Minister for Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi Vijay Balaji attended the event as the chief guest. He was joined by Sudhir Sharma, Founder of Indi Design, Design India and India's Best Design Awards, Senthil Ramesh A, Secretary and Correspondent of SBIOA Educational Trust, and Group Captain R. Vijayakumar, Executive Director of Madras Management Association. More than 50 design leaders and industry practitioners participated in the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Vijay Balaji announced that the Tamil Nadu government would procure designs created by students of DOT School of Design. The announcement marked a major development in connecting design education with public sector applications.
The event featured the Display Showcase, which presented more than 200 student projects across two parallel exhibition halls. The exhibits covered identity systems, spatial interventions, material explorations and speculative industrial design. The Fashion Design batch staged a live runway presentation under Spotlight '26, where 25 graduating students showcased their collections and received enthusiastic appreciation from the audience.
A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Design Chair and renowned designer Balaram Singanapalli. The honour was conferred in the presence of Alexander Dodonov, Director and Vice Consul General of Russia, R.B. Bhaskaran, former Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi, and Ramesh, Managing Director of Pothys, recognising Balaram Singanapalli's lifelong contribution to design education and professional practice in India.
Carrying the theme "Change", the event reflected the emphasis placed on academic rigour, independent thinking and practical application through the work of the graduating students. Bringing together five disciplines under one graduating class, the programme underscored Chennai's growing importance in India's evolving design ecosystem.
Dr. AR R Raammnath, Chairman of DOT School of Design, said that design at the institution is rooted in social responsibility and aims to benefit people and communities. He stated that graduating designers leave with the belief that design should remain accessible to ordinary citizens.
Now in its third consecutive year, Design Confluence has continued to expand its reach and strengthen its engagement with industry stakeholders. The event further reinforced DOT School of Design's position as a leading design institution in Tamil Nadu and highlighted the increasing prominence of Chennai in the country's creative and design landscape.
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