Creating space for art

Economist Joseph Alois Schumpeter says – an entrepreneur is not necessarily motivated by profit but regard it as a standard for measuring achievement or success. Bringing new meaning to this definition is Namisha Naidu, the founder of a design firm, Root Red Design, Director of Events for Association Designers of India (ADI), Hyderabad Chapter, a visiting faculty, jury member and speaker at NIFT Hyderabad, a jury member and speaker at the department of design, IIT Hyderabad, visiting faculty at NID and an art-design teacher at a Home-Schooling centre.

A student of the National Institute of Design, from the 1990's batch, Namisha went on to work with well-known names as SonalDabral and Sujatha Keshavan. After having been employed with other organisations, in 2012, she founded Root Red Design, under which she has served over 20 clients with digital design projects and also holds design related workshops. Her work has been recognised with CII India Design Excellence - Visual Communication category award, the Kyoorius Design Nomination, Inbook Winner award and Pool India's Best Design Project.

A person free from the fear to fit in the society, she follows the theory – its ok to not know what to do until we are aware of what not to do. Speaking with The Hans India, she says, "If you want us to fit into the herd mentality, we cannot bring in an unique design or solution. Designers have to solve problems and unless we question the status quo we cannot come with an original. The key being -- not to get the chaos muddle every thought process, brave enough to question the status quo and yet be calm to notice things as they are."

An intend to set right her domestic front, however ended with a divorce -- a single parent for two children and an employee turned to be an entrepreneur. As she says, these years of emotional investment put in for her children has led them to be responsible and independent. Her 13-year-olddaughter is also an entrepreneur and was recognised as the youngest photographer volunteer at Hyderabad Literature Fest.

Namisha also works with the alternative education community as her children are into homeschooling, here she learnt, money is a trap as needs are endless leading to earn more to fulfil needs. She envisions to create a community space, to involve people in the makers space, to repair and reuse things, in turn being responsible towards the environment.

Having recently presented a paper at the Design Up conference, she says, "Designers play a huge role in what can be done to help the environment.Designers are taught to cater to the consumers. Hence, we end up using our problem-solving skills, to add to the problems faced in the environment unless we don't question ourselves."

Currently, Namisha is invited to be a part of T-catalyst, a Watsapp group, formed by the government of Telangana, and has her sleeves up for the upcoming World Design Assembly -wherein ADI is the stakeholder for the government of TS. Her concluding words for all the women entrepreneurs -- Be an asset not a liability in life. Entrepreneur is the grind we put ourselves to achieve hypothetical success.Get a practical view of what success are we chasing and why are we chasing it, find the answer toachieve a better balance in life.