Academic leadership
Manish Arora’s leadership extends well beyond the classroom. He has shaped curriculum, policy, infrastructure and culture at the departmental, faculty, university and national levels.
Institutions and national programmes
Key leadership roles
01CurrentHead
Department of Applied Arts, Faculty of Visual Arts, BHU
Since 25 Nov 202402CurrentCoordinator
Design Innovation Centre (DIC), BHU
2015–present03CurrentConvener
MoE Innovation Cell & Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), BHU. 4-star (top) IIC performer, 2019–20; ARIIA 11th–25th, 2020
2019–present04Convener
NISP, National Innovation and Startup Policy, BHU. Drafted and approved by the Executive Council
2019–202605CurrentSteering Committee Member
International Collaboration Cell, BHU
2022–present06CurrentProctorial Board Member
Banaras Hindu University
2023–present07SPOC
Smart India Hackathon, BHU
202208Warden
New International Boys Hostel, BHU
2022–202309Convener
Obscura, the Photography Art Club, BHU
202210Student Adviser
Faculty of Visual Arts, BHU
2012–2013More university roles6
- 2023Coordinator, University G20 online and offline quiz competition, BHU
- 2023Member, Annual Report Preparation Committee, BHU
- 2019–2022Sub-committee member, Central Discovery Centre, BHU. Concept and tender documents for the Digital Media Centre
- 2019–2021Member, Academic Council, BHU
- 2019–2020Faculty Coordinator, NAAC, Faculty of Visual Arts; Nodal Officer, ARIIA rankings, BHU
- 2014Nodal person for setting up the Design Innovation Centre at BHU with IIT (BHU)
Labs developed
Digital Innovation Gallery
Design Innovation Centre, Department of Applied Arts
Design Café Lab
Prototype lab and workshop place
Research Studio
Design Innovation Centre, Department of Applied Arts
Graphic & Digital Media Lab
Design Innovation Centre, Department of Applied Arts
Curriculum, policy and programmes
Course curricula developed / Board of Studies member, 2010–present
Implementation in the Department of Applied Arts, BHU, with new BFA courses from October 2024
National Innovation and Startup Policy drafted and approved for BHU
Programmes developed
Typoyatra
Multilingual type design festival celebrating India’s script diversity.
- 2013–2019Kalakshar: national seminar-cum-workshop on calligraphy and design, as Organising Secretary; editions 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 (design work on Behance)
- 2018Design Picnic: national seminar-cum-workshop ‘Design Picnic: Innovation in Visual Communication’, 22–24 Mar 2018
- 2022Obscura: the Photography Art Club of BHU, focused on visual storytelling and documentary practice
- DepartmentTypopicnic and Topo-Photo: typography and photography programmes in the Department of Applied Arts