Groundbreakin

Dipaq

The Groundbreakin is a cutting-edge podcast that explores the journeys of top designers, creative entrepreneurs, and thought leaders in the design industry. Hosted by Dipaq aka Q, a Creative Director and Founder of Syqi , this podcast is your go-to source for insider insights and actionable advice from the world's top design experts. With a focus on fresh topics and engaging discussions, each episode is designed to help you stay ahead of the curve and build a successful career in the ever-evolving design landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, The Groundbreakin is your essential resource for all things design. Join us on a journey to the forefront of creativity and innovation. We are on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all the podcast listening platforms.

  1. 57- AI is Developing Design Taste, What Does That Mean For Designers? : Anant Tambade

    4 DAYS AGO

    57- AI is Developing Design Taste, What Does That Mean For Designers? : Anant Tambade

    In this conversation, we sit down with Anant Tambade, a design leader at Microsoft, who takes us inside the rapidly evolving intersection of design, AI, and product building. From architecture to industrial design, UX, and now leading experiences in AI-powered products like Copilot, Anant shares a 20+ year journey of constantly evolving with technology and the mindset required to stay relevant. He unpacks how design is being redefined in the age of AI, where traditional roles are blurring and individuals now have the ability to build, ship, and scale products faster than ever before. This episode goes beyond design it’s a deep dive into execution, systems thinking, and what it truly means to create in an AI-first world. More than a career conversation, this is about curiosity, adaptability, and learning how to stay ahead as technology reshapes the way we work. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in design, product, AI, startups, and the future of building. In this episode, you’ll discover: • Why designers are evolving into product makers and what that shift really means in practice (43:00- 44:00)  • How AI is transforming the way products are built, tested, and launched at scale(20:40- 21:15)  • The role of curiosity, experimentation, and hands-on learning in staying ahead(11:20-13:53)  • Why speed of execution is becoming the ultimate competitive advantage(44:15)  • How design, product, and engineering are converging into a single skill set (20:17)  • The rise of one-person companies and AI-powered builders(13:00)  • What truly separates great designers from average ones in the AI era (44:00)  • How companies like Microsoft are approaching AI, innovation, and the future of work (23:00)  • The mindset required to adapt, grow, and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape(11:00) CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ Email us at [q@groundbreak.in]

    44 min
  2. #56 The Brain & Sweat Behind Building Bangalore T2 : Sundar Chandramouli

    17 APR

    #56 The Brain & Sweat Behind Building Bangalore T2 : Sundar Chandramouli

    In this conversation, Sundar Chandramouli, a professional civil engineer and infrastructure leader, takes us behind the scenes of one of India’s most iconic infrastructure projects Bangalore Airport Terminal 2. From blueprint to reality, Sundar unpacks the immense planning, leadership, systems thinking, and sheer execution effort that goes into building an international airport at scale. He shares his incredible journey from Bangalore to New York, the Middle East, and back working across infrastructure, structural engineering, and large-scale construction projects before leading major expansion work at Bangalore airport. This episode dives deep into what it truly takes to build something millions of people use every day from runway systems, terminal expansion, passenger flow, design collaboration, and future-ready infrastructure. More than construction, this is a conversation about vision, leadership, city-building, and designing for scale. This episode is a masterclass for anyone interested in design, infrastructure, systems, leadership, architecture, operations, and the future of Indian cities. In this episode, you’ll discover: • The brain and sweat behind building Bangalore T2 • How airports are designed from master planning to execution • The strategy behind scaling infrastructure for rising passenger demand • What goes into designing runways, terminals, passenger flow, and airport experience • How global experts collaborate across architecture, engineering, sustainability, and design • Leadership lessons from managing one of the country’s biggest infrastructure projects • Why Bangalore’s growth story is deeply tied to infrastructure innovation • The future of India’s large-scale infrastructure, smart cities, and public projects CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ Email us at [q@groundbreak.in]

    35 min
  3. #55 - Curiosity Becomes an AI-Proof Skill, Designing Without Inspiration : Sumit Bedi

    2 JAN

    #55 - Curiosity Becomes an AI-Proof Skill, Designing Without Inspiration : Sumit Bedi

    What does it take to stay relevant when tools change faster than job titles-and AI threatens to rewrite the rules overnight? In this wide-ranging and deeply reflective conversation, Dipaq sits down with Sumit Bedi, design leader, educator, and relentless ideator, to unpack what truly makes a designer future-ready. From his early days obsessing over school projects to leading experimentation and R&D at a global SaaS company, Sumit shares why curiosity-not tools-is the most AI-proof skill of all. He talks candidly about building ideas without chasing inspiration, why most ideas die in people’s heads, and how observation, meditation, and daily curiosity shape his creative process. Drawing from his experience across instructional design, corporate training, product design, and innovation labs, Sumit challenges the obsession with tools, templates, and hyper-specialization. We also dive into the reality of working in the age of AI-layoffs, uncertainty, identity loss-and why designers must stop being “corporate-ready” and start becoming industry-ready. From corporate hacking and brand-building to designing without internet access, this episode is a masterclass in thinking, not just making. This episode is essential viewing for designers, product thinkers, and creators navigating AI disruption—-and anyone trying to build a voice that lasts beyond the next tool update. In this episode, you’ll discover: Sumit’s journey from instructional designer to leading future-focused experimentation in product teams Why ideas are common—but execution, intent, and courage are rare How curiosity, observation, and meditation fuel better design decisions What makes a skill truly “AI-proof” Why designers should focus on finding the right problems, not just building solutions The difference between being corporate-ready vs industry-ready How personal brand is built quietly—through work, not announcements Why designers must understand how AI works, not just how to use itCONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ Email us at [q@groundbreak.in]

    53 min
  4. #54 - The Problem With India’s Designers - And No One Wants to Admit It : Narendra Ghate

    04/12/2025

    #54 - The Problem With India’s Designers - And No One Wants to Admit It : Narendra Ghate

    What do two decades building a top design consultancy and a shift to leading design at one of India's largest private banks have in common? In this honest and wide-ranging conversation, Dipaq sits down with Narendra Ghate, Head of Design at HDFC Bank. Drawing from his 25-year tenure at Tata Elxsi, where he traveled the world "selling software by doing projects", Ghate shares his evolution from mechanical engineer to a design leader who understands that a designer’s true value lies in problem-solving, not just specialised skills. He unpacks the challenging journey of building a design practice in India: the years spent convincing clients to value design beyond aesthetics, and the art of selling high-value projects by presenting a future roadmap rather than just a portfolio. Ghate argues strongly against the "hyper-specialist" mindset, advocating for designers to become holistic problem-solvers who embrace a multidisciplinary approach-even designing a studio's behaviour by dimming the lights. Finally, we explore his current mission to simplify finance in India and his vision for the country's design future: one where design thinking expands beyond the "designer" label and becomes a core ability for entrepreneurs, politicians, and business leaders. This episode is essential viewing for design students, studio owners struggling to scale, and business leaders looking to truly integrate design into their organization. In this episode, you'll discover: Narendra’s 25-year journey from mechanical engineer and "salesman" at Tata Elxsi to Head of Design at HDFC Bank.The transition from selling products to "selling a future and a roadmap" for high-ticket projects.Why the trend of becoming a "hyper specialist" is a "bunch of rubbish," and why designers must be the "family doctor" for a business's problems.How a designer can control the behaviour of 200 people in a studio simply by dimming the lights (and why it works).The "two crutches" that limit designers: blindly following a process and being reliant on a specific skill.His vision for the future: Design expanding its impact beyond the design profession itself.The biggest mission at HDFC: simplifying finance to unlock wealth across all levels of Indian society.CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ Email us at [q@groundbreak.in]

    1hr 1min
  5. #53 - The T-Shaped Skillset for Modern Design Leadership, Future of Fintech Design : Vikash Kumar

    20/11/2025

    #53 - The T-Shaped Skillset for Modern Design Leadership, Future of Fintech Design : Vikash Kumar

    In this candid conversation, Vikash Kumar (Director of Design at Pine Labs) takes us through his incredible career shift-from working on massive campaigns for brands like Vodafone to steering the entire art and brand aesthetic at Pine Labs. Vikash gives a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the advertising industry, discussing what it was like to work at an agency like Ogilvy Mumbai (which he calls one of the best cultures among agencies) , the controversial value of industry awards , and the realities of shrinking budgets in mainline advertising. He unpacks the pivotal moment he realized "passion doesn't pay your bills", leading to his move to the client side with a jump in salary , and eventually leading design at Pine Labs. As a leader, he shares his vision for the future, where designers must become generalists with T-shaped skillsets  and how he's building a 360-creative culture that embraces upskilling and future-forward thinking. This episode is a masterclass for any creative professional navigating career growth, the specialist vs. generalist debate, and how to build a career that offers both creative fulfillment and financial freedom. In this episode, we’ll discover: - Vikash's journey from animation and VFX to becoming a Creative Director at Ogilvy. - The "carrot" of advertising awards - and why they might not translate into better money or promotions. - The difference between working horizontally (across brands) in an agency versus vertically (deeply) for one brand. - How Vikash is leading the brand revamp at a major fintech company, making it look "tech and modern". - The importance of designers becoming generalists who can handle motion, video, and graphic design. - Why creative professionals must set a financial goal early in their career—and the concept of *"F-U money"*. CONNECT: Find us at [https://www.groundbreak.in/episodes] [q@groundbreak.in] dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ Email us at [q@groundbreak.in]

    52 min
  6. #52 - The Design Philosophy Driving Ather | Hardware, Software, and the Golden Decade for Indian EVs : Bikash Jyoti Biswas

    14/11/2025

    #52 - The Design Philosophy Driving Ather | Hardware, Software, and the Golden Decade for Indian EVs : Bikash Jyoti Biswas

    In this conversation, Dipaq sits down with Bikash, Head of Design at Ather, whose 11-year journey is a masterclass in building a design-first EV brand from a startup to a public company. From the early days of an idea to pioneering India's two-wheeler EV space, the guest details their unique approach to innovation: challenging the status quo, designing for an integrated experience (hardware and software in sync), and betting on customer experience over market research. We dive deep into how Ather successfully fostered a deeply connected community that acts as an advocate and an essential testing ground for new products. The guest also shares the critical cultural elements - freedom with accountability and a non-hierarchical design decision-making process - that has kept the core design team together for over a decade. This episode is a must-listen for designers, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about how to create a lasting brand by placing value and experience at the core of the product. In this episode, you'll discover: - The 11-year journey of building Ather from a startup to a public company and the surprising blessing of "naivete" when challenging automotive norms. - How Ather used a "build for us" mantra to create an aspirational EV product that went mainstream. - The vertical integration model and the "story-down" approach that aligns hardware and software design. - Why engaging with customers early (and even making them spokespeople) is an Ather superpower in building community and gathering genuine feedback. - Insights on the massive potential and "golden decade" for India's EV market and why the country is poised to become a global export hub for design and tech. - The mindset every EV brand needs to be timeless: finding a unique foothold that people genuinely care about. CONNECT: Find us at [https://www.groundbreak.in] [q@groundbreak.in] dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ CONNECT: Check out our Substack: dipaq@substack.com Supported by Syqi: https://syqi.art/ Email us at [q@groundbreak.in]

    48 min
5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

The Groundbreakin is a cutting-edge podcast that explores the journeys of top designers, creative entrepreneurs, and thought leaders in the design industry. Hosted by Dipaq aka Q, a Creative Director and Founder of Syqi , this podcast is your go-to source for insider insights and actionable advice from the world's top design experts. With a focus on fresh topics and engaging discussions, each episode is designed to help you stay ahead of the curve and build a successful career in the ever-evolving design landscape. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, The Groundbreakin is your essential resource for all things design. Join us on a journey to the forefront of creativity and innovation. We are on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all the podcast listening platforms.