The top selling Swift and WagonR hatchbacks from the country's largest car maker, Maruti Suzuki, recently bagged the India Design Mark (I-mark) for the year 2012. Recognising the models which are well designed, reliable, dependable, worthy and responsibly manufactured, this award is a milestone for the company designers. Leading design experts and senior faculty members of India’s top design institutes formed the jury panel for the I-mark.
Chief Operating Officer (COO), Engineering, I.V. Rao, Maruti Suzuki, complimented the company's design team and said, “The India Design Mark certificate to Wagon R and Swift demonstrates high design capabilities of the design teams of Maruti Suzuki India and Suzuki Motor Corporation Japan. It brings out the maturity and evolution in car designing especially after the Swift launch in 2005. We strongly believe that a good design is the first step to customer engagement. Stepping up our efforts, Maruti Suzuki designers are now working on designing global models along with their Japanese counterparts, as part of SMC’s global design team.”
Maruti Suzuki WagonR and Swift are the only four wheeler vehicles to be awarded the I-mark, while a total of 31 products across various categories have been conferred with the honour in this first season of the India Design Mark. The Japan Institute of Design Promotion, organisers of Japan’s Good Design Award (G Mark), extended its support to the India Design Council to organise the I-mark awards programme.
In strict adherence to the same high standards as its Japanese equivalent, the submissions and assessment for the awards were finalised recently and the winners were declared. Associated with the top names in academics, designs and industry organisation, the India Design Council is affiliated to the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. I-mark is a design standard which is awarded to best-in-class designs to products under various categories after subjecting the participating entries through extensive assessment.
The objectives of the I-mark are to act as a reference point for final purchases in terms of product quality, functionality, quality, usability and social responsibility, besides the good looks. It also serves as a brand extension for the product as it conveys the value that the product offers. The I-mark aims to enhance design awareness and promote value of design in the industry and society and, thus, increase the demand for good design from consumers as well as manufacturers. It hopes to do so by promoting the products that have been bestowed with the I-mark at exhibitions, publications and press.
This initiative also looks at promoting an industrial infrastructure where the major concern is reducing waste, being environment conscious and developing reusable, repairable and recyclable products. The I-mark awards aim to increase the quality of life through good design and improve the quality levels of Indian industrial output for domestic consumption as well as exports.
