Tete-e-Tete with Gazal Bawa : When a trip becomes so much more than a vacation

An enthusiastic singer hanging on forefronts of hitting the notes right - Gazal decides to sing anyway. And that’s exactly the kind of attitude we were smitten by when we met Gazal! An alumni from NIFT and a steadfast ice cream lover, Gazal presently contributes her Textile and Graphic Design expertise and artistry to the products in IDAM. With questions up our sleeve and Gazal's enticing personality, we couldn't chance not asking her a little about her experience at the BHX Shillong. Here's the scoop -

Did you enjoy working on the design challenge? Were you aware of the problem that existed before you joined the BHX Team or was it something you encountered once you were in Shillong meeting the creators and facilitators?

Yes, I loved working on the design challenge. It was stimulating and made me think deeper into the problems that were there. The techniques to team up together and work on it was rather interesting and I have been applying it back home with tailor-made creative inputs. Personally, the notion to conquer any hindrance between the modern and the traditional thinking at the behest of utility and convenience was the bottom-line.

 

How have you contributed to the design challenge?

Brainstormed with the brightest of minds and came up with solutions to help make the situation better if not solve the entire problem fully. Every day was different, which is why I loved it the most. Some days it was a visit to markets, other days it was a visit to local villages or taking a historical and informative walk through the town. But every day, we'd get up and use our minds to create something out of nothing.

Has BHX been helpful to your business?

Yes, definitely! We have used 6-7 of the hacks which has made the entire process more efficient. BHX was also the meeting point with so many people who have helped identify solutions in the problems of our own business. It's an excellent trade-off between understanding your own limits and challenging them while knowing that great things happen when united efforts are invested in a single direction!

Any key learning or takeaways that you would like to share from the BHX Project?

It's difficult making an exception for one- however, I realized that anything is possible. Exerting faith in uncertainty is one of the most adventurous ways to go about anything at all! You just have to find the right people and have the right spirit. Also, love that I'm now friends with a whole set of fantastic people who have made a mark in some way or the other.

Did you enjoy Shillong with the BHX Team? Do tell us about your experience of discovering a new place with a bunch of creative enthusiasts.

The idea of being in some far flung place doing something completely different to my day-to-day life, and how it could unlock another part of my brain creatively was entirely it! The company was inspiring- the kind that gets you to make it work. Shillong was beautiful with the pleasant breeze and the showers. It was obviously a surreal experience to experience it with a bunch of people with each one of them so unique and they own unique perspectives about everything.