About Us
Research. Foresight. Trend Intelligence.
VisioNxt is a Research, Innovation & Academic Unit under the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) dedicated to advancing trend intelligence, cultural foresight, and consumer insight.
At VisioNxt, we study the evolving intersections of culture, design, technology, business, and human behaviour to understand how change emerges and where it may lead. Through interdisciplinary research, AI-enabled intelligence, and evidence-based methodologies, we transform emerging signals into meaningful insights that support informed decision-making.
Rooted in India’s cultural diversity and connected to global developments, VisioNxt builds knowledge that enables organisations, institutions, policymakers, and the creative ecosystem to understand not only what is changing, but why it matters and what comes next.
Our Story
VisioNxt was founded in 2019 as a flagship initiative under the Research & Development Scheme of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, with a vision to build an indigenous ecosystem for trend intelligence and forecasting in the country.
Recognising the need for culturally rooted research and future-focused intelligence, the initiative was designed to develop methodologies that interpret India’s rapidly evolving consumer, design, and cultural landscape through an interdisciplinary lens.
As its work expanded across research, forecasting, publications, capacity building, and industry engagement, VisioNxt evolved into a permanent Research, Innovation & Academic Unit within the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), continuing its mission to advance knowledge at the intersection of culture, creativity, technology, and innovation.
Today, VisioNxt serves as a bridge between academia, industry, government, and the creative economy, developing research, methodologies, and foresight to inform decisions and shape future-ready strategies.
Meet Our Team
The VisioNxt team comprises academicians, researchers, professionals and creatives from various domains. It amalgamates experience and youth that is passionate towards constantly evolving socio- cultural mindsets in India to interpret dynamic stories and data across sectors.
VisioNxt is committed to being an inclusive work space with no discrimination on any basis.
Dr. Kaustav Sengupta, Head - VisioNxt
Dr. Kaustav SenGupta (a youth marketing expert, fashion trend analyst, design mentor, AI enabler, futurist, color psychologist, award winning academician) is the Associate Professor at NIFT. He is one of the most awarded NIFT alumni with 4 gold medals.
Dr. Kishore Kumar Ravi, AI Engineer
Dr R Kishore Kumar is a Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) major, and has received his Doctorate degree from IIT Kharagpur. His strengths lie in speech processing, image processing, and artificial Intelligence. Dr R Kishore Kumar is working as an Assistant Professor at NIFT, Chennai and currently deputed as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Engineer in the VisioNxt Project. Beyond his multiple academic achievements, he is also a car enthusiast and likes to spend his time playing various sports.
Darsana Karthikeyan, Trend Spotting Assistant
Darsana Karthikeyan is a Knitwear Design graduate and an experimental knitter. With a keen eye for fashion trends and an expertise in knitwear, she enjoys pushing the boundaries of traditional techniques and materials to create one-of-a-kind pieces. She’s passionate about trend analysis, social media marketing and crafting unique handknits.
