AD Agencies
Think Design signs MoU with IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation
Mumbai: Think Design, Havas India’s UI/UX specialist agency, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation. The MOU aims to foster a beneficial collaboration between the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Mandi and Think Design (TD). The TIH, which focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, was established with the backing of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI), and is housed at IIT Mandi.
The goal of the MoU is to provide a formal platform for Think Design and iHub to collaborate in mutually advantageous areas of Research & Development to support the adoption of solutions that have social and economic consequences. The partnership aims to raise public awareness and help build skills in the usage of technologies, such as those used to develop Assistive Technologies, Experience Technologies, and Device-led Technologies. The MoU will also result in the sharing of information and resources to increase the impact of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) collaboration for case-specific products and solutions.
“IIT Mandi iHub envisions to be an internationally recognized hub that nurtures HCI research, enables technology translation for industry, and scales skill development,” stated IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation CEO Somjit Amrit, speaking about the MoU.
“In keeping with this resolve, we are eager to collaborate in addressing real-life problem statements through the integration of translational research that leads to industry acceptance. Industrial design is critical to the transition from prototype to product and commercialization. With that in mind, a collaboration with an industry leader like Think Design is expected to help the industry to incorporate the most recent and relevant research, resulting in a faster Go-To-Market with product-market fits, which would improve user experience,” he said.
“As a pioneering design and research consultancy, our focus has always been to bring path-breaking ideas to the market,” said Think Design chief strategy officer Hari Nallan. “Our collaboration with IIT Mandi’s Technology Innovation Hub is critical and will help us further our mission. The partnership’s breadth and areas of involvement are cutting-edge and highly relevant to the market’s current needs. I’m very happy to launch this meaningful effort that will benefit not only Think Design and IIT Mandi TIH, but also society as a whole,” he further added.
AD Agencies
ABBY Awards 2026 names 3 jury chairs across digital, PR and publisher
Aditiya, Dharmaraj and Puri to lead key categories at Goafest 2026
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of PG Aditiya, Deepshikha Dharmaraj and Pavita Puri as jury chairs for the Digital, PR and Publisher categories respectively at the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club and The One Show.
The awards are set to take place during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together some of the biggest names in advertising and marketing.
PG Aditiya, founder and CCO at Talented, will chair the Digital jury. A former chief creative officer at Dentsu Webchutney, he now leads Talented, an employee-owned independent agency known for its unconventional structure and award-winning work for brands such as Meta, Google, Britannia and Tanishq. The agency has also been recognised as a global ‘Best Place to Work’ by Campaign magazine for two consecutive years.
In the PR category, Deepshikha Dharmaraj, CEO at Burson Group India, brings over three decades of experience in public relations and integrated communications. She oversees multiple entities including Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India. Known for her strategic counsel and leadership, Dharmaraj has also served as president of industry bodies such as PRCAI and PAFI, and has been a jury member at global platforms including Cannes PR Lions and D&AD Awards.
Pavita Puri, chief brand and marketing officer at The Indian Express Group, will chair the Publisher category. With over 15 years of leadership experience, she has been instrumental in driving the group’s transition into a digital-first media powerhouse, overseeing brands such as The Indian Express, Financial Express, Loksatta and Jansatta. Her earlier stints in advertising include roles at Rediffusion and Lowe India, where she handled marquee clients across sectors.
The appointments reflect a strong mix of creative, communications and media expertise, underscoring the awards’ focus on recognising excellence across evolving industry segments.
As the industry gears up for Goafest, the ABBY Awards 2026 promise to spotlight standout work, with seasoned leaders at the helm of jury deliberations shaping the benchmark for creative excellence.
