Intro
Hey! I’m Ratan Pande, a self-taught industrial designer with a marketing brain and an endless curiosity about how things work. I started my career in exports and marketing but quickly found myself drawn to the world of design, where creativity meets problem-solving and where I feel most at home. I’ve worked on everything from designing playful board games for Hamleys to creating smart health-focused products like Ora, a toothbrush that teaches you how to brush right. Most recently, I was part of the design team at boAt, where I spent over three years working on consumer tech that looks good, feels better, and sells itself.
I love mixing form and function, but what drives me is creating things that connect with people, whether it’s a wearable, a product that nudges better habits, or something totally unexpected. I like working at the intersection of behaviour, emotion, and aesthetics.
I’m currently wrapping up my Master’s in Industrial Design at Strate School of Design, and was lucky to win the Gold Award at the 2024 International Design Awards and the Silver Prize in the 2025 KeyShot Photorealism Challenge along the way. Outside of work, I’m a loud-and-proud extrovert, always up for a conversation, a brainstorm, or a new creative challenge.
What sparked your interest in design?
Cars were my first love. Back in school, I was that kid who couldn’t stop sketching cars in every notebook—headlights, grills, side profiles, you name it. I was completely hooked. So after school, it felt obvious to take science in high school because hey, cars = engineering, right? Turns out… not really. I quickly figured out that engineering wasn’t my thing. What I actually loved was the look of cars, the feel, and the personality they had. I was passionate about sketching and storytelling, not crunching equations. That’s when I stumbled upon design, and it instantly felt like home. I did start design school, but had to drop out after three semesters due to some personal stuff. At the time, I didn’t know if I’d ever come back to it. But life’s funny like that—four years later, I found myself right back in design. And this time, I knew exactly why I was here.
People often think design is just about making things look good, but it’s so much more than that. You’ve got to wear a lot of hats: think like a user, act like a businessperson, communicate like a marketer, and still hold on to your creativity as a designer.
What are some of your favorite projects?
Haha, this is a tricky one, but honestly, I don’t think I have a favorite yet. I mean, there are projects that I really like, but I can’t say if they are my favorite. But the ones I really like are Ora: Smart Toothbrush, Google PixelBloc, and let’s say the one I am currently working on (Shhh can’t say what it is right now :P).
Where in your process do you use KeyShot Studio?
Honestly, KeyShot has been in my process maybe in all parts. But more when I start making the 3Ds to check the volumes and proportions better. And then later on, when I am visualizing the project.
What are your favorite KeyShot Studio tools or features?
I think the best attribute about KeyShot is how it just brings my vision to life. That could happen with making the right material in the material graph, or just experimenting with different kinds of lights. KeyShot Studio is unreal in terms of how it is so easy to make any product look like its been photographed
What advice would you give to someone interested doing what you do?
Design, in my opinion, is really for the passionate. It’s not as easy or glamorous as it might seem on the outside. Sure, there are cool sketches and flashy renders, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg—maybe 10% of what we actually do. The rest? It’s research, problem-solving, late nights, and a whole lot of learning. People often think design is just about making things look good, but it’s so much more than that. You’ve got to wear a lot of hats: think like a user, act like a businessperson, communicate like a marketer, and still hold on to your creativity as a designer. It’s a balancing act that needs both heart and brains. So, if you’re thinking of getting into design, here’s my honest take: pause and really ask yourself why. If you’re in it just for the likes and the hype, it might not be enough to keep you going. But if you’re genuinely curious, love solving real problems, and enjoy thinking deeply about how things work and feel, then welcome, you’re in the right place. Design will challenge you, break you down, and build you back up. But if your heart’s in it, there’s nothing more fulfilling.
It’s a wild, messy, rewarding journey—and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
“Design will challenge you, break you down, and build you back up. But if your heart’s in it, there’s nothing more fulfilling.”
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