Priyadarshi : 8 Random Seniors

Priyadarshi Satyam, an M.Des. student, has had a transformative journey at IDC. Not only did he immerse himself in the creative environment, but he also contributed to the placements team in his second year. In this conversation, he talks highly of the close-knit IDC community and shares fond memories of a funny incident with his professor.

Q. Tell us a bit about how your journey started here,  where you’re from, and where you did your bachelor’s.

I completed my bachelor’s from a private college in Chennai and did mechanical engineering there. I then joined as a student at IDC in 2022. My first year was full of exploratory things; I tried new things, made new friends, and enjoyed college culture.  

Q. Why did you choose IDC as the place to do your Masters?

I found out about IDC professors, and the products that they designed fascinated me. Also, IDC is a small community with a lot of creativity and closeness. We celebrated all festivals together and had studios where we worked day or night, so there was a lot of freedom. 

Q. What new things have you/were you able to explore in the institute? Were you part of / active in any institute body? 

Yeah, I was a part of the placements team in the 2nd year and learned a lot about the system here. It helped me learn new management skills.

Q. Something that you are proud of as your journey here at IITB comes to an end?

IDC is one of the oldest design schools in India, and it is famous all over the world. To be a part of such an institution is crazy.

Q. What is your biggest regret regarding your time here?

I was never able to wake up early, which led to me never being able to visit Sameer Hill. 

Q. Any funny incidents you would like to share?

Most of my funny incidents involve professors. I used to experiment a lot during presentations. In the first year, I had a presentation with a friend who sat with me in class. We had heard from our seniors that this particular professor liked to drink. So, in one of the slides of the presentation, we put a whisky bottle as a joke. The professor was a good sport about it and played along, even spending some time pointing out the design technicalities of the slide. He is very close to us; recently, when we had a party with all the professors, this incident was brought up, and we all had a good laugh. 

Q. Some interesting facts about you?

Before coming here, I used to be more hesitant and not so confident. Staying at this institute and spending time with the people here changed me. I am much more confident and have better communication skills now.

Q. What are your future plans as of now?

I have got a job. I am planning to experiment for a couple of years and then I will figure out what I want to do. As for the long term, I would like to build a startup related to product design.

Q. What would be your message for the batch that is graduating along with you?

To all the 77 people from my batch, I would like to say you guys are amazing in your respective fields. Everyone who is at IDC is special. I am grateful to have met all the people from various different backgrounds here and to have shared my experience with them.

Q. Favourite places in or around the institute and in Mumbai in general?

Some of my favourite places on campus are Hostel 18 Terrace, boathouse, IDC Terrace, and Rahul Bajaj Terrace. Hiranandani has a tea stall, and there are momo sellers everywhere, which I love to visit. You get good soya chaap and momos there. I’ve also enjoyed going to RCity and a lot of places in South Bombay as well. 

Q. What movie genre would you say your life here was like?

It can be best described as life-changing for a lot of reasons.

Q. What are some realisations as you leave behind this place?

Be good at what you are, believe in yourself and do the best you can.

Q. What would your advice to the junior batch be?

I would tell them to explore as much as possible, explore all the available facilities, and participate in events. Don’t let yourself feel like you’re not exploring enough.

Editorial Credits: Bhakti Patil