Ishan Khosla (b. Fort Kochi, 1976) is a visual artist, designer, researcher, and educator based in Dehradun, India. A TED speaker, he holds an MFA in Design from the School of Visual Arts, New York. His work is about exploring the margins of art, craft and design. It addresses the overlooked, the unseen and marginalized voices of the Global South—both in urban or rural spaces. His interest is in exploring street and vernacular culture and the ways people navigate and inhabit these spaces.

In 2011, Ishan founded The Typecraft Initiative, a platform that collaborates with craftspeople, tribal artists, refugees, women, and religious minorities to co-create digital typefaces rooted in traditional art forms such as tattoos, embroideries, and motifs. These typefaces are not only tools for communication but also living archives—bridging ancient practices with contemporary design and digital technology.

Through Typecraft, Ishan addresses broader themes of cultural preservation, sustainability, equity, and the politics of representation. His work has been exhibited internationally—including at the London Design Biennial, Ginza Graphic Gallery (Tokyo), Atelier Muji (Tokyo), and RMIT Gallery (Melbourne)—and is part of several public museum and private collections, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), Letterpress Archive (USA), Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (Japan), The Munjal Foundation (Serendipity Art Festival), Devi Art Foundation, and the Powerhouse Museum (Australia).

Alongside his practice, Ishan writes, lectures, and teaches widely, sharing his insights on design, craft, and culture at global forums such as ATypI, the AIGA Design Conference, and Semi-Permanent. He has lectured at various institutions such as Japan Foundation (Tokyo), Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, University of Edinburgh, Aalto University, Gyeonggi Biennale, SVA (NY), California College of Art, College Art Association, the Powerhouse Museum (Sydney) among others.

Ishan sees design as a tool for transformation—one that can amplify marginalized voices, preserve endangered traditions, and inspire new creative possibilities for bringing communities together worldwide in an ever divisive world.