Diversity of speakers at Designyatra is higher this year: Rajesh Kejriwal

For someone who's a regular at Designyatra, how will the 2014 edition be different?
It's not just the difference between 2014 and any other Designyatra, it's always based around a theme. We sit and work with speakers for almost three months on the theme. Most of the speaker presentations are tweaked to reflect the theme and this year's theme is 'What if?' Last year's was 'create change'. We also choose speakers based on that. At least 40% of our speakers are selected based on the theme.

You actually tweak the presentation of speakers?
We don't tweak it, we discuss with theme and create it around the theme. We don't have a hand in what they present, but we talk to them. This is what we expect from you, this is why you are chosen to be a speaker. This is our theme and this is the basis of what we'd like you to present. We also give them timelines.

How many speakers do you have?
20. Very large number.

How many Indian speakers do you have this year?
Four.

What's going to be the standout event this year?
The diversity of the speakers this year is far more than the previous years. We also have a musician this year. We have Silent Studios from London who actually are not graphic designers for advertising people. They use technology, music, design, intersection of all these three-four things put together to create meaningful messages. We don't repeat our speakers for seven years.

The amount of money a person spends on coming to the Designyatra could be around Rs 50,000. What is it that you offer to the delegate that he or she comes back to you?
Actually, we have to view it in different perspectives. Today, Designyatra in many ways is no different from Think or Ink Festival. inspiration, great speakers, diversity. You come back charged, you get a lot of learning, personal satisfaction, morale boost, you feel proud to be in the industry you are. It's not very different from all of these festivals. The minimum you pay at any conference in India that has a certain stature is Rs 8,000 per day. None of them have this depth of speakers, this huge width of international speakers. If you ask for a comparative chart, we are the cheapest design conference in the world.

Any entertainment acts on any of the days?
No, No! The conference is a serious one where you must have networking in the evening. Also, an awards needs to be serious. You must have an opening show and a party afterward. Entertainment every half hour or 45 minutes takes away the seriousness and the respect for the winners. We won't do that.

We've spoken only about Designyatra. How's the Digiyatra working for you? Has it worked well for your delegates?
It's evolved. See, Designyatra has always been a three-day event for us. In 2012, we decided to focus on digital because everyone was talking about digital. So we said let's keep one day as digital. We didn't brand it Digiyatra three. We called it a Digital Day. The next year we decided to split it because digital is going to be the future. That's the future we all are in and it's important people learn from that. To brand it separately, we also brought in the International Advertising Association to support it and made it flexible for the audience to just attend Digiyara if they're from the digital domain, or not come for that and come only for Designyatra. Or you could come for both.

—In arrangement with MxMIndia.com