate Show is anchored in Nature & Sustainability, foregrounding ecological sensitivity, climate responsibility, and regenerative approaches. The projects collectively advocate for balanced relationships between human activity and the natural environment, promoting long-term social and environmental well-being.

Together, these interconnected themes present a powerful narrative of design as a strategic, cultural, and ethical practice—one that is responsive to the present while imaginatively shaping a more inclusive, sustainable, and hopeful future.

The Design Panorama

The Design Panorama at the Gandhinagar campus is a newly envisioned and purpose-built space that reflects the architectural language and design ethos of the campus. Conceived as a digital showcase, the Panorama offers an immersive journey into the history, evolution, and work of the National Institute of Design. It presents an overview of NID’s three campuses - Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Bengaluru - while narrating the institute’s larger story through curated digital presentations and a selection of representative student projects. The Panorama celebrates NID’s legacy, its academic and creative practices, and its ongoing contribution to design education in India, bringing together history, people, and ideas within a contemporary exhibition experience.

Craft Bazaar

As part of the 45th Convocation, the Craft Bazaar at the National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar is conceived as a meaningful platform for presenting the richness of Indian crafts and artisan practices to the design community. The Bazaar foregrounds craft as living knowledge—inviting graduating students, faculty, and visitors to engage directly with artisans, craftspeople and community-led craft practices, understand processes, materials, and traditions, and explore contemporary relevance through dialogue and exchange. The artisans will be setting up stalls, demonstrating the craft and engaging with the community during the convocation.

Alongside artisan stalls, selected student-led shops will showcase creative works and entrepreneurial initiatives, offering students an opportunity to present their ideas to graduating peers and parents visiting the campus for the convocation. This dual engagement—between craftspeople and designers, and between students and their immediate community—positions the Craft Bazaar as an integral part of the academic celebration, reinforcing NID’s commitment to learning through making, exchange, and cultural continuity.

Venue: Ground near Academic Block, NID Gandhinagar Campus
Dates: 21 January (from 2:00 PM) to 23 January
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM

All are invited to engage, interact, and support the endeavours of craftspeople and students as part of this convocation celebration.