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Indian Institute of Crafts and Design

Overview

The Indian Institute of Crafts and Design (IICD) is a specialised design institution located in Jaipur, the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. The institute focuses on the study, development and application of traditional Indian crafts within contemporary design practice, and offers academic programmes that combine craft skills with design education.

Key facts

Name Indian Institute of Crafts and Design
Abbreviation IICD
Type Design institution
Focus Crafts and design education
Location Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Country India

Background

Rajasthan has long been associated with a wide spectrum of traditional Indian crafts, including textiles, block printing, blue pottery, metalwork, jewellery, leatherwork and stonecraft. IICD was established in this context to provide structured education that links these craft traditions with formal design training, supporting both artisanal communities and the wider design industry.

Academic focus

The institute's academic work is centred on craft-based design, with attention to materials, techniques, processes and the social context of artisanal production. Areas of study typically associated with the institute include:

  • Soft material design, including textiles and surface design.
  • Hard material design, including ceramics, metal and stone.
  • Fashion and lifestyle accessories drawing on craft techniques.
  • Craft management, documentation and research.

Programmes are designed to combine studio practice with field engagement in craft clusters, encouraging students to work directly with artisan communities.

Significance

IICD occupies a distinctive position among Indian design institutions because of its specific orientation towards crafts. By treating craft as a primary domain of design education rather than as a peripheral subject, the institute contributes to:

  • Documentation and continuation of traditional craft knowledge.
  • Development of contemporary products rooted in craft practice.
  • Capacity building among artisans and craft entrepreneurs.
  • Research linking design, culture and rural livelihoods.

Location context

Jaipur, where the institute is based, is part of a region with active craft economies in towns and villages such as Sanganer, Bagru, Jodhpur and Udaipur. This proximity allows the institute to integrate field-based learning with classroom instruction, and to engage with practising artisans and craft enterprises in Rajasthan.

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