Subrata Bhowmick is one of India’s leading graphic designers. Based at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, he has over the last 40 years of his illustrious career, created workable and cost-saving design solutions. Which have won him 50 prestigious awards, including 18 President’s National Awards. His much lauded accomplishments straddle various fields - textiles, photography, environment, product, graphics, book design, and advertising. However, despite all the accolades and achievements on national and international platforms, the designer comes across as being quintessentially Indian - always trying to take India to the world.

In advertising, his work has contributed in building brands such as Cali-Cloth, Vimal, Dhara, Remanika, Deepam, and Handloom House, besides making them cherished and loved across a wide-cross section of people.

Inspite of his busy schedule, he is always grateful enough to spare us some time to discuss our work related issues and give his valuable feedback and insights about our work.

Having been in Ahmedabad for so many years and so close to our culture and heritage, I thought, 'why not discuss my project with him?' And yes! It was of definitely of great help to me.

Here is what he had to say.

There was no process or much thought given while designing the present identity and it definitely needs a re-design.

> How should we package it?
How should we promote it?
> Decide what is the priority.

> Is it a city? or a part of the city?
As when someone says 'Heritage Walk of Ahmedabad' which part of Ahmedabad do I go to?

> Find out which was the last house built in the city and why did they stop building houses in the similar fashion if they were so adept? And the cities like Gandhingar and Bhopal are new, just 15 years old. Why wasn't the same structure followed here too?

> What is that the people should see at the walk?

> Know the MISION and the VISION.

> There is
PRODUCT - Lane
PACKAGE - the walk
PROMOTE - my job.

> How do you motivate people to do something?

> "Why design a calendar, why not a postcard instead? Once you put a date to something, as soon as the year is over, it expires."

You have to consider all these points in order to come up with a sensible design decision.