Ms. Tarana Gupta graduated with a Master’s Degree in Design (M.Des.) from the Industrial Design Centre (IDC) at IIT Bombay. In 2014, she completed another Master’s Degree in Design and Technology from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (NYU).
Ms. Gupta has dedicated her career to harnessing the power of design, data, and technology to make a positive societal impact. With a human-centred approach, she has contributed to several domains like healthcare, financial technology, education, e-governance, and accessibility.
She launched Connectedreams, a modular online mentorship platform designed with cultural nuances in mind, which aimed at supporting the aspirations of young women professionals, particularly from the smaller cities of traditionally conservative nations such as India and Pakistan. Before founding Connectedreams, she worked at MIT Media Lab’s Laboratory of Social Machines in Cambridge as a Strategic Experience Designer and Ethnographic Researcher. Her work involved devising data-driven innovations for technology solutions to foster accountable, transparent, and inclusive connections between individuals and institutions.
Ms. Gupta is currently on a sabbatical from her career and is focused on childcare, exploring photography, and volunteering at her child’s school.
She has many special memories of her time at her alma mater. She says, “In the hallowed halls of IIT Bombay, each day blossomed into a vivid collage of memories for me: the relentless monsoon rains painting picturesque scenes on campus, the comforting taste of puran poli from the mess, evenings clutching steaming bowls of Maggi at Hostel 11, and the flavourful kadhai paneer from Lakshmi’s that enlivened our taste buds. We would start our weekend mornings with visits to Siddhi Vinayak Temple, outlined against the early light of dawn. Evenings often ended with movies at R Mall, and nights were spent by Powai Lake, sharing stories under the starry sky. Amidst these cherished moments, the bonds forged with friends were the most splendid part of it all, turning simple experiences into treasures.”
Her hobbies include finding delight in capturing moments through photography, immersing herself in the woven narratives of historical fiction, exploring realities through documentaries, and engaging in debates with her husband.