HYDERABAD: A positive mindset will take one far in life, said Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, at the third convocation of the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) here on Tuesday. In her address, the Governor said that India, which used to import pieces of clothing and footwear, now exports them. This is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, she said.
Fashion and footwear designers are the ones who make others feel happy and beautiful, she added and elaborated on how the right footwear can aid one’s health and wellbeing. The convocation marked a new beginning for 181 students across five courses - Bachelor of Design (B.Des) - Footwear Design and Production, B.Des - Fashion Design, B.Des - Leather Lifestyle and Product Design and Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Retail and Fashion Merchandise.
Asmita Marwa, who owns an eponymous sustainable fashion label, was the Guest of Honour at the event. Referring to fashion as the “canvas of the soul”, she urged the graduating class to put sustainability at the core of their work. Sustainability should be the “guiding star”, she said.
Managing Director of FDDI, Col. Pankaj Kumar Sinha said that FDDI has always added value by incorporating the best business and technological practices in order to bridge the gap between theory and the practical realities of the outside world so that students are equipped to prove their worth in the relevant industries within a short span of time.
FDDI, which comes under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, was established in Noida in 1986 and boasts of the status of ‘Institution of National Importance’ (INI). The Hyderabad campus was established in 2018.