An accomplished Associate Professor of Leather Design at NIFT since 2012, Sankara Narayanan brings over 25 years of extensive professional experience spanning diverse domains across design, management, and hospitality. His multidisciplinary academic portfolio encompasses a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Leather Design from NIFT New Delhi, subsequently bridged to an M.Des in 2010, and a Postgraduate Programme in Business Management from K.J. Somaiya Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai. His academic and professional expertise encompasses Design, Pattern Making, and Luxury Management. Further enriching his interdisciplinary profile are certifications in English Proficiency, Transactional Analysis, and Creative Writing, complemented by specialised expertise in Mental Self-Defence and Combat Psychology.

He has contributed to a wide spectrum of leadership, consultancy, research, and international development initiatives within the fashion, design, and creative industries. As Team Leader for the Marketing Directorate at NIFT–ETIDI, he played a significant role in the Twinning Arrangement between the Governments of India and Ethiopia. He has also served as a PIT member for the Management Development Programme with CIEL, Madagascar, and contributed to the Varanasi Handloom Cluster Market Research Project, undertaken for the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India. His professional portfolio further includes significant contributions to the IndiaSize Project, the NIFT Foundation for Design Innovation, and the Prada consultancy project. His intellectual pursuits extend to collectible design, psychology, human behaviour, and spirituality.

Beyond his academic and professional engagements, Sankara Narayanan maintains a keen interest in spy literature, psychological inquiry, and the study of human behaviour. His ongoing practice of multidisciplinary martial arts, encompassing boxing, wrestling, and Jiu-Jitsu, reflects a sustained commitment to discipline, resilience, and self-mastery. A dedicated practitioner of yoga, he embraces a holistic approach to physical and mental well-being. His personal ethos is further reflected in his commitment to community service, where he contributes during natural calamities and extends his time, expertise, and mentorship to students and individuals requiring guidance and support.