5 designers on what they learnt from their mentors

This is something Sushmitha follows today, using the lunch hour when workers are away to do a recce of her sites. She adds that Roshun is also someone who is very hands-on with design from start to finish, working on everything including sketch-up files and models. She says, “I feel this is very important, to handle these aspects of design. As you move on up in the design world, you get more involved in management and tend to get out of the design process. I make it a point to use my Saturdays to come in to work, sit down, and design.”

Shipra also worked with designer Ashiesh Shah at the beginning of her career and calls it a transformative experience, watching him balance tradition and innovation by modernising Indian crafts while preserving their cultural essence. “His approach to integrating traditional elements into modern design taught me the importance of respecting heritage while pushing creative boundaries.”

“The most important lesson I’ve learned from both Baker and Shah is the value of authenticity in design—whether through materials, cultural context, or simplicity—and the impact it has on creating spaces that truly resonate with people.”

“This showed me why it’s important to approach each project with care and to never rush the process, so that the final outcome is beautiful and thoughtfully executed. His guidance taught me that that true excellence in design comes from a deep commitment to quality and a relentless pursuit of perfection,” she says.

Today, the trio of father, daughter, and son work together on everything from homes to offices and chic retail spaces. “Every project we undertake is a testament to the values and insights he has shared with me, making my work not just a profession, but a family legacy,” says Sonal.
 

Amrutha Kishor, Elemental Architects

“My professor believed everyone has the ability to design. Some are just more evolved than others.”

Amrutha Kishor is the founder of Elemental Architects, a Kerala-based firm that specialises in climate-responsive design. With degrees in architecture from NIT Calicut and the University of Nottingham in the UK, she credits her professors as her mentors and greatest teachers.

Amrutha adds that another great teacher has been space itself. Growing up between Dubai and Kerala, she experienced the emotional impact of spaces on people: small, large, open, and cramped. She believes well-designed homes should give people enough room to come together, along with nooks for privacy and alone time, something she believes is important for everyone’s well-being. “A home should allow you to get comfortable and relax. People behave differently when a space gives them comfort, and planning and design plays a big role in that,” says Amrutha.

Shimona Bhansali, Chief Designer and Founder, Design Hex

“My mother was and still is my true guru.”

Shimona has been a “creator” all her life, with hands-on and vocational training in drawing, carpentry, and art. Her multifunctional experience across verticals led her to set up Design Hex in 2016.

The biggest lesson she learnt from her mother is that even the most ordinary thing in the world has the potential to be transformed into something beautiful, by adding touches that elevate the everyday into the extraordinary. She also credits her meticulous attention to detail and harmonising colours to her mom. “My mom’s sense of vision has woven itself into my own, guiding me as I design spaces today,” says Shimona.