CHAI TIME

Professor Mahendra Patel, often regarded as the “God of Indian Type Design,” has left a lasting mark on the field of typography. Join us for a special session as we delve into his rich experiences in Basel, his profound love for typography, and his lifelong dedication as an educator. This robust discussion will highlight Professor Patel’s pioneering contributions to the history of type design in India and his enduring influence on generations of designers.

This session is pre-recorded due to the time difference and will be released on SADEA's Chai Time YouTube Channel on December 5th, 2025.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcYrct3YwIZyRilZzLu1BCqM81ogTyeiY

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Professor Mahendra Patel is a retired Principal Designer who served at the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, for 39 years (1964–2003). After receiving his Graphic Design degree at NID, in 1968, he pursued advanced studies in Graphic Design and Typography in Basel and later collaborated on type design projects with Adrian Frutiger in Paris. He has developed typefaces in several Indian scripts, including Devanagari, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu. Among his notable works is the signage design system for Tirupati, India’s most prestigious pilgrimage city.

Professor Patel has conducted workshops both nationally and internationally. His key recognitions include: Grand Master of Design for his contributions to design education by the Indian Design Association at the Icograda Conference at IIT Mumbai; the Gutenberg International Award, conferred by the Mayor of Mainz, Germany, for his work in type design development for Indian scripts; the Lifetime Achievement Award at Typography Day 2016 in Bengaluru. In 2016, he was felicitated as Design Guru on National Design Guru day by NID Alumni Association, and Association of Designers in India. He was honored as the Living Legend of Design at the Vadodara Design and Film Festival. He currently serves as a Distinguished Professor at the United World Institute of Design, Karnavati University, Gandhinagar.

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CHAI TIME

Discussions where stories of adaptation, South Asian model-minority myths, perceptions and perspectives, challenges, and growth are shared through a long-living tradition of sharing a cup of Chai.