Even as the Centre is mulling to set up a National Centre for Universal Design, a group of nine authors have come out with Universal Design India Principles (UDIP) for promoting design education in India to foster inclusive growth.
“UDIP are rooted in the Indian culture, they reflect the Indian condition. When applied, it will foster social inclusion in India and bring a paradigm shift in design education and practice,” Professor Abir Mullick told PTI.
Prof. Mullick, a Fulbright Nehru scholar-in-residence at National Institute of Design (NID), led the team of nine authors, including those from IIT-Guwahati, IIT-Kharagpur, and School of Planning and Architecture, who have co-authored the five sets of principles based on usability, equability, culture, economy and aesthetics.
“Design is an evolving field in India and it is an appropriate time to have a set of standards which can expand the horizon of design for inclusive growth,” Prof. Mullick said.
The principles are now the property of NID. The institute shall be propagating them through education and other channels for responsible designs focused on inclusive growth.
“With these set of principles in hand we shall now be promoting responsible design activities at NID through the Tata Trust sponsored Universal Design chair here,” the NID Director, Mr Pradyumna Vyas, told PTI.
“A post graduate programme in universal design is slated to be launched in 2012 at NID Bangalore, an extension of NID Ahmedabad,” he said.
Universal design in India is projected to create equal opportunity environment and foster independence for all users.
“UDIP will reduce dependence, lessen burden on others, lead independent life, be gainfully employed, create economic growth and benefit the country as a whole,” Prof. Mullick said.
“The buildings, roads, footpaths, public transport, trains, planes all need to be designed in a way that they are usable for everyone, and I think the government needs to step in,” he said.
Grounded in the disability rights movement, the principles specific to India will help researchers, industry, educators, consumer advocates (who do product testing) and those who audit on how to accomplish universal design goals, he said.
“As per UN estimates, India has around 10 per cent of population which is disabled, these are huge numbers. UDIP is important to the nation as it aims to build an equitable environment where they too can roam freely,” he said.
“Due to lack of environment, the disabled in India today are virtually imprisoned in homes. They too can come out once there is an equitable environment,” Prof. Mullick said.
“Developed first in USA as a Civil Rights Issue and equal opportunity for those with and without disabilities, the democratic values of universal design are grounded in self reliance, social empowerment and personal choice,” he said.