Chhail Khalsa, an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Anant, is fascinated by e-textiles, exploring the intersection of craft and technology. Her research focuses on digitally including craft communities and creating new methods for producing textile technology products. She is passionate about integrating the value of craft and technology into everyday life, aiming to enhance people’s homes with the best of both worlds.

At Anant, Chhail focuses on textile-related courses, particularly weaving, wearables (e-textiles), design research and academic writing. She is dedicated to fostering a culture of research within the Department of Sustainable Fashion and Textile. Her teaching approach emphasises a research-led methodology in design-based projects, aiming to equip students with valuable skills and insights.

Chhail is an alumna of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU), the University of Lucerne (Luzern) and the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. A textile designer by education, her expertise lies in Weaving Technology, Print Design and Design Research. Apart from teaching at Anant, Chhail also teaches at NID and CEPT. Her self-initiated research, backed by the IKEA Foundation Switzerland, explores the fusion of craft and technology, yielding functional product prototypes. Chhail has showcased her work at renowned events like Dutch Design Week, Vienna Design Week and Fashion Tech Week New York.

Chhail is a Design Researcher and Textile Designer who leads Anuvad Innovation Studio LLP with a blend of technical expertise and craftsmanship, drawing from her education as an alumnus of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and Hochschule Luzern, Switzerland. Her work has earned international recognition, including the Lexus Design India Award, Raw Discoveries Award and India’s Best Design Project Award. With extensive experience abroad, including research at Hochschule Luzern, she brings a global perspective to e-textiles.

Beyond academia, Chhail spends time in her studio, collaborating with her team on exciting projects. Outside work, she enjoys exploring new cultures and cuisines through travel, cooking and reading. She also has a keen passion for coffee brewing, dedicating time to discovering different roasts and brewing techniques.