The Young Designers' Panel

The Young Designers' Panel is a brand-new discussion format hosted by Young Designers India (YDI) in Bengaluru, designed to spotlight early-career design talent. This intimate gathering flips the traditional panel format: instead of established designers taking the stage, the spotlight belongs to emerging designers who share the real, unfiltered story of their early years in design—the wins, the failures, the pivots, and the unspoken truths about design school and the industry.

Who it's for:

• Early-career designers and design students
• Anyone curious about the realities of building a design career in India
• YDI members and non-members alike

What to expect:

• A moderated panel discussion with a senior design voice
• Honest conversations about the early years of design
• A unique rotating panel format: audience members are invited to join the panel and share their own perspectives
• An intimate setting at a secret garage location (revealed only to confirmed attendees)
• Limited spots—only 30 seats available

Panelists:

• Anubhav Tyagi – Industrial designer with a passion for materials and the business of design
• Kedar Benjamin – Independent designer working at the intersection of footwear and computational design
• Suhani Chheda – Textile design graduate working with a venture builder on circular textile waste systems
• Suramya Pathak – Art director at a leading ad agency with experience across three continents
• Panelists 5 and 6: You? – A couple of chairs on the panel are rotating; audience members will be invited to share their own perspectives.

Moderator:

• Sameer Gaikwad – Founder leveraging cross-disciplinary experience across automotive, industrial, and brand design to help early-stage ventures build solutions from scratch.

Event details:

• Date: 15 August 2026, 10:00 AM IST (doors close at 10:15 AM sharp)
• Location: Secret garage location in Bengaluru (revealed only to confirmed attendees)
• Fees: Students and YDI Members: INR 899; Non-members: INR 1,199
• RSVP: Fill out the registration link; the first 30 people receive an invite with a payment link. Payment must be completed within 6 hours to confirm your spot, otherwise it moves to the next person on the waitlist.

Important notes:

• Each approved RSVP is for one person only.
• RSVPs are confirmed only after ticket fees are paid.
• The venue has 5 resident cats—plan accordingly if you have allergies.
• No parking at the venue; metro stations (green and yellow lines) are within walking distance.
• Contact Saurav at +91 9662430619 for questions.

About Young Designers India (YDI): YDI is the largest support network for Indian designers living and working across the world, with over 16,000 members. This event is part of YDI's mission to spotlight young desi talent and foster meaningful connections within the design community.