KOCHI:
Kerala requires a Department of Design for the state to emerge as a creative hub of the world, according to experts at a three-day international event here.
Such a set-up can enable the government to focus on the state’s strengths in the field of design and resolve pertinent deficiences, a panel comprising an academician, artist, media personality and a bureaucrat said at the Kochi Design Week that concluded today.
The experts were addressing a session on ‘Kerala as Creative Hub of the World’ on the second day of the December 12-14 KDW, organised chiefly by the government to chart a long-term development mission for the state through futuristic design and architecture.
Moderating the discussions, National Institute of Design former director Pradyumna Vyas said Kerala’s strengths in the area of IT and digital competencies, tourism, heritage and culture make it a strong contender for being the creative hub of the world. “The government, policymakers and bureaucrats are promoting creative activity in a big way, as can be seen from the way the second edition of KDW has grown over the last year,” he noted.
Kochi Biennale Foundation President Bose Krishnamachari highlighted the varied strengths of Kerala in the field of culture — ranging from the state’s folk arts to native costumes. Making a special mention of the summer-time temple festival of Thrissur Pooram as a grand amalgamation of colour, sound and music, he also spoke of the grandeur of the annual International Film Festival of Kerala in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram.
Krishnamachari began with a video presentation of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale which is a global celebration of contemporary art that completed four editions since 2012. “The Kochi Design Biennale will open on 12.12.2021, making Kerala a destination of contemporary art and design world every year,” he added.
Mridula Sharma, Editor-in-Charge of Livingetc, said she was amazed by the volume of creative talent Kerala has at every level. Speaking as an observer of the state for the last 20 years, she hoped Kerala would not lose out on its discerning sense to distinguish between the right and the wrong. “There is talent in the system. It just needs to be culled out, packaged and presented to the world,” she pointed out.
Major Dinesh Bhaskar, Additional Private Secretary to the Kerala Chief Minister, touched upon on four aspects to successful implementation of a project: good and decisive governance, resource availability, friendly laws and committed bureaucrats.
He talked about the projects on their way to successful completion in Kerala, including the GAIL natural gas pipeline project; National Waterways project that was launched in 1986 and the 34-year-old Kollam Bypass. “When the government came into power in 2016, GAIL was winding up a project in Kerala that envisioned transport of LNG over 444 km from Kochi to Mangalore and over 90 km from Kochi to a Tamil Nadu port. When our CM called on the Prime Minister, his promise was that the project would be completed in 2019. The Government has completed 441.23 km of the project as of today.”
Major Bhaskar also said that famed Chinese nets of Kochi will remain untouched when the proposed Water Metro project takes shape. This comment drew applause from the audience.
