Question

Which consultant(s) to the Government of India suggested that the metal lota (shown in the given figure) used by many Indians is an appropriate symbol for indigenous design traditions?

• A. Walter Gropius
• B. Charles Eames
• C. Hannes Meyer
• D. Ray Eames

Hint:

For questions on design history, associating key figures with their major reports or iconic statements is crucial. The Eames Report and their praise for the \textit{lota} is a landmark event in the history of Indian design education.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B, D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
This is a general knowledge question related to the history of design in post-independence India. It asks to identify the famous designer(s) who championed the Indian \textit{lota} as a pinnacle of design.
Step 2: Key Historical Context:
In 1958, the Government of India, at the behest of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, invited the American designers Charles and Ray Eames to study India's design landscape and recommend a program for design education. Their findings were compiled in what is famously known as "The India Report" (or The Eames Report).
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
In their report, Charles and Ray Eames used the simple, ubiquitous Indian \textit{lota} as a prime example of perfect design. They wrote, "Of all the objects we have seen and admired during our visit to India, the Lota, that simple vessel of everyday use, stands out as perhaps the greatest, the most beautiful." They praised its form, function, and how it was refined over centuries to be perfectly suited to its purpose with maximum economy of means. This observation became a cornerstone of their recommendation for the establishment of a National Institute of Design (NID) that would respect and learn from India's indigenous traditions while embracing modernity.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Both Charles Eames and his wife and design partner, Ray Eames, were the authors of the report and the proponents of this idea. Therefore, both options B and D are correct. Walter Gropius and Hannes Meyer were directors of the Bauhaus school in Germany and were not involved in this specific report for the Indian government.