The Guild of Designers & Artists (GDA) consistently supports initiatives that encourage sustainability, responsible design, and meaningful collaboration across creative disciplines. Conversations that bridge business, culture, craftsmanship, and innovation are essential in shaping a more conscious and balanced future.

One such event, The Responsible Luxury Roundtable – Sasmrti, created a powerful platform for dialogue among experts from fields as varied as Textiles, ESG, Academia, AI, Beauty & Wellness, Design, Governance, Trade, Indigenous Crafts, and Packaging. The Roundtable was thoughtfully curated by Shweta Thakur Nanda and her dedicated team of organisers, who brought together a diverse and influential group of professionals to deliberate on the evolving meaning of responsible luxury.

The central theme of the discussion revolved around nurturing a shared future – one where sustainability, collaboration, and ethical practices become the foundation of business and creativity.

Aligned with this philosophy, Ms. Lipika Sud, President of the Guild of Designers & Artists, participated as an esteemed speaker in this well-curated forum, which brought together ideas and experiences from leaders across diverse sectors to reflect on the future of responsible luxury.

A distinguished group of panelists contributed to the discussion, including Blossom Kochhar, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Kaushik Ranjan Bandyopadhyay, Prasanta K. Nanda, Anand Bajoria, Diksha Sachdev, Akanksha Kaila, Akashi Gursakhi Lugani, Puneet Gupta, Neeraj P., Nitin Nath Singh, Gopal Namjoshi, Pallavi Singh, Elizabeth Hartman Sitaraman, Gautam Gupta, Asha Gautam, and Shweta Thakur Nanda. Their collective insights added immense depth and perspective to the conversation.

During the session, Ms. Sud shared her views on what responsible luxury truly means—creating beautiful and functional spaces that are elegant yet sustainable, using eco-friendly materials, supporting local artisans, and designing with long-term environmental impact in mind. The discussion emphasised that luxury today must go beyond aesthetics and exclusivity; it must also embrace accountability toward people and the planet.

Such forums play a crucial role in bringing together thought leaders who can inspire meaningful change across industries.