People at UDIT

With a strong grounding in political science and academic leadership, Mr. Ajit Singh earned his Master’s degree from the University of Delhi in 1969 and served as President of the Delhi University Students’ Union from 1968 to 1969. He went on to teach at Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi (1970–1975), while also playing an active role within the Delhi University Teachers’ Association.

Driven by a deep interest in design and handicrafts, Mr. Singh channelled his work towards strengthening India’s craft ecosystem and enabling artisan livelihoods through global market access. In 1975, he established Mayur Overseas, exporting Indian textiles, home furnishings, crafts and garments and building international linkages across Europe, the USA, Australia and South America. In 1985, he founded ILFUTURO GmbH in Düsseldorf, Germany, a garment manufacturing entity serving markets in Paris, Amsterdam, and Brussels, with wholesale distribution across Germany. In 1995, he served as an advisor to Fashion Team, a company supplying high-fashion garments globally.

Recognising the need to globalise economics and finance education in India, Mr. Singh played a pivotal role in establishing and financing the Indian School of Business and Finance (ISBF) in collaboration with the London School of Economics (LSE), and served as Chairman of the Board until 2019.

In 2014, he founded the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD) in collaboration with Kingston School of Art (KSA), Kingston University, London. Fuelled by his passion for design, he has played a key role in shaping its academic direction and maintaining high standards of learning. Responding to the Prime Minister’s call to reskill and upskill the country’s workforce, Mr. Singh also initiated AND Academy—an online upskilling platform focused on making design education accessible, affordable and industry-relevant for learners across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Mr. Singh’s vision and mission have consistently centred on building globally benchmarked institutions that shape talent, capability and opportunity at scale. UDIT reflects this commitment through a future-facing ecosystem spanning design, management and technology.

With a background spanning economics, entrepreneurship and design education, he has been advocating learning environments that are accessible, future-facing and grounded in real-world practice. A Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, London, he holds a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Delhi, a Master’s in Economics & Finance from Warwick University and executive training in entrepreneurship from Stanford University.

Guided by his vision, IIAD has emerged as one of India’s widely-recognised design institutions—known for its award-winning pedagogy, industry-centric learning and long-standing global partnerships. What sets IIAD apart is its unique “thinking-through-making” approach that shapes graduates who can respond to the contemporary industry demands.

With higher education undergoing a marked shift, Dr. Chadha recognises the growing convergence of design, business and technology. This understanding drives his commitment to developing platforms offering inquiry-driven, applied learning models that prepare students for the complexities of modern practice.

This long-view perspective now informs his most ambitious project yet: UDIT — the University of Design, Innovation & Technology. Conceived as a multidisciplinary university, UDIT prioritises innovation, rigour and real-world relevance. Through it, Dr. Chadha aims to cultivate institutional frameworks that strengthen curiosity, critical analysis and a grounded understanding of context—skills he argues will define the next generation of professionals navigating overlapping disciplines.

Prof. Patel holds two Master’s degrees in Fine Arts—in Painting and Printmaking—and a Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education from Nottingham University, UK. She began her academic career as a lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Faculty of Architecture, MS University Baroda (1987–1996) and later joined the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) as Senior Faculty (1996–2003). She went on to serve at Pearl Academy of Fashion as Head of Department (2003–2014), where she was instrumental in establishing key departments including Foundation Design, Interior Architecture and Design, and Product Design, and in setting up the Master’s Programme in Fashion.

Prof. Patel served as Director – Academics at the Indian Institute of Art and Design (IIAD), now evolved into the University of Design, Innovation & Technology (UDIT), where she led academic direction across disciplines such as Communication Design, Interior Architecture and Design, and Fashion Design. Her work supported a shift from module-based instruction to integrated, project-led learning, bringing industry context into the classroom. At UDIT, her leadership now shapes academic strategy at a university scale, building on this legacy to support a multidisciplinary future designed for the creators of tomorrow.

Alongside her academic leadership, Prof. Patel is deeply engaged with India’s craft ecosystem, working towards sustainable opportunities for artisans across craft clusters. Her research interests include indigenous craft development and sustainability, including the international project “Sustainability and Equitable Development: Interventions in India’s Rural Craft Industry,” in collaboration with Northumbria University (UK) and Dastkar.

She has also led large-scale design initiatives such as the Delhi Metro Uniform Design Project, designing uniforms for eighteen categories of staff. Her published work includes Extending the Frontiers of Visual Learning (Nottingham Trent University, UK) and multiple papers exploring design, education, and craft-based learning. Prof. Patel was also invited by the Ministry of Oceanography, New Delhi, to conceptualise and visualise an exhibition on Oceanography at the India International Centre.