National Institute of Design Notable Alumni

A robust alumni network suggests an institute is well and flourishing, and can also help students get a head start in their careers. So, here we bring you notable alumni of NID. Keep reading.

If you want admission to a design course in India, NIDs and NIFTs are the top options that come to mind. Both the NIDs and NIFTs have their advantages and disadvantages. But if you have zoomed into the NIDs and want to know more about them, let's talk about the notable National Institute of Design Alumni.

Many times, the student neglects the fact that an institute has a robust alumni network. You may be thinking, how does an alumni network benefit the institute?

Well, in many ways. First, if the alumni network is strong, they will frequently help the institute monetarily and otherwise. For instance, internships after college become much easier in a college that has good alumni.

So, here it is vital that you know about National Institute of Design Alumni. 

Design courses offered by NIDs and Admission Process

NIDs offer B.Des and M.Des courses. Admission to these courses will be through the NID DAT 2026 entrance exam. The National Institute of Design has opened the application form for NID DAT 2026 till December 02, 2025. Candidates who meet the NID DAT eligibility criteria may apply before the last date.

National Institute of Design Notable Alumni

1. Rahul Mishra

Rahul Mishra is a famous fashion designer who is based out of Delhi. He is an alumnus of the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad. Rahul was the winner of the Best Student Designer Of The Year in 2005.

He made his debut at the Lakme Fashion Week in 2006. His show was a collection composed of handloom textiles from Kerala.  After his great success in India, where his collection was showcased at almost all the major events, he was invited to showcase his collection abroad. He graced fashion weeks in London, Australia, and Dubai. 

He represented India and the Middle East at the 2014 International Woolmark Prize Competition 2013 in Milan. He was selected for the role after he won the Indian leg of the International Woolmark Prize. Rahul Mishra ended up winning the 2014 Woolmark Prize at Milan Fashion Week, which carried a winner's purse of AUS $100,000 prize.

During the Radhika & Anant Ambani pre-wedding ceremony in Jamnagar, Rahul got the opportunity to dress Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.

Indian celebrities who have worn his label include Kareena Kapoor, Malaika Arora, Karishma Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt. 

2. Lekha Washington

Lekha Washington is an actress, artist, and product designer. As an actress, she has worked in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi movies. 

An alumnus of the National Institute of Design, Lekha’s mother is a Maharashtrian, while her father has Burmese, Italian, and Punjabi ancestry. She can speak fluent English and Marathi, even though she considers herself to be a South Indian.

Lekha got her first acting assignment while she was still in college when she appeared in Framed, an English language film helmed by Chetan Shah. 

In 2010, Lekha appeared in three regional-language films. But neither of these films managed to grab the eyeballs.

But despite that producers kept confidence in her acting prowess and approached her for more movie roles. Critical acclaim finally came when the romantic comedy Kalyana Samayal Saadham (2013) was released.

Her role as a Tamil Brahmin bride in the movie was praised by critics and audiences alike.

3. Dayanita Singh

Dayanita Singh is another notable National Institute of Design Alumni. She studied Visual Communication at NID Ahmedabad.

While she has a design background, Dayanita Singh is a noted photographer whose works appear primarily in book format.

She has published more than a dozen photography books. 

After completing her degree course, she started her career as a photojournalist but retired in 1990.

Dayanita Singh’s entry into photography happened unexpectedly after meeting Zakir Hussain, the famous table player. She was trying to take a photograph of the player when she was shoved aside by a guard. At this Zakir Hussain came to her rescue and invited her to take his photograph.

She was the photographer for Hussain for six seasons, chronicling his tours. She published her work in her first photography book, Zakir Hussain.

Singh has published multiple other books, including Myself Mona Ahmed. One key feature of Singh's is her work isn’t just mere books, as they are also exhibited as catalogs, exhibitions, and art objects.

4. Nachiket Barve

While it is not uncommon for a student studying in an NID to change the course of their career midstream, nothing of the sort happened with Nachiket Barve.

Alumni of NID Ahmedabad, Barve studied apparel and accessory design. While he was in college, he got a scholarship to study at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs (E.N.S.A.D).

While he was studying at the institute, he got the opportunity to work with haute couture ateliers. There she learned how to make handmade flowers and pleating. 

During the Lakme Fashion Week 2007, he launched his label. His collection has been showcased at international events - BAFWEEK (Buenos Aires Fashion Week) in Argentina and Coterie in New York City.

He was awarded the Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year by the British Fashion Council in 2007. This was followed by an invitation to participate in the Alchemy festival in London.

5. Dibakar Banerjee

If you are a movie buff and like comedy movies, you may undoubtedly have heard of Khosla Ka Ghosla. Widely regarded as one of the best comedy-drama movies Bollywood has produced in the last few decades, the movie was directed by an alumni of NID Ahmedabad. His name is Dibakar Banerjee.

While Khosla Ka Ghosla is the most iconic movie directed by Dibakar, he has also directed several other popular movies like Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, Shanghai, Bombay Talkies, and Titli. 

The movie, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, starred the now-deceased Sushant Singh Rajput.  After completing school, Dibakar joined NID Ahmedabad to study visual communication and graphic design. However, he left the course midway.

Dibakar started his career as a copywriter in an advertising company. Next, he worked with Pradeep Sarkar, who was the creative director of Contract Advertising, in Delhi. It was here that he met Jaideep Sahni, who wrote the script and did the screenplay for Khosla Ka Ghosla.