We are kindly welcomed at Ahmedabad train station by two design students from the NID, who kindly bargain an auto for us and all our bags. After the first shock about how beautiful the campus is we gather in the lecture hall, where the International Design School is kicked off by Aarti Srivastava, Coordinator Textile Design, the Director of the National Institute of Design, Prof. Pradyumna Vyas, and Mr. Vijay Singh Katiyar, Education chairperson.
Hansueli Matter, head of the Design Department of the Zurich University of the Arts presents a glimpse into what the department is about. Then the students get a hands-on introduction into their selected craft, Leather Craft from Kutch or Mata Ni Pachedi from Ahmedabad. The dot on the i of this exciting first day is an open air welcome dinner on the Eames Plaza.