India is now virtually seeking a new National symbol! Every section of society, every region is seeking new ways to express their Indian-ness, their pride in all things Indian, in their nationality and their determination to excel. Tata Steel’s most youthful brand Tata Structura captures the essence of the new emerging India – confident, passionate, strong, adaptable and a dreamer, yet connected to its culture. Therefore, the Company’s Tubes Division sought to marry Tata Structura and the attributes that emerging India represents to create a symbol of contemporary India.

To celebrate India’s 60th year of freedom, Tubes Division launched “Notions of a Nation” a competition to create an architectural and engineering symbol of contemporary India, created with Tata Structura. Launched on January 26, India’s Republic Day, it comprised several rounds, after which 12 finalists were shortlisted. They included architects, designers and structural engineers from India and overseas. The competition concluded on the eve of Independence Day – August 14.

The individual entries have been judged on the basis of inspiring India as a whole as well as the creativity, vision and impact of the designer’s interpretation of this symbol. Regional jury members included experts in architecture and engineering as well as professionals with artistic experience and local community development.

The winner was Nuru Karim’s representation of Mahatma Gandhi’s spinning wheel to celebrate “the Mahatma’s philosophy of the spinning wheel…sowing the seeds of self-sustaining ecologies and that of national and social cohesion”. The award winning creation was unveiled at the AEC (Architecture Engineering and Construction) World Expo held at Mumbai from September 26 to 30, 2007.

The winner, Nuru Karim with an impression of his extraordinary entry