Hyderabad’s Nolwa Studio Revives 600-Year-Old Bidri Craft With Contemporary Design

At the nexus of innovation and tradition, Hyderabad-based Nolwa Studio is reinventing Indian craftsmanship for the global market. With its first collection, the Bidri Collection, unveiled at Design Miami, Basel 2024, the studio revitalises the 600-year-old Karnataka metal-inlay technique noted for its elaborate silver patterns on surfaces of blackened alloy.

Rohit Naag, a former consultant and INSEAD MBA graduate, founded Nolwa Studio with the goal of redefining Indian craftsmanship as alive traditions with significance to global design rather than as artefacts of the past. Rohit discovered the possibility for Bidri, a skill that has historically been limited to tiny, ornamental pieces, to develop into sculptural, modern shapes while investigating craft clusters in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Naag tackled the problem as a design challenge rather than a branding issue. A Eurocentric perspective is frequently applied to luxury design. However, he maintains that Indian crafts are just as complex. In an effort to close this gap, he asked designers from around the world to work together to recreate Bidri, fusing its classical artistry with modern sensibilities from minimalism to organic shapes and geometry.

The resulting Bidri Collection includes four standout pieces:

Horizon Lamp (Bidri meets Organic Forms)

A functional light sculpture where Bidri inlay interacts with soft lighting, casting delicate reflections.

Monolith (Bidri meets Mathematics)

A cuboid standing lamp inspired by abstract geometry and shortlisted for the EDIDA Awards, this piece plays with visual perception through intricate inlay patterns.

Drop Table (Bidri meets Mathematics)

With a parabolic base and floating glass top, this table uses nature-inspired mathematical patterns to create a splash-like visual effect.

Facet Mirror (Bidri meets Minimalism)

A diamond-shaped mirror where half the surface features minimal Bidri inlay, offering subtle contrasts in texture and reflection.

To create these large-scale, sculptural forms—some over five feet tall—Rohit partnered with national award-winning Bidri artisan M.A. Rauf and his team. The process involved five years of R&D and intensive prototyping, combining design experimentation with traditional craftsmanship. “I had always wanted to innovate,” says Rauf. “Working with Rohit allowed us to unlock new dimensions of the craft.”

In addition to transforming Bidri, the collaboration has challenged its fundamental norms by shifting its view from ornamental to collectible design art.

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The collection was recently displayed at the India Art Fair 2025, where Nolwa Studio launched a bar cabinet that draws inspiration from parametric design, marking the beginning of their next phase. According to Rohit, “India has over 2,800 craft forms, many of which are disappearing.” “With the same design-led rigour, we hope to investigate these.”

Nolwa Studio is a prime example of how tradition can flourish when it is reinterpreted with purpose and superior design, thanks to its blend of heritage, innovation, and international collaboration.

Information | Nolwa Studio

Address: Survey no 7A, Nolwa Studio, behind OM Marble, Khanapur, Hyderabad, Telangana-500075