Designer and Fashion wear does not mean urban elite only. Normally, when we talk of design or a fashion wear, it is either urban elite high income group or elite teenagers that surface on the screen. This belief however, has found an exception. Thanks to the NID team working under the guidance of the Apparel Head Prof. Somesh Singh and Fabric Developer Prof P.B. Jhala. The idea was inspired by NID's forward looking Executive Director Dr. Darlie O. Koshy who suggested a concept where an apparel and then the designer dress to help the soldiers working under sub-zero temperatures and unfriendly weather conditions could be developed. This concept involves processing of Angira Wool to convert it into the yarn and then to the fabric for ultimate conversion into the designer dress to comfort a soldier working in Siachen Glacier or somewhere in the remote Himalayan ranges on the Indo-China border or Ladakh. Angora Wool is eight times warmer than the normal wool. The problem however, is convertin g this wool into the yarn is very difficult. It is here the help from Dr. S. K. Nema and his team at Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) in surface etching of this fibre came in handy. The fabric out of this plasma treated fibres has subsequently been developed by Fabric Developer Prof. Jhala. However, this was just a beginning.

The real story comes now. A team of five students from the NID consisting of Rajsekharan, Amit Soni, Manmeet Kaur, Remya Nair and Amit Khanna working on this project actually went to the Kashmir Valley and stayed with the soldiers to get the first hand experience regarding the real life situation and physical problems they face covering the areas from Ladakh to Tiger Hills of Siachen. They have prepared a detailed documentary covering the real life situation. Having exposed them to the prevailing conditions and the difficulties of these border areas, they have debated within themselves how to design a dress which will be a light weight apparel with better protection capabilities and comfort. One of the students out of this team, Rajsekharan is going to attempt a full range based upon this theme before the end of this year.

The designer dress, for a change, in this case is not going to be adorning those famous and rich nor those teenagers for whom hi-fi life style or fashion is a craze. The concept, in this case, is to provide the much needed comfort without sacrificing the safety and protection. A totally new concept, for which there may not be any cat walks on the ramp presenting it !! No glamorous shows ! No camera clicks and no media hype covering this news !! And yet, a silent revolution. A revolution that will make life little more comfortable for those who are keeping vigil on our borders away from their homes and cozy comforts so that we can live our life comfortably.

I am reminded of Sudha Murthy's book "How I Taught My Grandmother to Read and Other Stories", where she narrates an incident about a marriage ceremony in Russia, during her visit. She goes to a park on a Sunday. Suddenly her eyes fell on a young couple. Apparently she felt that they had just got married. Soon after getting married, they had come to a park where there was a War Memorial. Kept the bouquet, bowed their heads in silence and slowly walked back. Slightly later, she asked somebody "Will you tell me why the young couple visited the War Memorial on their wedding day ?". She was explained that this is the custom in Russia. After signing the register at the marriage office, the married couples must visit the important national monuments nearby. "Why is that ?" She asked. The reply given was "This is a mark of gratitude. Our forefathers have given their lives in the various wars Russia has fought. Some of them we won and some we lost. But the sacrifice was always for the country. The newly married couple needs to remember that they are living in a peaceful and independent Russia because of their ancestors' sacrifice. Love for country is more important than wedding celebrations". Great !

The initiative sponsored by Dr. Koshy, catalyzed by Prof. Singh, Prof. Jhala and Dr. Nema and carried further by a dedicated team of the five NID students, while their way of creating a designer wear may not be as glamorous as some of their colleagues would have chosen, but we salute their efforts and initiatives for those who sacrifice their joy and pleasure today to ensure that we live in comfort and peace tomorrow to enjoy better things in our life. It is in this context the initiative taken by the NID and IPR team is unique and needs to be cheered up.