Meet Abishek Prayaga | Industrial designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abishek Prayaga and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abishek, what matters most to you?
For me the most important values are empathy, curiosity and determination. These three values in a balanced amount. Bring out the best in people. If we have empathy then we can develop a purposeful inner intent to make things better for everyone around us. If we have curiosity then it gives us freedom to explore and learn. Curiosity combined with the right intent will help us seek answers in the right direction. And that combined with determination will make sure we see things through.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a kid I was always playful. I would always build things using paper, cardboard or any other scrap I could find. I didn’t like toys very much, I would have more fun making toys with my friends. It was the experience of Collaborating and making that was enjoyable for me. I had this inate sense of play within me, during my college, I couldn’t sit in a classroom, I would always be in the workshop or doing my own research on a personal project. This way of thinking made me explore many different fields. I’ve worked in interior design, furniture design, plastic injection molding, medical tech devices, music equipment industry, cosmetic packaging and now currently retail packaging.

I did face many social challenges during my journey. Since I absorbed information through physkcal experiments, I was not great at giving written exams. This was a problem since my parents were worried about my future. They wished for me to be an engineer and I wouldn’t get a degree if I didn’t write exams. Although i did join an engineering college I had to drop out since I couldn’t fit in the system of reading theories and writing an exam. Even during those days I would find myself working on CAD softwares and various materials and manufacturing methods in the college workshop. After this experience, design found me where I could express and learn in a way that suited me. Being playful is my nature and I used that playfulness to explore.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In my view the perfect trip would be a week in chicago during the summer. We could go to the beach, sports events, biking around the city maybe go on a trek too. But I’d prefer chicago because it’s give me a big city and a small town vibe and it’s less crowded

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My mother deserves all the credit for who I am today. My mother was always kind and empathetic towards everyone she meets. She had this way of connecting with people that allowed people to be at ease when they would speak to her. As I used to observe how she interacts with people I learned how to form real connections with people. I learned how to listen and respond, instead of reacting.

Website: https://www.abishekprayaga.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abishekprayaga/