‘In architecture, I found the best of both art and science’

Monal Ambastha designs everything from websites to apps to graphics. She is an expert User Experience designer working with Capital Float Company in Bangalore. After completing her schooling from Apeejay School, Kharghar, the UX designer went on to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi. In a wide ranging interview, the design specialist gives a peek into her daily work schedule, her passion towards becoming a motion designer and her love for art and science. Edited excerpts: 

What does a day at the office look like?

It starts with meetings, a lot of meetings. At present, we have collaborated with another design firm since we are in the process of rebranding our company. This is something very new that I am doing in my life right now. We are changing the entire brand of our company from Capital Float to Axio. So we have to design the company app from scratch and design everything that will go on social media. We are also designing the new website. We design everything, even things as small as the notification that goes to the users.

What inspired you to pick this field?

I always knew that I did not want to be an engineer. Everyone in my family is an engineer. I was also expected to become one. But I knew that I wanted to do something in art and science. So, I took science in my class 11. I wanted to do something in the design industry. I found this space in architecture and went for it.

Tell us about your best memories from school life?

There are a lot of memories. After leaving school, I was shifting to Dubai but leaving Mumbai and Apeejay Kharghar was very tough for me. While I was in Dubai, I wanted to come back to my friends and teachers here.

In school, I was the class prefect from class 8 to 11. Moreover, the little trips we went to from school to the camps, visits to amusement parks are all fond memories. The best part I think was that all my friends lived around the school and so we spent a lot of time together even outside the school. We used to walk to and from the school together. Also, the teachers treated me like their own child. They came to my house and told my parents that I am their adopted child. That was how much they loved me.  

What is the one word of advice you would like to give current school students?

Now that students have come back to school after two years of the pandmeic, they should enjoy every little moment, whether it’s in the classroom, in corridors or outside the school. Also, I feel, students must respect their teachers. In online classes there were incidents in some schools where students mistreated their teacher. That’s not acceptable! We used to respect our teachers a lot.

How did Apeejay Kharghar help you to find your calling in life?

In school, I was not just into academics but also into extracurricular activities. I was a prefect, so I had managerial duties as well. Because I was into so many creative activities that the school organised for us, be it debate, science exhibition or a drawing competition, I experienced the joy of both art and science together. I was good at sketching in school. I always had an attachment with art and craft. After I came from summer vacation, my desk was piled with other people’s holiday homework, with requests to enhance them. 

What are your future targets?

I don’t think about what I have to do five years from now. I like to live in the current moment. I want to grow in the design industry. I want to become an animator, a motion designer. I have started my journey towards that.