Srinija Ghantasala

About

Srinija Ghantasala is a multidisciplinary designer specialising in design research, participatory design, social design, human-centred design, and storytelling. Her work reflects a deep commitment to leveraging design for social impact and community empowerment.

One of Srinija’s projects is the “Grassroots Futures” game, part of her Master’s thesis research project “Roots of Resilience.” This collaborative card game is incorporated into facilitated workshops, encouraging participants to explore future scenarios and develop innovative solutions using limited resources. A key research question driving her work is: “How can grassroots innovation and Jugaad (Indian term; make-shift, frugality, creativity, resourcefulness) principles be applied to envision sustainable futures for our communities?” Through immersive gameplay and scenario-building, her work highlights the potential of grassroots innovation to drive meaningful social change. The game promotes a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between local actions and global impacts, and aims to serve as an educational tool and a catalyst for community-driven innovation.

In another significant project, Srinija collaboratively developed “InclusiView,” an augmented reality tool designed to aid building surveyors and architects in identifying existing accessibility issues in the built environment. This project aligns with themes of social and inclusive design and highlights Srinija’s expertise in integrating the latest technology, such as AR, with design research. “InclusiView” was selected in Top 20 projects in AcrossRCA 2024, with an exhibition held at the Hangar Space, RCA Battersea Campus.

Srinija has previously exhibited her work at Orleans House Gallery and Corner 7 Camden, demonstrating her ability to engage diverse audiences. She continues to work towards inspiring and driving meaningful change in communities, reinforcing the power of design as a tool for social good.

Before joining RCA, Srinija worked as a UX designer at HashedIn by Deloitte, primarily on projects related to Generative AI and AR/VR for the consumer sector. She has also taken up multiple leadership roles, serving as Program Representative at RCA (2023-24) and the Chapter Vice-Chair and the Memberships Chair (dual role) at the Srishti ACM SIGCHI Student Chapter (2020-22).

Srinija holds a B.Des in Human-Centred Design from Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, India, and was the recipient of the Deputy Vice Chancellor’s International Student Scholarship at the RCA.

Reach out on:

LinkedIn  / Portfolio: srinijaghantasala.com  / Email: srinija729@gmail.com