AT A GLANCE
Kavita Arvind
Area of Practice: Art & Illustration, Design Thinking & Methods
Kavita Arvind is an artist, illustrator, and design educator with over two decades of experience in art practice, creative facilitation, and curriculum design. She is the founder of Chidiya Udd, where she creates art, teaches illustration, and guides people in discovering their authentic creative voice. Her illustration work spans collaborations with leading publishers including Penguin, Juggernaut, and Pratham Books. Kavita has taught at prestigious institutions such as NID, Srishti, MICA, IIT Bombay, and Buddhi School, focusing on design thinking, fundamentals, color, and composition.
She has led design-led problem-solving workshops for organizations and educational institutions. Holding an M.A. in Design in Education from the University of Mysore and a Bachelor of Design from NID, Kavita’s projects often intersect social design, storytelling, and inclusion. Her teaching, workshops, and public art initiatives reflect her passion for nurturing creativity across ages and abilities.
EDUCATION
- B.Des Film & Video Communication, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
- M.A. Design in Education, University of Mysore
WORK EXPERIENCE
2000 – 2003
Promo Producer, Sony Entertainment Television Pvt. Ltd., Bombay – Created motion graphics, promos, corporate AVs, and worked on live events post-production.
2003 – 2006
Faculty, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad – Taught design fundamentals, visual language, color theory, film form/editing; mentored projects at both Undergraduate & Post Graduate levels.
2004
Core Team Member, India 2020 Exhibition, NID – Led student teams, conceived and organized multi-sensory installations on emergent technologies.
2005
Creative Committee, Design Creativity Camp, NID – Introduced design thinking in school curricula; engaged teachers and students nationwide.
2005 – 2006
Core Team Member, Strategic Behaviour Change Campaign – Communication Design project for Handicap International in rural Gujarat on disability awareness.
2006 – 2007
Senior Graphic Designer, Brainvisa, Pune – Designed E-learning experiences for global clients.
2007 – Present
Founder, Chidiya Udd – Art and illustration practice; taught hundreds of participants across ages; worked with major publishers; ran online and in-person workshops.
2008
Solo art exhibition (Chidiya Udd) and group show (Art for Concern), Bangalore.
2012 – 2013
Illustrated children’s books for Little Latitude, Timbuktoo, and others; designed preschool characters and merchandise for KLAY Schools.
2014 – 2018
Course Leader, Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology – Built and led the Information Arts and Information Design Practices curriculum for UG and PG programs along with Dr. Srivi Kalyan
2018 – 2020
Co-Founder, The Think Factory – Conducted design thinking workshops for corporates and educational institutions; UX-led projects.
2021
Illustrated My Indian Baby Book of Nursery Rhymes (Volumes 1 & 2) for Juggernaut Books.
2023 – Present
Art & Design IGCSE Teacher, Buddhi School, Bangalore – Teaching the Art & Design curriculum to final-year students and transition-year groups with diverse learning needs.
INTEREST AREAS
- Art & Illustration
- Design Education
- Design Thinking & Problem Solving
- Social Impact & Inclusion
- Nature Journaling & Creative Exploration.
CURRENT PRACTICE AT SRISHTI
Courses exploring social design, art, and illustration, with a strong nature-based approach, alongside mentoring final- and pre-final-year students on client-driven projects.
TEACHING PORTFOLIO
Courses exploring social design, art, and illustration, with a strong nature-based approach across Foundation Studies, UGPP, PG, PGDP.alongside mentoring final- and pre-final-year students on client-driven projects.
CREATIVE PRACTICE & OUTREACH
Kavita Arvind’s creative practice bridges art, illustration, and design education, driven by a deep curiosity about how creativity works and how it can be nurtured. Through her studio Chidiya Udd, she creates original artworks, illustrates for leading publishers, and runs immersive online and in-person workshops. Her work spans children’s book illustration, nature journaling, and character design, often with themes of storytelling, inclusion, and social impact. As an educator, she teaches design thinking, fundamentals, and visual storytelling at institutions and in community settings, helping learners of all ages reconnect with their authentic, confident creative selves through exploration, observation, and hands-on making.
