From farmer to graphic designer.

Democratising design-thinking and making design-education accessible to everyone.

Rabi standing in a mustard field in flower near Plassey — The mustard fields near Plassey, where the story starts.

A younger Rabi painting a large poster by hand on the floor — Painting by hand at Presidency, before any of it went digital.

Journey

I am Rabiul Islam, also known as Rabi, originating from the region associated with the Battle of Plassey, born into a family of farmers. My aspiration to visit Kolkata was fulfilled when I successfully passed the entrance exam for the Department of Philosophy at the erstwhile Presidency University. Immersing myself in the vibrant community of progressive students in Kolkata, I initially delved into the world of art, which I persistently argue is synonymous with the world of design.

Discovering my newfound ability to create handmade posters that not only addressed topics like Tahrir to Shahbagh but also featured Dokra figurines or Bengali calligraphy for International Mother Tongue Day, I witnessed the evolution of my artistic expression.

As the world around me changed, I seamlessly transitioned from traditional art paper to the digital realm. The possibilities in the digital medium opened my eyes, and the appreciation received from fellow enthusiasts convinced me that this was destined to be my profession.

Subsequently, I engaged in freelance projects while still at university and gradually worked my way to a position as a graphic designer at Grasshopper Media in New Delhi after graduation. Seeking further education, I pursued a post-graduation in Design at the Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology.

10+ Years of experience
100+ Brands collaborated with
260+ People facilitated
32+ Designers mentored

Path

From farmer to designer, in the order it happened.

2012-2016 Presidency University · BA Philosophy Indian and Western thought, logic, ethics, socio-political theory. Handmade posters for college events, from Tahrir to Shahbagh; Bengali calligraphy for Mother Tongue Day. The first digital posters.
2017-2018 Grasshopper Media, New Delhi · Graphic Designer First full-time studio work. DD News, Duranta TV, Room to Read, IVS School of Design.
2018-2020 Srishti Institute, Bengaluru · MA Design Experiments in UI/UX through human-centred and ethnographic methods, with ethics and social consequence treated as design constraints.
2019-2020 Be Bold & KREO, Bengaluru Tata Motors, Bosch India, Air India, Titan, Reliance, Embassy Office Parks, Namma Bengaluru.
2019- Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Delhi · Consultant Publication layout and cover design for the twelve-volume Artificial Intelligence in India series, with programme branding and social content alongside.
2020-2022 AIcrowd, Geneva · Head of Design Entered as Artist in Residence, left as Head of Design. AI challenges run with OpenAI, Facebook AI, Sony, Amazon, ADDI, EPFL and Carnegie Mellon University, reaching a community of 60,000+ developers and researchers.
2022-2024 Inclusive Minds, Bengaluru · Design Director Conversation-based campaigns and design systems that amplify political voices, digital products built from engagement problems, and data-centric dashboards for socio-political work.
2025- Studio 1947 & Design Gundey, Darjeeling · Founder A consulting and innovation practice at the intersection of data, design, technology, communication and research: human-centred work rooted in local wisdom and made for global relevance.

Also: Design Thinking at the University of Virginia, Digital Product Design (Udemy), and Ethnography Methods with Atreyee Majumder. In 2020 I helped the Quarantine Student Youth Network raise over €300,000 for Covid and Amphan cyclone relief, and since 2024 I have run free workshops on design thinking, digital literacy and AI awareness.

Organisations & brands

Seven or eight years across advertising agencies, tech firms, AI startups, consultancies and NGOs, and the brands each setting brought with it.

Sep 2020 - Aug 2022 AIcrowd OpenAI, Facebook AI, Sony, Amazon, Firmenich. Research institutions including ADDI, EPFL and Carnegie Mellon University.
Jan 2020 - Jun 2020 KREO Air India, Titan, Bosch India, Reliance, Embassy Office Parks.
Jan 2019 - Dec 2020 Be Bold Tata Motors, NVG 2.0, Mantri Square, Namma Bengaluru, Manthan, Office Pulse.
Jun 2017 - Aug 2018 Grasshopper Media DD News, Duranta TV, IVS School of Design, Room to Read, Krowten, Gulshan, Unity One.
2015 - now Direct contracts Government of Jharkhand, Bihar State Electricity Board, Sewa Bharat, Bihar Tourism, Ecological Foundation, GoEgo EV, Vedanta, Rajkamal Prakashan, Urdu Bazar Publication, Followup Stories, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Vanya.

Now

After graduating from Srishti, I began my residency at AIcrowd as an Artist in Residence, delving into the intersection of communication design and real-time AI applications. This experience culminated in my role as Head of Design, leading the team until August 2022.

I am now focused on crafting intuitive UI/UX experiences for digital products and services. My passion lies in harnessing design for social impact, and creating communication-driven solutions that drive positive change: design for social goods and services, and communication-based design solutions.

Day to day that means design strategy, UI/UX, information architecture and design systems; ethnographic research, data storytelling and dashboard design; and the slower crafts of brand, packaging and strategic presentations.

My photography & reflection

Stories look in/out

Search

Within myself there is an ongoing search, a constant quest for less corrupt systems, a longing for peace, and a continuous exploration of heterotopia.

Work-life balance

I believe in the labour of love, and equally in taking real breaks. That equilibrium keeps the work honest, and it is what lets a person keep growing.

Risk

As the child of a farmer, I have watched hard years arrive uninvited more than once. The willingness to take a risk is a quality I have come to value.

Home

I believe everyone is a refugee. I am forever flying from here to there, settling with people and making relations. Home, for me, is always in motion.

Dissemination

We need to pass our traditional knowledge on to the people who come after us. It is what sustains our roots, and the only way we grow organically.

Co-ordination

In a market built on competition, it is co-operation and an inclusive way of thinking that can still save the future we are all going to share.

Alternative

People align with the majority narrative, and still counter-hegemony persists. There is always an alternative, and I choose the struggle over the FOMO.

Death & life

Where there is birth, there is death. Rebirth I am unsure of, but I accept the cycle: the old has to depart to make room for what begins after it.