Why Textiles from Across States?
Universality of Textiles
Every state in India has a unique textile tradition, weaving, dyeing, or embroidery that is instantly recognisable, tactile, and deeply tied to cultural identity.
Compact & Lightweight
Textile swatches could be represented on small, flat cards that fit the strict space and weight constraints, unlike larger craft forms.
Cultural
Storytelling
Each textile is not just fabric, it carries a story of artisans, techniques, festivals, and local history. Together, they form a pan-Indian narrative of heritage.
Symbol of Unity in Diversity
By capturing textiles from across states, Dharohar represents not just one craft, but the collective richness of India’s cultural fabric, literally and metaphorically.
“Space-flown Memorabilia for ISRO–NASA Axiom-4 Mission”
Brief Overview
An experiential deck of playing cards featuring authentic Indian textiles, blending culture, craft, and storytelling.
ISRO NASA Winner
Product + Experience Design
Cultural Preservation
Flew to Space (ISS)
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Designing Within Boundaries
Tight constraints met a limitless culture. The challenge was to keep the soul of Indian craft alive in 5×5 cm and under 20g.
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From Compression to Expression
We transformed the idea into tactile cards that hold textures, stories, and digital extensions through AR.
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Dharohar
Takes
Flight
A collection of textile-inspired cards - compact, cultural, and cosmic. A piece of India, reimagined for space.
The Brief
As part of the ISRO–NASA joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS), NID students were invited to design custom memorabilia items that would travel with the Indian Astronaut Designate. These artefacts, also called space-flown items, would stay in space for a few days and return as symbols of India’s cultural identity and heritage.
The initiative aimed to combine Indian crafts and cultural elements with the rigor of space design constraints, creating something small yet deeply meaningful that could become a part of space exploration history.
The Design Challenge
To design a unique, memorable artefact that reflects India’s heritage and cultural richness.
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To ensure the design fits strict constraints:
Form
Small paintings (10cm × 10cm) or objects in metal, wood, or textile (5cm × 5cm, ≤ 20g).
Durability
capable of surviving space conditions.
Meaningfulness
a strong cultural story embedded in the design.
The Process Requirements
Submit initial ideas inspired by Indian crafts, with rough dimensions and mass estimates.
Concept
Proposal
Selected concepts refined into detailed design proposals.
Shortlisting &
Refinement
Artefacts chosen by ISRO-HSFC would be certified and carried to the ISS on Axiom-4 mission.
Final
Submission
The Objective
To create artefacts that -
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Celebrate India’s cultural identity through crafts and heritage.
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Mark India’s journey to space with a symbolic design contribution.
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Showcase NID’s creativity and innovation at an international stage.
Ideation
We wanted our design to embody more than just a decorative artefact, it needed to carry India’s cultural identity into space in a way that was tangible, memorable, and representative of the nation’s diversity. The name Dharohar (meaning heritage) reflects the essence of what we aimed to capture: India’s living legacy, preserved and celebrated beyond Earth.
Dharohar Got Shortlisted
“From over 200+ submissions, Dharohar stood out as one of just 16 artefacts chosen to journey beyond Earth on the Axiom mission.”
Prototype Development
In the product development stage, our focus revolved around two key aspects.
Authentic Textile Collection
“Curating Authentic Textiles” - Each textile swatch was carefully chosen to represent its state, balancing authenticity, durability, and storytelling value.
Designing the Keepsake Box
“The Keepsake Box” - The outer box was designed to protect the cards and act as a collectible object in itself, an artifact that carries the essence of Indian craftsmanship.
The Weaves of India That Shaped Dharohar
To celebrate India’s cultural diversity, Dharohar brought together textiles from across states, each swatch carrying its own story, craft technique, and heritage. Together, they form a tapestry of traditions that journeyed beyond Earth as part of our deck.
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Every Dharohar card is designed with two layers of experience.
On the front, a textile swatch represents the richness of India’s diverse weaves and crafts.
Each card includes a QR code that unlocks the textile’s story, ts origin, history, culture, and craft.
This way, each card goes beyond being just a tactile artefact, it becomes an interactive gateway into India’s living heritage.
A minimal box etched with Dharohar and ISRO × NASA, balancing weight and strength.
The box design was a key challenge, we had to keep it lightweight for space travel yet strong enough to protect the cards.
After exploring material options, we choose millboard sheets, laser-cut for precision. Etched with “Dharohar” and the ISRO × NASA insignia, the box became more than packaging; it became part of the story.
From Idea to Space: The Final Product
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1. Unbox
Open the Dharohar box and take out the deck of textile cards.
2. Explore
See, touch, and feel each card to experience textiles from different states of India.
3. Discover
Pick any card and scan the QR code on its back.
4. Learn
Unlock detailed stories, origins, tools, and techniques on your phone through the scan.
Significance
Cultural Representation
Dharohar symbolises India’s vast textile heritage, carrying it beyond borders and into space.
Commemoration
Dharohar symbolises India’s vast textile heritage, carrying it beyond borders and into space.
Design Under Constraint
Showcases how cultural narratives can be preserved even within extreme limitations of size, weight, and durability.
Impact
Tactile Learning
Each card offers a hands-on way to experience textiles, making heritage more accessible.
Interactive Storytelling
QR codes bring alive the stories, tools, and techniques behind every weave.
Preservation & Awareness
Helps spread awareness of India’s diverse crafts to a global audience, inspiring curiosity and pride.
Symbolic Value
Serves as a cultural souvenir that astronauts can carry, connecting them to home while sharing India’s identity in space.
How to interact
Moments of Honour
Dharohar, proudly orbiting in space, carrying India’s heritage and cultural richness.
Designing Within Constraints
Working with strict size and weight restrictions pushed us to think minimally yet meaningfully, distilling big cultural ideas into a compact format.
Material Exploration
Experimenting with different substrates for both cards and the box helped us understand how to achieve sturdiness without adding extra weight.
Designing Dharohar under the constraints of a space mission taught us valuable lessons about balancing creativity with practicality.
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Reflection
Interactive Storytelling
Integrating QR codes showed us how physical artefacts can extend into digital experiences, making heritage both tactile and immersive.
Detail Orientation
Every gram, millimeter, and surface mattered, teaching us the importance of precision in design.
Thank You !