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What happens when most design advice assumes an English-speaking, phone-fluent, low-stakes user and your actual users are none of those things? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Aparna Vinod, a transformation strategy and organizational design practitioner currently pursuing a PhD on the changing nature of leadership. Aparna has spent her career unlearning the idea that design means designing for people like yourself  working instead across factory floors, classrooms, and boardrooms where the “user” looks nothing like a typical UX persona. From why she refuses to use the word “empathy,” to the story of her beautician who built an entire identity and income on TikTok, to why she believes one person should hold strategy, culture, and design instead of three separate roles  this is a conversation about taking design out of the artifact and putting it back into people, process, and power. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: How Aparna became a “very accidental designer” working across strategy, learning, and culture (0:47) The real unlearning: why designing for people unlike you can just be preference in disguise (5:19) Aparna’s Venn diagram framework for design  need, strategy, and aesthetic (8:09) Why she refuses to use the word “empathy” in her practice (13:50) The TikTok beautician story that reframes who design is really for (19:37) How redesigning classroom seating became an act of design (24:40) Why one person should hold strategy, culture, and UX instead of three separate roles (27:25) The ROI question: when should a fast-moving startup actually invest in culture (36:39) Why Anthropic’s “People Scientist” job listing signals where design careers are headed (55:06) THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF: You’re a designer or product leader designing for users unlike yourself You want to understand what “design beyond the artifact” actually looks like in practice You’re curious how culture, learning, and UX are converging into one discipline CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to build a footwear brand in India that competes globally, without taking the easy route through China? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Ajaaz, Principal Designer and Co-Founder at Ludic, a footwear-first lifestyle brand built from scratch in India. From his early years designing for Fila to working on KL Rahul’s Puma collab, to investing 50-60 lakhs in proprietary tooling instead of an open mold, Ajaaz breaks down what it actually takes to design, manufacture and sell a footwear product in one of the toughest production landscapes in the world. From a college kid sketching shoes in Kerala to co-founding a brand selling 65,000 pairs a year, this is a conversation about craft, conviction, and saying no more often than you say yes. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: How a Kerala kid obsessed with cars ended up in footwear design instead (1:53)The DM that landed him India’s first dedicated footwear design role at Fila (4:35)Getting shortlisted top 8 in the world at the Spensole Sneaker Championship (7:02)How a chance meeting led to Fila’s first-ever India collab with Veg Nonveg (8:06)Why he tells most prospective clients not to start a footwear brand at all (19:39)What working on KL Rahul’s Puma collab taught him about brand pricing (3:26)Why Ludic spent 50-60 lakhs on its own molds instead of buying off-the-shelf from China (14:04)The real story behind why Nike pulled all manufacturing out of India (5:40)Building Future Works  Ludic’s experimental product world with filmmaker Don (18:56)What “winning” actually means to a designer who doesn’t think in revenue numbers (14:48) CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to build a branding studio that gets dream clients without ever doing cold outreach? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Abhishek Durani, founder of Studio Sorted, a Bangalore-based branding and strategy agency behind some of India’s most talked-about consumer brands. From Theka Coffee on Shark Tank to a participatory brand built with a food community, Durani’s approach to branding is bold, strategic and anything but boring. From a Kashmiri migrant kid from Chandigarh to running a multi-vertical creative studio, this is a conversation about building with intention, leading with culture, and why every brand  B2B or B2C  deserves to be exciting. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: Why architecture training gives designers a 360 vision (03:42)How Theka Coffee became a cult brand and put Studio Sorted on the map (04:25)The participatory design process behind Only What’s Needed (15:44)Why ADHD is Durani’s creative superpower (08:48)How Studio Sorted gets featured on ChatGPT and Gemini (08:42)Why he checks every candidate’s Instagram first (14:03)Panic Press and Type Foundry  building verticals from within the team (02:57)What it’s really like running a studio with your life partner (08:08)THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF: You’re a designer or creative thinking about starting your own studioYou want to understand how brand strategy and culture work togetherYou’re building a consumer brand and want it to actually stand for somethingYou believe good design should never be boring  no matter the industryCONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to stay curious across 27 years and 7 completely different industries? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Pradeep, a mechanical engineer turned design leader who has worked across consumer durables, consulting, aerospace, and cloud  most recently leading design for Google Cloud. From a defibrillator still in market 25 years later to a PhD on sustainable software using UX as a change agent, this is a conversation about learning by doing, bridging business and design, and staying relevant when nothing stays predictable. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: 1.Why ignorance + confidence is the formula Pradeep swears by (03:58) 2.Designing across 7 industries what actually changes and what doesn’t (04:33) 3.What sustainable software development means and why designers should lead it (06:26) 4.The Jevons Paradox why efficiency doesn’t mean less consumption (08:40) 5.Why the business–design bridge is more broken than ever (01:41) 6.How Google’s hiring process is more democratic than you think (12:40) 7.Why reversible decisions are the only safe ones right now (06:37) 8.What external design agencies should actually be offering enterprises today (09:01) CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to design products that go into millions of Indian homes  and actually solve real problems? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Mohan Vijay, Head of Design & User Experience at B/S/H India  the company behind Bosch, Siemens, and Gaggenau appliances. From painting temple sculptures as a child in Tamil Nadu to designing Xerox printers from India for the world, and now leading design for one of the most recognized appliance brands globally, Mohan’s journey is a masterclass in designing with purpose. This is a conversation about what design really means inside a global enterprise and why it goes far beyond making things look good. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: 1.Why he did engineering first  and how it actually made him a better designer (04:45) 2.,What UX really means when there are no screens involved (05:24) 3.Why they ride along with repair technicians before designing anything (12:55) 4.How BSH cut product development from 21 months to 6–7 months (05:37) 5.The AI tools a global enterprise actually uses  and why it’s not ChatGPT (10:05) 6.What Indian home appliance brands are getting right (and what’s still missing) (13:18) 7.Why physical design is making a comeback after a decade of screens (10:32) 8.The two traits Mohan always looks for when hiring a designer (07:21) THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF: 1.You are a designer curious about what enterprise design actually looks like from the inside 2.You want to understand how consumer research drives real product decisions 3.You’re thinking about the future of physical and industrial design in India 4.You believe design’s job is to solve problems  not just make things beautiful CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to design something that millions of people will use  for the next 40 years? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Snehal, Head of Design at Alstom one of the world’s leading rail and mass transit companies. From designing ceiling fans at Bajaj to trucks at Tata Motors, cars at Hyundai, and now entire train systems, Snehal’s journey is a masterclass in designing with intent. This is not a conversation about styling. This is a conversation about design that moves cities, cultures, and communities. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER 1.Why he left car design for mass mobility and never looked back 2.How rail design must stay relevant for 30–40 years, not just 7 3.Why aesthetics are a dialogue, not decoration 4.Designing for culture Tokyo vs Mumbai vs Paris 5.The big integration problem facing Indian urban mobility 6.His mango farm near Nashik and the dream of self-sustenance 7.What India needs to fix in design education urgently 8.The one mindset shift that changed everything: Intent CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to design products that don’t just meant to look good but keep the world safe? In this episode of The Groundbreakin, we sit down with Meenakshi Thaploo a designer with 20+ years of experience across architecture, retail, fintech, and now cybersecurity at Cisco. From studying architecture to falling in love with visual design, to landing in one of the most complex and high-stakes design domains in the world  her journey is anything but conventional. This is not a conversation about aesthetics but a conversation about designing where failure has real consequences. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER: 1.Why cybersecurity design is fundamentally different from consumer product design 2.What “zero trust” really means and how it shapes every single design decision 3.The personas nobody talks about network admins, security analysts, and threat engineers 4.Why making things simple is not the goal  and what the real goal actually is 5.How AI is reshaping both the threat landscape and the design process simultaneously 6.Why the best products are always built by design, product, and engineering as one unified team 7.The three things every designer must know before entering the cybersecurity space 8.How working in security changes the way you think about your own personal data and privacy CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to build a brand so powerful that it becomes part of everyday language? In this episode of The Groundbreaking, we sit down with Munz  freelance designer, metal band vocalist, photographer, and the creative mind behind some of India's most recognizable brand moments at Dunzo, Flipkart, Gojek, and now First Club. With over a decade of experience building brands from zero to one, Munz gives us an unfiltered look at what real brand building actually looks like  no big budgets, no shortcuts, just honest, intentional creative work. This is not a conversation about trends. This is a conversation about what actually works. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL DISCOVER:  How Dunzo became a verb with zero marketing budget (07:00) Why every brand is trying to be funny and why that's killing creativity (18:00)The real reason most brand campaigns are forgettable (22:00) How music and design share the exact same creative process (34:00)Why your product is your best marketing tool (30:00) What three things made Dunzo's brand truly iconic (14:00) How to separate your personal values from your brand objectives (38:00)Why bold, honest brands always win in the long run (26:00)The one thing creative people need more than talent signals (34:00) What brand building really means beyond social media and IPL campaigns (26:00)CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

In this conversation, we sit down with Anant Tambade, a design leader at Microsoft, who takes us inside the rapidly evolving intersection of design, AI, and product building. From architecture to industrial design, UX, and now leading experiences in AI-powered products like Copilot, Anant shares a 20+ year journey of constantly evolving with technology and the mindset required to stay relevant. He unpacks how design is being redefined in the age of AI, where traditional roles are blurring and individuals now have the ability to build, ship, and scale products faster than ever before. This episode goes beyond design it’s a deep dive into execution, systems thinking, and what it truly means to create in an AI-first world. More than a career conversation, this is about curiosity, adaptability, and learning how to stay ahead as technology reshapes the way we work. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in design, product, AI, startups, and the future of building. In this episode, you’ll discover: • Why designers are evolving into product makers and what that shift really means in practice (43:00- 44:00)  • How AI is transforming the way products are built, tested, and launched at scale(20:40- 21:15)  • The role of curiosity, experimentation, and hands-on learning in staying ahead(11:20-13:53)  • Why speed of execution is becoming the ultimate competitive advantage(44:15)  • How design, product, and engineering are converging into a single skill set (20:17)  • The rise of one-person companies and AI-powered builders(13:00)  • What truly separates great designers from average ones in the AI era (44:00)  • How companies like Microsoft are approaching AI, innovation, and the future of work (23:00)  • The mindset required to adapt, grow, and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape(11:00) CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

In this conversation, Sundar Chandramouli, a professional civil engineer and infrastructure leader, takes us behind the scenes of one of India’s most iconic infrastructure projects Bangalore Airport Terminal 2. From blueprint to reality, Sundar unpacks the immense planning, leadership, systems thinking, and sheer execution effort that goes into building an international airport at scale. He shares his incredible journey from Bangalore to New York, the Middle East, and back working across infrastructure, structural engineering, and large-scale construction projects before leading major expansion work at Bangalore airport. This episode dives deep into what it truly takes to build something millions of people use every day from runway systems, terminal expansion, passenger flow, design collaboration, and future-ready infrastructure. More than construction, this is a conversation about vision, leadership, city-building, and designing for scale. This episode is a masterclass for anyone interested in design, infrastructure, systems, leadership, architecture, operations, and the future of Indian cities. In this episode, you’ll discover: • The brain and sweat behind building Bangalore T2 • How airports are designed from master planning to execution • The strategy behind scaling infrastructure for rising passenger demand • What goes into designing runways, terminals, passenger flow, and airport experience • How global experts collaborate across architecture, engineering, sustainability, and design • Leadership lessons from managing one of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects • Why Bangalore’s growth story is deeply tied to infrastructure innovation • The future of India’s large-scale infrastructure, smart cities, and public projects CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What does it take to stay relevant when tools change faster than job titles-and AI threatens to rewrite the rules overnight? In this wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation, Dipaq sits down with Sumit Bedi, design leader, educator, and relentless ideator, to unpack what truly makes a designer future-ready. From his early days obsessing over school projects to leading experimentation and R&D at a global SaaS company, Sumit shares why curiosity-not tools-is the most AI-proof skill of all. He talks candidly about building ideas without chasing inspiration, why most ideas die in people’s heads, and how observation, meditation, and daily curiosity shape his creative process. Drawing from his experience across instructional design, corporate training, product design, and innovation labs, Sumit challenges the obsession with tools, templates, and hyper-specialization. We also dive into the reality of working in the age of AI-layoffs, uncertainty, identity loss-and why designers must stop being “corporate-ready” and start becoming industry-ready. From corporate hacking and brand-building to designing without internet access, this episode is a masterclass in thinking, not just making. This episode is essential viewing for designers, product thinkers, and creators navigating AI disruption—-and anyone trying to build a voice that lasts beyond the next tool update. In this episode, you’ll discover: Sumit’s journey from instructional designer to leading future-focused experimentation in product teams Why ideas are common—but execution, intent, and courage are rare How curiosity, observation, and meditation fuel better design decisions What makes a skill truly “AI-proof” Why designers should focus on finding the right problems, not just building solutions The difference between being corporate-ready vs industry-ready How personal brand is built quietly—through work, not announcements Why designers must understand how AI works, not just how to use itCONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

What do two decades building a top design consultancy and a shift to leading design at one of India's largest private banks have in common? In this honest and wide-ranging conversation, Dipaq sits down with Narendra Ghate, Head of Design at HDFC Bank. Drawing from his 25-year tenure at Tata Elxsi, where he traveled the world "selling software by doing projects", Ghate shares his evolution from mechanical engineer to a design leader who understands that a designer’s true value lies in problem-solving, not just specialised skills. He unpacks the challenging journey of building a design practice in India: the years spent convincing clients to value design beyond aesthetics, and the art of selling high-value projects by presenting a future roadmap rather than just a portfolio. Ghate argues strongly against the "hyper-specialist" mindset, advocating for designers to become holistic problem-solvers who embrace a multidisciplinary approach-even designing a studio's behaviour by dimming the lights. Finally, we explore his current mission to simplify finance in India and his vision for the country's design future: one where design thinking expands beyond the "designer" label and becomes a core ability for entrepreneurs, politicians, and business leaders. This episode is essential viewing for design students, studio owners struggling to scale, and business leaders looking to truly integrate design into their organization. In this episode, you'll discover: Narendra’s 25-year journey from mechanical engineer and "salesman" at Tata Elxsi to Head of Design at HDFC Bank.The transition from selling products to "selling a future and a roadmap" for high-ticket projects.Why the trend of becoming a "hyper specialist" is a "bunch of rubbish," and why designers must be the "family doctor" for a business's problems.How a designer can control the behaviour of 200 people in a studio simply by dimming the lights (and why it works).The "two crutches" that limit designers: blindly following a process and being reliant on a specific skill.His vision for the future: Design expanding its impact beyond the design profession itself.The biggest mission at HDFC: simplifying finance to unlock wealth across all levels of Indian society.CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

In this candid conversation, Vikash Kumar (Director of Design at Pine Labs) takes us through his incredible career shift-from working on massive campaigns for brands like Vodafone to steering the entire art and brand aesthetic at Pine Labs. Vikash gives a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the advertising industry, discussing what it was like to work at an agency like Ogilvy Mumbai (which he calls one of the best cultures among agencies) , the controversial value of industry awards , and the realities of shrinking budgets in mainline advertising. He unpacks the pivotal moment he realized "passion doesn't pay your bills", leading to his move to the client side with a jump in salary , and eventually leading design at Pine Labs. As a leader, he shares his vision for the future, where designers must become generalists with T-shaped skillsets  and how he's building a 360-creative culture that embraces upskilling and future-forward thinking. This episode is a masterclass for any creative professional navigating career growth, the specialist vs. generalist debate, and how to build a career that offers both creative fulfillment and financial freedom. In this episode, we’ll discover: - Vikash's journey from animation and VFX to becoming a Creative Director at Ogilvy. - The "carrot" of advertising awards - and why they might not translate into better money or promotions. - The difference between working horizontally (across brands) in an agency versus vertically (deeply) for one brand. - How Vikash is leading the brand revamp at a major fintech company, making it look "tech and modern". - The importance of designers becoming generalists who can handle motion, video, and graphic design. - Why creative professionals must set a financial goal early in their career—and the concept of *"F-U money"*. CONNECT: Find us at [https://www.groundbreak.in/episodes] [[email protected]] [email protected] Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

In this conversation, Dipaq sits down with Bikash, Head of Design at Ather, whose 11-year journey is a masterclass in building a design-first EV brand from a startup to a public company. From the early days of an idea to pioneering India's two-wheeler EV space, the guest details their unique approach to innovation: challenging the status quo, designing for an integrated experience (hardware and software in sync), and betting on customer experience over market research. We dive deep into how Ather successfully fostered a deeply connected community that acts as an advocate and an essential testing ground for new products. The guest also shares the critical cultural elements - freedom with accountability and a non-hierarchical design decision-making process - that has kept the core design team together for over a decade. This episode is a must-listen for designers, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about how to create a lasting brand by placing value and experience at the core of the product. In this episode, you'll discover: - The 11-year journey of building Ather from a startup to a public company and the surprising blessing of "naivete" when challenging automotive norms. - How Ather used a "build for us" mantra to create an aspirational EV product that went mainstream. - The vertical integration model and the "story-down" approach that aligns hardware and software design. - Why engaging with customers early (and even making them spokespeople) is an Ather superpower in building community and gathering genuine feedback. - Insights on the massive potential and "golden decade" for India's EV market and why the country is poised to become a global export hub for design and tech. - The mindset every EV brand needs to be timeless: finding a unique foothold that people genuinely care about. CONNECT: Find us at [https://www.groundbreak.in] [[email protected]] [email protected] Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]

Robin Dhanwani is the founder of Parallel, a product-design studio that works with startups, enterprises, and public systems to design with empathy and clarity. He talks about building a studio from scratch, selling design in India, and why the most important part of design is learning when to stop. From building Parallel to redesigning DigiLocker, Robin Dhanwani’s story is about designing with intent in a world obsessed with speed. An engineer-turned-designer, he’s spent over a decade shaping products and systems that connect craft with impact. On Groundbreakin, we talk about: – Building Parallel from scratch and staying independent – The “delusion” every founder needs to start – Designing for governments and public systems – And how to find meaning in the mess of building something real CONNECT: Find us at [https://www.groundbreak.in] [[email protected]] [email protected] Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq.substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.design/ Email us at [[email protected]]