Former director of the National Institute of Design, Dr Darlie Koshy, has been awarded with the Star of Italian Solidarity Award by Italian Ambassador to India Roberto Toscano. The award was presented to him in New Delhi on Wednesday.

At present, Koshy is the director-general of education and training initiatives of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC).

Dr Koshy has made over 200 presentations within and outside India. His recent book Indian Design Edge got critical acclaim as a pioneering and thought provoking work.

He is credited with initiating and drafting the country’s first national design policy, approved by the government in February 2007. A statement issued by the Italian Ambassador stated: “Dr Darlie Koshy in his capacity of former Director of National Institute of Design, the Principal Institute of Indian Design has greatly contributed to the Indo-Italian co-operation in the field of design.”