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Namaskara

I am Pranav Rao

I am a lead designer, experimenting through life in Bangalore.

Raised in the vibrant city of Mumbai, with roots in South Karnataka, my journey is a blend of heritage and innovation. What started as creating posters for college events blossomed into a passionate pursuit of design, I've navigated diverse design landscapes from spatial experiences and brand storytelling to data-driven digital products.

My Experience

I do my best work in ambiguous situations where clarity is the goal, along side teams that build structure deliberately and avoid dogma.

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Lead Product Designer

Zee Ent. Ltd

2022-2026

I led design across growth, discovery, and AI-driven initiatives for ZEE’s digital platforms, operating at the intersection of product strategy, execution, and team leadership. Over this period, I owned high-impact problem spaces such as user acquisition, content discovery, search, and internal platforms—driving measurable improvements across key business metrics.
As the team scaled, I transitioned into a leadership role, managing and mentoring a team of 5 designers, introducing systems for planning, documentation, and execution that improved delivery quality and operational efficiency across the charter.

Interaction Designer

Moonraft innovations

2020-2022

At Moonraft, I worked on diverse client projects spanning consumer apps and service design, with a strong focus on translating complex problem spaces into clear, usable experiences. My work included the ADVA carbon footprint calculator, an award-winning project that strengthened my foundations in research-led design, visual systems, and end-to-end product thinking.
This phase of my career helped sharpen my craft and exposed me to structured design processes, cross-functional collaboration, and real-world constraints.

Master’s Degree & Graduation Thesis

National intitute of design

2016-2020

My postgraduate education at the National Institute of Design shaped my approach to design as a system of thinking, not just execution. Through coursework and my graduation thesis, I explored how strategy, storytelling, and design process come together to address real-world problems. Bridging academic rigor with practical application and laying the groundwork for my transition into product design.

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Community & early intiatives

I’ve been drawn to building things where resources were limited but intent was strong, whether that meant teaching, designing, or helping early teams shape their first products. These experiences continue to influence how I approach leadership, access, and responsibility in design.

  • Helped build a community library in a municipal school in Malvani, Mumbai

  • Taught English at a night school for students without access to formal education

  • Designed for and supported college-led community service initiatives

  • Conducted workshops to introduce students to design tools and creative thinking

  • Contributed to early-stage product work for Amaha, a mental health platform

I can be found...

When I am
not working

  • Researching my next travel destination

  • Deciding what graphic novel to buy next

  • Binging pop psychology on Instagram

  • Trying to wrap my head around a long dead philosophers words

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