Technova 2026 showcased the graduation projects of 29 Bachelor of Fashion Technology (BFT) students. The event highlighted innovative projects that combined strategic business understanding with forward-looking and industry-oriented approaches. The student projects explored areas such as product development, vendor selection process optimization, quality management, supplier selection, and development of standard operating procedures for buying and manufacturing departments. The showcase reflected the students’ exceptional talent, technical understanding, and future-ready vision. The Department of Fashion Technology at NIFT Gandhinagar also acknowledged the students’ contributions during their graduation projects, which further supported their successful placements in reputed organizations.

The Bachelor of Fashion Technology programme adopts a holistic approach towards developing graduate students for techno-managerial roles in the fashion and allied manufacturing sector. During the initial stages of the programme, students are introduced to various operations and processes involved in the apparel manufacturing industry, while simultaneously gaining managerial knowledge related to operations, systems, and industrial practices.

The event was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, Director, NIFT Gandhinagar, in the presence of distinguished Guests of Honor including Mr. Gurpreet Bhatia, CEO of Arvind Advance Materials; Mr. Sachin Shah, Managing Director of Avadat Apparels; Mr. Rakesh Shrivastava, Business Strategist; and Mr. Sahil Gohel, Director of Blue Buddha Retail. Ms. Aarti Solanki, CC–BFT, delivered the welcome address and congratulated the graduating batch.

Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, Director, NIFT Gandhinagar, congratulated the graduating students, faculty members, and the Department for successfully organizing the graduation showcase and presenting projects aligned with the future needs of the textile and apparel industry. He emphasized that the textile and garment sector is one of the most significant growth drivers for India and highlighted its important role in realizing the vision of a developed India by 2047.

He further stated that the apparel manufacturing sector holds tremendous growth potential and noted that India aims to substantially expand its textile and garment exports in the coming years. Stressing the importance of technological advancement and manufacturing excellence, he reminded students that NIFT was originally established to strengthen the country’s manufacturing and apparel technology ecosystem. He encouraged students, especially from the technology domain, to remain connected to their core specialization in garment manufacturing and apparel technology, which continues to be critical for the industry’s growth and global competitiveness.

Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, Director also highlighted the need for India to improve productivity, operational efficiency, quality standards, and supply chain responsiveness in order to compete effectively with global manufacturing hubs. Referring to current industry challenges such as longer lead times and operational inefficiencies, he emphasized that improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing production costs are essential for strengthening India’s position in the global apparel market. He urged students to actively contribute towards building a globally competitive textile and garment industry through innovation, process optimization, and continuous improvement. Encouraging the graduating batch to remain consistent, hardworking, and determined in their professional journeys, he stated that success comes through continuous effort, learning, and perseverance. He concluded by extending his best wishes to all the students for their future careers and contributions to the industry.

Mr. Gurpreet Bhatia, CEO of Arvind Advance Materials, appreciated the innovative and industry-oriented projects showcased by the graduating students. He highlighted that the projects reflected key priorities shaping the future of the textile and apparel sector, including digitalization, sustainability, operational efficiency, and circularity. He emphasized that the global industry is undergoing rapid transformation and that young professionals and innovators will play a significant role in driving this change through technology-led and research-driven approaches. He further noted that India’s textile and apparel sector is entering a highly dynamic phase with increasing global opportunities supported by evolving international markets and trade partnerships. According to him, the creativity, systems thinking, and problem-solving abilities demonstrated by the students strongly align with the future needs of the industry. Encouraging the graduating students to remain adaptable, innovative, and committed to continuous learning, he expressed confidence that they would contribute significantly to the growth and global competitiveness of the Indian textile and apparel ecosystem.

Mr. Rakesh Shrivastava, Business Strategist, encouraged the graduating students to approach the industry with patience, adaptability, and a continuous willingness to learn. He emphasized that while academic learning builds a strong foundation, true understanding develops through practical industry exposure and real-world experience. He noted that students often enter the industry believing they are fully prepared to implement their ideas immediately; however, understanding the systems, realities, and dynamics of the industry is equally important.

He advised students to first observe and understand how the industry functions before applying their classroom learning. Highlighting the importance of consistency and perseverance, he shared that long-term success comes to those who remain patient, adaptable, and committed to continuous growth. Welcoming the graduating students into the professional world, he encouraged them to continue learning, evolving, and contributing meaningfully to the apparel and textile industry.

Mr. Sahil Gohel, Director of Blue Buddha Retail, appreciated the innovative thinking and practical industry approach reflected in the student projects showcased during the graduation exhibition. He highlighted the importance of adopting efficient and sustainable systems within the textile and apparel sector, particularly through the implementation of Lean principles in manufacturing processes.

Referring to the project presentation on Lean implementation in apparel manufacturing, he noted that the study effectively addressed critical industry challenges such as waste reduction, process inefficiencies, and long lead times. He appreciated the application of tools such as 5S, Value Stream Mapping, and Kanban to improve operational efficiency and productivity. He further emphasized that sustainable industry growth can be achieved through continuous incremental improvements and process optimization. Encouraging students to continue pursuing practical and solution-oriented innovations, he acknowledged the efforts of the students and faculty mentors in bridging academic research with real-world industry requirements.

Few graduation projects presented included:

Mr. Anuja Sharma’s project focused on developing a structured style-wise risk assessment framework for garment manufacturing to strengthen proactive quality planning and reduce production risks. Using shopfloor observations, stakeholder discussions, and a weighted risk-scoring model, the project enabled early identification and control of critical risk areas, improving quality performance and manufacturing efficiency.

Mr. Deepika N.’s project focused on transforming buying operations in multi-brand luxury retail through Product Information Management (PIM) integration and strategic buying data automation. Conducted with The Collective & Mono Brands (ABFRL), the project addressed inefficiencies caused by manual Excel-based systems and demonstrated how centralized automation frameworks can improve buying accuracy, operational efficiency, and scalable decision-making.

Onyfa Thulasi G’s project focused on reducing resource consumption and production costs in denim washing through sustainable process optimization. By developing sustainable washing alternatives through experimental trials and comparative analysis, the project significantly reduced water and chemical usage, wastewater generation, and production costs while maintaining garment quality standards.

Mr. Pratyush Bisht’s project at Jay Jay Mills Lanka focused on digitizing the garment sampling process through a barcode-based tracking system integrated with Breeze and Power BI. The initiative improved real-time visibility across departments, reduced manual follow-ups, identified workflow bottlenecks, and enhanced operational efficiency through centralized lead-time monitoring.

Ms. Supraja Thiyagasundaram’s project at Gokaldas Exports focused on optimizing the apparel sampling process to reduce lead time. Through process mapping, root cause analysis, PERT-based parallel processing, and the 4C framework, the project achieved a 37.4% reduction in average lead time, demonstrating how targeted process improvements can significantly enhance speed and operational responsiveness.

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