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Visiting/Adjunct Faculty

Prof. Rahul Bhattacharya

Prof. Rahul Bhattacharya

Adjunct Faculty, Alliance School of Design

Mr. Rahul Bhattacharya is a committed design educator, art historian, and experience designer with a focus on social and ecological sustainability. He specializes in frugal innovation and human-centered AI. He has curated for gallery spaces and public festivals, written extensively on contemporary Indian art and medieval architecture, and currently work as a design consultant, developing AI-integrated products and mentoring UX research.

Awards

  • Nehru Trust & Victoria and Albert Museum Small Studies Research Grant (2004)
  • University Gold Medal (2004)
  • University Merit Scholarship (1999, 2002, 2003)
  • "Art in Activism – Mappings and Fragments from India," Bahu Viri (2020)
  • "Framing Modernist Identities: A Case Study of Painting in Nagaland," Lalit Kala Contemporary Art Journal (2016)
  • "A Model for Hypothesising the Role of Shilpins: Innovation in Pre-Modern Brahmanical Art," Nandan, An Annual of Art & Aesthetics, Shantiniketan, Kala Bhavan (2004)
  • "An Attempt to Conceptualize the Concept and Practice of Innovation in Pre-modern Indian Art," International Conference on Science and Humanities Proceedings, Kogakuin University, Tokyo (2004)
  • "Pre-Modern Indian Art: Problems of Contextualization," Art and Social Relations, Sadhna Press, Baroda (2004)
  • "Contextualizing the ‘Seated Man’ from Dholavira to South Asian Protohistory," Nirukta - Journal of Art History and Aesthetics, UGC/DSA, May (2004)
  • "Re-Membering Indian Art: Plotting Journeys from Colonial through Post Colonial Discourses," ed. Shivaji K. Panniker, Parul Dave Mukherjee, Deeptha Achar, Towards a New Art History; D.K. Printworld, New Delhi, 2003

Talks and Presentations

  • "Humanising AI," One Design Community, Kolkata (2024)
  • "Fail or Perish," World Design Organization, August (2022)
  • "Food + Interaction Design Workshop," Cumulus Association, Rome (2021)
  • "Future of Design Education within the Changing Cultural Economy of India," WDO Research and Education Committee, Hyderabad (2019)
  • "Mapping Historiographies: Performance Art in India," Krishnakriti Festival of Art & Culture (2016)
  • "Framing Modernist Identities: A Case Study of Painting in Nagaland," Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda (2016)
  • "The Luingamla Keshan," Woven Tales from the North East, National Center for Performing Arts, Mumbai (2009)

Industry Work

  • Co-Founder, dotai (2020 – Present): Specializes in AI-integrated design solutions for the Indian market.
  • Design Consultant (2020 – Present): Provides consultancy in UX research, brand outreach, and integrating AI into user-centered design.
  • Managing Editor, Art & Deal Magazine (2009-2011): Launched India's first monthly art magazine, managing editorial content and strategy.
  • UX Research and Website Visualization Consultant for global public art aggregator, tracingartinpublic.com (2017)
  • Design Managed Ahmedabad Design Week.01 website and all design collaterals (2019)
  • Co-designed the Visual Identity, Branding, and BTL Campaigns for the Kolkata International Performance Art Festival (2012-2017)

Other Achievements

  • Co-Founder & Curator, Kolkata International Performance Art Festival (KIPAF) (2012-2017)
  • Co-Founder & Curator, Nine Schools of Art (2013-2016): Developed workshop-based techniques exploring interdisciplinary art-making.
  • Mentored two IPR patents on data visualization solutions.
  • Worked with Cumulus Association's Food Design Think Tank on alternative food system practices.