Studio 1947 Journal
Stories, Ideas & Perspectives.
We celebrate local wisdom. Here are a few stories about traditional knowledge, design, culture & communities.
Insights
Practical notes from our work.
Articles on the data, design, technology, research and communication problems we work on with organisations, NGOs, hospitals, colleges and businesses.
How to Plan a Website Redesign
A practical guide for NGOs, colleges and growing organisations: what to audit, what to keep, and how to protect search visibility during the move.
NGO Website Design in India
What a high-trust nonprofit website actually needs: evidence, clear audiences, accessible reports and a donation journey built on confidence.
M&E Dashboards for NGOs
From field data to live decision-making: the pipeline behind a monitoring dashboard programme teams can actually trust.
Journal
Stories, ideas & perspectives.
We celebrate local wisdom. Here are a few stories about traditional knowledge, design, culture & communities.
The Lost Art of Bengal's Nakshi Kantha Embroidery: Stories Sewn into Fabric
When you hear about Nakshi Kantha, you might think it's just an old quilt. But for many of us from Bengal, it means something deeper. These stitched blankets hold real stories of family, life, hopes and memories.
When Birth Belonged to Women: Stories of Dais and Displacement
Before hospitals, ultrasounds and epidurals, childbirth across the Indian subcontinent happened at home. It was surrounded by women, rituals and the indigenous knowledge of the dai.
পাখির বাসায় ডিজাইন থিংকিং
আমার বাড়ির বারান্দা বেশ নিরিবিলি। বিগত কয়েকবছর ধরে নানা পাখির আসা-যাওয়া লক্ষ্য করেছি, একটা ছোট্ট সানবার্ড প্রতি বছর নিয়মিত এসে কী সুনিপুণ বাসা বানায়!
Saraswati on the Steering Wheel
"Just a slap, but he can't hit me." That line from the film Thappad inspires many women. I felt its truth again when I met Saraswati Singh, a woman cab driver from Delhi.
The Desert's Alchemy
Long before industrial refineries ran global supply chains, indigenous communities mastered the art of extracting salt. Not from seawater, but from the soil beneath their feet.
এরা ওরা এবং "They, them, and"
এই নিয়ে ড্রয়ারটা চতুর্থ বার বন্ধ করলো সুকল্প। দুই আর দুইয়ে চার, তার মাথার মধ্যে আসছে একের পর এক সংখ্যার প্রবাহ, কিছুতেই সে ভাবা থামাতে পারে না।
The Plow Story, a Time-Tested Design Methodology
The plow is a tool made to prepare soil for planting. Its origins go back to ancient civilizations, and its design grew from local knowledge passed down over generations.
निष्पक्षताको प्रयोग । "The Practice of Impartiality"
बेयार्ड रस्टिन एक अफ्रिकी-अमेरिकी नागरिक अगुवा थिए। सन् १९४० र १९५० को दशकमा उनले सबैका लागि समान अधिकार स्थापनाका निम्ति काम गरे, यो त्यसै समयको एउटा कथा हो।
Timekeeping Before Clocks: Ancient Indian and Bengali Traditions
Long before the mechanical clock, civilisations used indigenous methods (celestial observations, water clocks and the rhythms of nature) to track time and order daily life.
Litti Chokha: A Culinary Treasure Rooted in Ayurveda and Sustainability
What if one of Bihar's most beloved street foods is also packed with Ayurvedic nutrition? Litti Chokha has fed farmers, warriors and travelers for centuries.
Empathy & Design: Design as a Means of Understanding
In design, empathy is not just an important principle. It's the cornerstone. It helps designers understand how people feel and make solutions that truly connect.
My 'Boring' Traditional Attire Was Never 'Boring' at All
Packing for college was exciting for Imu. It was her first time leaving the hometown she had lived in for seventeen years. A story of sisterly debates, identity and the quiet pride of traditional dress.
Bishnu Sendra Parv (Hunting Festival)
A hunting festival celebrated by the tribes of the Chotanagpur Plateau. Each May, the Santhal, Bhumij, Munda, Ho, Birhor and Kharia communities enter the Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary.
Brewing Beer and Memories
Aliya and her cousins travel back from Delhi to their hometown in Arunachal Pradesh, carrying gifts and flavoured yu. A story of family, homecoming and the taste of tradition.
Sadhu | साधु
जङ्गलबीचमा साधुको एउटा कुटीर थियो। यिनी दयालु थिए। जङ्गलका सारा पशुपक्षी यिनका कुटीर वरिपरि निर्धक्क चर्दै घुमफिर गर्थे, एक दिन साधुले पशुहरूको बथान घट्दै गएको थाहा पाए।
Clothes Have "No" Gender. Isn't It???
एक सच्ची कहानी से शुरुआत करते हैं: स्पेन की एक मुहिम "Clothes Have No Gender"। सच तलाशने की कोशिश करें तो पता चलेगा कि कपड़ों का कोई लिंग नहीं होता।
The Lost Math of Kolam
In southern India, women rise before dawn to draw intricate geometric patterns in rice flour. Known as kolam, rangavalli and muggulu, these are visual rituals and ancient algorithms.
Childhood Rituals
I grew up in nineties Bombay, a city soon to be Mumbai, at the peak of her 'sapno ka shehar' swag. Here I share a few childhood rituals kept under my grandma Papama's care.
More stories are Coming Soon
