SEGD Expands Its Global Community with the Launch of the India Chapter

Rachel Moran
  1. SEGD India Chapter skyline

SEGD Welcomes India Chapter

For years, SEGD’s global community has grown through the passion of its members—designers, educators, and fabricators committed to shaping how people experience place. That momentum now extends to India, where a new chapter is taking root. 

Developing a new SEGD Chapter is a thoughtful and deliberate process. It requires time, planning, and investment to build a sustainable network; one that is engaged, locally relevant, and inspired to carry forward SEGD’s mission to connect people to place. As a nonprofit educational organization, SEGD relies on its volunteer members to lead this growth, serving as ambassadors who introduce and expand the organization’s presence within their regions.

Today, SEGD includes 33 chapters—26 across the United States and 7 international chapters—each creating meaningful experiences through talks, tours, workshops, and gatherings tailored to their local design communities. The addition of India marks an exciting step forward in engaging one of the world’s dynamic and rapidly evolving design landscapes.

Over the past year, SEGD staff have worked closely with members in India to lay the foundation for the chapter—from early exploratory conversations to identifying and mentoring local leaders. Together, we’ve explored how SEGD’s mission translates within a new cultural context, built a digital presence, developed resources, and begun shaping a program of events designed to resonate with India’s experiential design community.

A key force behind this initiative is Babu Khalfan, Founder of Signs+Decal and a longtime SEGD member, whose deep ties to India’s design landscape helped bring this vision to life. Recognizing the opportunity to connect SEGD’s global network with emerging voices in India, he played an instrumental role in championing the chapter’s development.

For decades, the signage industry has remained fragmented, with immense talent but limited direction and infrastructure. Bringing SEGD to India is about creating a platform where design, technology, and craftsmanship come together—where young designers can learn global standards, and small sign shops can grow into world-class organizations. This is not just about design; it’s about building an ecosystem that empowers people, connects industries, and elevates the future of visual communication.
Babu Khalfan, Founder, S+D Corp

Meet India’s Chapter Chairs

Leading the SEGD India Chapter are Yash Kanitkar of Thirty Second December Designs and Cherishma Mehta of The One Off, who will serve as Chapter Chairs and guide the growth of this new community.

Yash Kanitkar
Thirty Second December Designs

Yash Kanitkar is a design entrepreneur specializing in wayfinding, placemaking, and brand-led spatial design, with experience across the U.S. and India. With a background in engineering and environmental graphic design, he takes a function-first approach to integrating brand and user experience across physical and digital environments. 

“Since joining SEGD in 2011, I’ve dreamt of a space where Indian designers, fabricators, and architects could collaborate on a global level. This isn’t just an appointment; it’s a mission to put EGD at the heart of India’s real estate and development ecosystem.” — Yash Kanitkar

Cherishma Mehta
The One Off

Cherishma Mehta has over two decades of experience across wayfinding, retail, and branded environments. She is currently AVP – Business Development & Operations at The One Off, Mumbai, where she works closely with teams to deliver thoughtful, design-led solutions.

“SEGD in India is about bringing a global community in a local context—creating a space where designers and makers come together to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and collectively shape new opportunities while elevating experiential design across the country.” — Cherishma Mehta

Supporting the chapter’s development, SEGD’s Membership Experience Manager, Rachel Moran, has worked closely with Yash and Cherishma over the past year to shape a plan for connecting SEGD to India’s design ecosystem and ensuring a strong, sustainable launch.

India Chapter Launch Event

The SEGD India Chapter will kick off its programming with its first event, SEGD India Chapter | Open House – Hybrid Town Hall, on April 16, 2026, at ISDI School of Design & Innovation, BKC Mumbai, from 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

Designed as an open and welcoming introduction, the event invites experiential designers, educators, students, and fabricators from across Mumbai to connect, exchange ideas, and learn more about SEGD.

Those who are not local or unable to attend in person will have the opportunity to participate virtually. A registration link and virtual access details will be shared with all attendees.

Join the SEGD India Chapter | Open House – Hybrid Town Hall to discover how you can get involved, connect with fellow designers, and help shape the future of this growing network. You know the place—now it’s about the people who bring it to life.

To connect directly with the Chapter Chairs, reach out at india-chapter@segd.org .

Follow the SEGD India Chapter on social media for updates on upcoming events and opportunities to get involved:


Instagram: @SEGD India Chapter
LinkedIn: SEGD India ChapterYou can also visit the SEGD India Chapter website to stay informed as the community continues to grow.

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