Meet The Jury
An alumnus of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Adil has over a decade of experience in illustration, animation, visual arts, and design strategy. He has worked on Disney animated films and Discovery Channel documentaries, showcasing his versatile creative skills. As Co-Founder and Creative Director at Unomono, he loves to constantly innovate using an array of design mediums and marry them with good storytelling for brands he and his team partner with daily, including some of India’s largest brands and exciting startups
Radhika Dhuru, a Brand Design Purist and Creative Director at Open Strategy and Design, leads her team with flair and a rebellious spirit. With over 17 years of experience, she believes that simple ideas executed well can create significant impact. Passionate about lifestyle brands, she has designed notable logos for Manish Malhotra, Yatra, Ellementry, and Kumari jewels. Radhika sees design as visual problem-solving, focusing on meaningful, consumer-centric designs that evoke joy.
She now, is the Creative Director at NH1 Design. She aspires to create brands people can love. She has received various awards for art and photography. She has worked on brands like GSK, Unitech, Wipro, Nasscom and Trident Hotels at Brand Union, Bangalore. She has designed packaging and retail for brands like Nestlé, Pepsi and Marico, ITC, Kokuyo Camlin, Aditya Birla at Landor & FITCH India, out of which some have won awards for packaging design.
Having started off creating identities and posters for India's Independent music scene, Nikunj now works as a motion specialist across various media and formats. His creative practice Studio Moebius has produced and managed Design & Motion projects for Canva, UNDP, Public Health England, Channel 4 UK, Don Julio, Moet Hennesy, and Redbull Music to name a few. His portfolio ranges from artworks and films to creating motion-led campaigns and even projection mapping.
Shefali Ahir, with over 15 years of experience, has built the most memorable brand narratives for some of the country’s iconic as well as emerging brands. Her work has not only been awarded on national and international platforms but has also influenced positive change. A storyteller by passion, Shefali leads the creative force at Moshimbo.
After a decade as a graphic designer, Tosha became a ceramic artist two years ago. This gradual transition was shaped by observing and questioning fellow artists. Tosha’s focus has been on techniques and forms, and she recently realized her ceramic work is influenced by her design background, particularly in shapes and presentation.
Kapil Dhawan began his career at Mudra in 1996, training under Freddy and Naved. He worked at Capital, TBWA, and Mudra again before co-founding VGC. Along with Arnab, he became an entrepreneur, launching one of India’s first web-based citizen empowerment portals, streetanchor.com, in 2007. This led to the establishment of Tree, a design and communication company in New Delhi. Notable brands he has worked with include Nestlé, Electrolux, Sony PlayStation, HBO, and McDonald's.
Shweta graduated as a Gold Medalist in Applied Arts from Sophia Polytechnic in 2004 and worked as an Art Director at agencies like McCann Erickson and Ogilvy. In 2008, after a stint at Fabrica in Italy, she pivoted to Graphic Design, collaborating with Rediffusion Y&R Design and Grandmother India. With 18 years of experience, she focuses on lifestyle, fashion, and music design, showcasing a minimal, bold aesthetic that contrasts India's maximalist visuals.
Varun Mehta is a transdisciplinary designer from Mumbai, India, specializing in architecture, identity, communication, and product design. He graduated as an architect in 2017 from Mumbai University, initially examining how spatial design affects behavior. He gained experience at Studio 823, The Busride Design Studio, and Studio Tessera, focusing on material studies, architectural research, and sustainable design. In 2020, he founded ARC.HV, a digital platform that brings together creatives through projects like Virtual Gods, India's first virtual art exhibit, and an Open Source Design Library. In 2022, he earned a Master’s in Computational Design from the Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, focusing on parametric workflows, machine learning, AI, and social impact design. Mehta also advocates for skateboarding culture in Mumbai, contributing to skatepark development and public space initiatives. He is the creative director at Urban Monkey, emphasizing accessible design and fostering innovation.
Hiren Dedhia is the Head of Design at Diageo India, responsible for shaping brand stories and packaging for prominent Indian spirits like Mc Dowell’s No.1 and Royal Challenge Whisky. He also created NTW brands such as Godawan Indian Single Malt. Hiren aims to foster creative excellence in Diageo India's marketing. Previously, he worked at design agencies like Landor, JWT, and Grandmother India, collaborating with clients such as Taj Group and Axis Bank on various projects, including Brand Identity Systems and Packaging Design.