In India, design has been regarded as an up-market, a privilege of the privileged or the talented or the daring few who had the guts to think outside the box. However, to Dr. AR R Raammnath, the Founder and Chairman of DOT School of Design, creativity is not a privilege of any kind. It is a privilege every youthful mind ought to have. According to him, design influences the way communities lead, think, and develop and thus should not be restricted to only those who have the ability to buy the elite institutions.
A Journey That Began With the Past
Raammnath’s career began in heritage conservation with INTACH in Pondicherry, where he worked on centuries-old buildings and collaborated closely with traditional artisans. Watching these structures come alive again, and seeing how architecture preserved identity, deeply changed him. He realised that while the past was being protected with care, the future was being built with limited imagination, simply because too few people had access to design education.
This question stayed with him: If design remained locked inside premium circles, how would India ever grow into a creative nation?
Choosing Education as Responsibility
Driven by this realisation, he stepped into education not for status, but out of responsibility. “Leadership is not a destination you aim for. It is what happens when you actively decide to open doors for others,” he says.
He soon identified two major challenges weakening India’s design ecosystem: a wide gap between graduate skills and industry expectations, and a lack of awareness among students and parents about design as a viable career. Instead of criticising the system, he decided to rebuild it from within.
Building Institutions on Experience and Purpose
In 2014, he founded dSchool, along with a group of practising professionals who wanted students to learn through real-world exposure. Here, learners built things with their hands, experimented freely, and developed confidence in visual problem-solving instead of relying only on theory.
Soon after came Vista Institute of Design, a space designed for career-oriented learning, shaped closely by industry needs. Both institutions reflected one belief: students learn best by doing. They don’t just become employable, they become capable creators.
In 2020, these two ventures came together as DOT School of Design, Chennai’s first exclusive design college. Under his leadership, DOT functions more like a design studio than a traditional classroom. Students interact with industry mentors, work on real briefs, take up internships, and graduate with portfolios that reflect true ability. His mission is simple: to develop thinkers who can transform society through creativity.
Innovation That Touches Lives
For Raammnath, innovation is deeply human. It appears the moment a student from a remote village realises their imagination has value. It appears when a parent proudly says, “My child is a designer,” no longer fearing that creativity is an unstable path.
This belief led to CLAP – Creative Learning Assistance Program, a scholarship initiative through which he personally supports talented learners from underprivileged backgrounds. Many of these students now work in careers their families once thought impossible. Their success, he says, is his greatest source of energy.
He still remembers a young girl whose family questioned her interest in fashion design. Today, she works with global brands. “She once told me design changed her family’s future. That sentence keeps me going,” he shares.
A Leader Shaped by Listening and Learning
Before entering education, he worked as a sub-editor for Buildersline magazine, writing about sustainability and urban design. This experience shaped his grounded leadership style. It taught him to listen deeply, understand diverse viewpoints, and value collaboration. At DOT, he encourages openness and embraces mistakes as part of growth. “If you never fail, you probably never tried anything new,” he says.
Expanding the Design Ecosystem
His vision goes beyond a single college. He continues to build a full design ecosystem through:
- DOT Upskill Academy – industry-ready short programs
- DSPARC – incubation and research
- D’BLK – digital branding and creative strategy
- DOT Publications – Treasury of design resources, made universal and accessible
Each venture is built to solve a real need, adding one more brick to India’s creative economy.
Honouring Heritage Through Research
Recently, he completed his PhD titled “Conservation of Athangudi Tiles of Chettinad Region Towards Sustainability.” His research focuses on protecting the heritage craft of Athangudi tiles, improving the lives of artisan families, and ensuring the craft evolves sustainably. It reflects his core belief: creativity must uplift communities and carry culture forward.
A Vision for a Creative Nation
He advises young designers not to chase authority. “Lead because you want to take responsibility, not control,” he says. Purpose, he believes, is stronger than recognition, and recognition always follows meaningful impact.
As India rises as a global creative force, leaders like Dr. AR R Raammnath are shaping a new narrative: creativity is for everyone. His work ensures that no talent remains unseen and no imagination remains unheard.
Because India’s creative future depends not only on those who already have opportunities, but on the dreams of those who are still waiting for them. And for as long as those dreamers exist, he will continue building new doors for them to walk through.
