Hyderabad, September 18, 2025: “Women inherently possess design skills. They balance household responsibilities, manage family care, support in-laws, and in many cases also pursue careers—all of this requires constant design thinking. That’s why women have immense opportunities to excel in the design field. Design is crucial in every sector. With mastery in design, women need not depend on jobs—they can emerge as entrepreneurs,” said several international speakers at the inauguration of the 21st International UXINDIA Conference, which began today at Trident Hotel, Hyderabad.
The three-day conference, organized by the UMO Design Foundation, has drawn over 1,500 delegates from 16 countries, with nearly 40% being women. The event features 85 international speakers delivering workshops, panel discussions, and keynote addresses. Representatives from global brands like J.P. Morgan, Philips, Microsoft, BP, Adobe Designs, and YouTube are part of the speaker lineup. Having been hosted in Bengaluru for the past two years, the conference returned “home” to Hyderabad this year, coinciding with the Foundation’s 25-year anniversary celebrations.
Speaking at the event, Kaladhar Bapu, Founder & Chairman of UMO Design Foundation and Curator of UXINDIA, announced:
“Our vision is to train 1 million women in design by 2030. In the past two years alone, we have already trained 30,000 women. Women can pursue careers in design, become consultants for companies, or grow as entrepreneurs. With digital knowledge now integrated into design, the opportunities are endless. Even governments are talking about design. Many industries have strong representation in technology and business, but very few in design. Companies like Airbnb prove how powerful design-driven entrepreneurship can be.”
He emphasized that the next generation must be equipped to keep pace with the speed of AI. “We need to bring design education to young people, nurture creativity, and make design accessible to everyone. Through the Design Pitch at this conference, students from across India showcased their projects on a global stage. With the right investor support, these youth can stop looking for jobs and start building companies. Our goal is to create more entrepreneurs.”
Over the last two years, UMO has run pilot projects through its LEAD forum, bringing together senior design leaders and conducting programs across schools, colleges, and online platforms. “We’ve already trained 30,000 women, but this is just the beginning. No matter what career path one chooses, design knowledge adds tremendous value. From Hyderabad, we are launching a design movement that will go global and create deep impact,” Bapu concluded.
