It is said that one of the most powerful things in the world is an idea. For an idea can ignite minds, create or change beliefs, and spread faster than wildfire. Design Mafia was also launched on an idea of redesigning processes in the society. With a motive of creating closed loop systems which would enable the society to be self-sustainable, the organization has given a new perspective to what it means to recycle and make things sustainable. An organization which is founded and run entirely by the student community, Design Mafia is committed to a collective effort of social upliftment. The team literally specializes in finding the gems from trash and then up cycles it to its true value.
The journey started when Saajan Varanasi, Co-Founder of Design Mafia, Co-Founder Hirak Hati Baruah, and Founder Director Deepankar Biswas of Design Mafia observed and thought about the tremendous amount of waste that was being generated in their day to day academic activities. All three of them are architecture students, Saajan is from School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, Hirak Hati Baruah from Guwahati College of Architecture, Assam, while Deepankar is from Babu Banarasi Das University, Lucknow. The daily garbage ignited the idea of making something valuable from the waste, instead of dumping it in the garbage. Design Mafia began evolving from an ideology into a more organized and concrete organization that it is now today.
The team rapidly began to grow and now has a core team of nine members and numerous regional units comprising of academics, professionals and students from all diverse streams with a total force of more than 6000 members as of now.Apart from recycling, the young people of the organization has also initiated educating people in the cottage industry and helping them grow with a more efficient design of their products and market plans. The basic aim of the organization is to entail the skill development and management skills of young minds.
The organization which started on 26th January 2014 have conducted 26 workshops and held talk shows on the topic of “Utilization of Waste” across India. The organization has also started their initiative in major Institutes like IIT-Delhi, IIT-Mumbai, IIT-Madras, NIT-Warangal,NIT- Bhopal, IISET-Kolkata, IIM-Kolkata, Hindustan University-Chennai, UVSE-Bangalore and many premier institutes across India.The organization is constructing shelters out of waste and their designs have been highly appreciated. One of their designs also got a place in LIMCA Book of Records for making the tallest structure out of waste in two days. Another product got shortlisted among the top 100 in India Design Council.
They don’t claim to change the world, they claim to redesign it.
