National, September 29, 2026: DigiHaat, the digital commerce platform by Nirmit Bharat built on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), and Pearl Academy, India’s AI-first design institution, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch a student-led storytelling initiative focused on India’s farmers, artisans and other producer communities.
Through the partnership, Pearl Academy Fashion Communication and other design students will engage directly with artisan, farming and producer communities to document their journeys, products, practices and local contexts, translating these into contemporary visual and editorial stories to be curated and showcased through DigiHaat.
Key Highlights of the Partnership:
- Field-led learning: Student cohorts will visit artisan and farming communities in real-world settings to document producer journeys, products, craft traditions and local contexts.
- Digital storytelling and discovery: Curated student stories will be showcased across DigiHaat’s digital ecosystem, connecting consumers with the people and communities behind the products they discover.
- Industry immersion and mentorship: Students will participate in industry immersion and knowledge-sharing sessions led by DigiHaat experts, with outstanding projects receiving recognition and opportunities for continued mentorship.
The initiative reflects Pearl Academy’s established emphasis on industry exposure, live projects and hands-on creative learning, including Fashion Communication, Styling, Fashion Design, Product, Communication, Textile, Business, Gaming and XR, filmmaking, photography, and visual storytelling.
DigiHaat has seen strong consumer traction since launch, with monthly order volumes growing more than 30x, as its catalogue expands to products from businesses and producer communities across India. The partnership adds a storytelling layer to this growing digital commerce experience, helping consumers discover the people, communities and contexts behind the products, while building on ONDC’s efforts through Amazing India to make products from kisans, karigars and other small producers e-commerce-ready and connect them with demand beyond their immediate markets.
Rohit Lohia, Chief Operating Officer, ONDC, said, “Digital commerce is changing who can participate in the market, but the opportunity now is to change who gets discovered within it. India’s producer economy is incredibly diverse, yet much of that diversity remains invisible to consumers beyond local markets. Through our partnership with Pearl Academy, we want to bring a new layer of discovery to that journey, combining the openness of the ONDC ecosystem with the creativity of young storytellers and the reach of DigiHaat.”
Aditi Srivastava, President, Pearl Academy, said, “At Pearl Academy, we believe creative education becomes truly meaningful when students are given the opportunity to engage with the real world and use their creative practice to respond to it. This collaboration gives our students an opportunity to step outside conventional creative briefs and discover stories rooted in India’s communities, crafts and livelihoods — while giving young creators a meaningful platform for their work.”
The collaboration also forms part of ONDC’s broader Retail approach of developing focused interventions across the ecosystem, including DigiDukaan for kirana procurement, Amazing India for small producers, D2C Retail for Indian brands and ONDC Food for restaurants and consumers.
About DigiHaat
DigiHaat is a digital commerce platform by Nirmit Bharat, built on the ONDC network, enabling consumers to discover and purchase a diverse range of products and services from businesses across India. The platform brings together offerings from Indian brands, businesses, producers and artisans, creating a digital route for them to reach consumers beyond their immediate markets. DigiHaat is focused on making digital commerce more accessible, discoverable and relevant to consumers while creating greater opportunities for Indian businesses and producer communities to participate in the digital economy.
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About Pearl Academy
Established in 1993 under the aegis of the Creative Arts Education Society (CAES), Pearl Academy is India’s AI-first design institution with campuses in Delhi-South, Delhi-West, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Jaipur. The institution offers undergraduate (B.Des/BBA) and postgraduate (M.Des/MBA) programmes across Fashion, Styling, Product, Communication, Textile, Business, Gaming and XR, among others, in affiliation with Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD), with a focus on industry integration, global exposure and future-ready learning.
With over 33 years of legacy and 15,000+ alumni, Pearl Academy collaborates with leading industry bodies and global partners to nurture the next generation of creative professionals.
