MAM
IBDS awards to roll out its second edition
MUMBAI: India Best Design Studio Awards 2016 by POOL magazine is set to enter its second year. These awards recognize the best, most creative, most organized and professional Design studios in India. IBDSA, aims to help clients to choose work with the best studios in India. They also believe that these awards will soon become the basic filter for companies to commission work.
IBDSA aspires to give limelight to good- work amongst studios. The designers have opportunity to nominate themselves. This will be shortlisted by jury later. The jury for 2016 awards includes prominent 20 names from 10 countries, like Prof. Anil Sinha from, Ahmedabad, Sophia Shih from Taipei, National award winner Subrata Bhowmick from Ahmedabad among others.
The nominees for 2016 awards under graphic design category are Aaiba Brand Strategy & Design, Lopez Design and Tata Elxsi. Turmeric Designs won this category in 2015. Industrial design category was awarded to Desmania Design Pvt Ltd in 2015 and has Universal Designovation Lab LLP, Tata Elxsi – Industrial Design Studio and Desmania Design as nominees this year.
In other categories, the nominees are- The Neon Project, Umbrella Design and Lopez Design in Brand design category, Lopez Design won respective category last year.
Tata Elxsi, Wow Design Pvt Ltd in Packaging design. Think Design Collaborative, Lollypop, UI-UX Studio, Fractal Ink Design Studio in Digital design.
Young design studio category has Project 810, Kosh and Studio Woods. Archohm Studio and Morphogenesis are nominations for Architectural studios category. Tata Elxsi and Mu Design are nominees for Spatial Design category. In- house studios has Ashokleyland Styling Studio, GCPL Design Studio and Tata Motors Design as nominations.
The nominees will be judged on the following criteria- Degree of innovation, is the concept new or does it supplement an existing product with a new desirable quality? Aesthetic quality- is the concept’s form pleasant to look at? Realization possibility- can the innovation be produced from a technological and economical point of view? Technological- can the concept be produced in 1 to 3 years’ time? Economical- Considering the manufacturing method, technology and use of materials, can the concept be produced at a reasonable price? Functionality and usefulness- does the concept fulfill all requirements of handling, usability, safety, and maintenance? Does it fulfill a need or function? Emotional content- what does the concept offer the user beyond its immediate practical purpose in terms of sensual quality, possibilities of a playful use or emotional attachment? And Impact- result of the concept.
This year’s awards are dedicated to Late professor MP Ranjan.
Brands
Ekart expands IKEA partnership with EV deliveries in Chennai
3PL to handle 600 plus products with 48 hour delivery via EV fleet.
MUMBAI: Flatpacks are going electric and your sofa might now arrive with a smaller carbon footprint. Ekart has expanded its partnership with IKEA to power last-mile deliveries in Chennai, doubling down on speed, scale and sustainability in one of India’s key urban markets. Under the collaboration, Ekart will manage end-to-end large-format deliveries for IKEA across the city using a 100 per cent dedicated electric vehicle fleet. The move makes Chennai the second major market after NCR-Delhi where Ekart handles IKEA’s last-mile logistics, signalling a broader rollout of EV-led supply chains.
The mandate is no small load. Ekart will oversee deliveries for over 600 products from IKEA’s catalogue, ranging from furniture to home décor—categories that demand specialised handling and precision logistics.
Backed by its technology-driven fulfilment network, Ekart is targeting deliveries within a 48-hour window, offering real-time tracking and end-to-end visibility from warehouse to doorstep. The focus is clear: faster turnarounds without compromising on control or customer experience.
The EV-first model also aligns with both companies’ sustainability goals, as urban logistics increasingly shifts towards zero-emission solutions. For IKEA, which continues to expand its omnichannel presence in India, reliable and eco-conscious last-mile delivery is becoming central to scale.
For Ekart, the partnership reinforces its positioning as an enterprise-grade logistics player in large-format commerce. The company already supports over 1,800 retail, D2C and enterprise brands, spanning last-mile delivery, part-truckload services and warehousing.
As India’s logistics ecosystem evolves, this collaboration highlights a growing trend: delivery is no longer just about distance, it’s about efficiency, experience and increasingly, emissions.
