M. P. Ranjan

Mundon Pandan Ranjan (1950 – 9 August 2015) was an Indian designer and educator. He was a polymath, exploring various genres and methodologies in the field design innovation and education. Ranjan is known for his book Handmade in India: A Geographic Encyclopedia of Indian Handicrafts based on Indian arts and crafts that he edited along with his partner and fellow design pedagogue Aditi Ranjan. He worked at National Institute of Design, CEPT University and Ahmedabad University. Between 1974 and 1976, he worked as a professional designer in Madras, and returned to the faculty of NID in 1976.

From a ten year period of 1981 to 1991, he headed the consulting arm of NID and facilitated numerous collaborative projects between the faculties and corporate or government clients.

Documentation and publications

M. P. Ranjan studied the crafts of North East India, along with his colleagues Ghanshyam Pandya and Nilam Iyer and published the book Bamboo and Cane Crafts of Northeast India in 1986. The project was conceptualised by the Ranjans and involved extensive fieldwork across the country.