Just a few days before my first NID attempt, I was asked for feedback on some of the logo options. This small feedback chat with a senior official from my Organization opened up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me; to design the logo for Rajasthan Refinery.
Right after this discussion, after completing a 17-hour shift in an LPG plant, went home and worked on some sketches, the base design was inspired by an older design I did for a competition by the Rajasthan state government.
Rajasthan perceived as the land of Jharokha’s and the ever-shining Sun, made them a natural choice for the basic structure of the design.
After sending in the first sketches and options, I received a call from the Senior Official that the top management liked the approach and would like to speak to me. Listening to this, my excitement knew no bounds, and was determined to not let this chance slip out of my hands. One of the very important reasons for designers to design is even after they are gone, their designs remain on the face of the Earth; this was my chance to make something that survives beyond me (probably).
I kept on receiving inputs from the team involved with the designing of the identity and kept juggling between Illustrator and filling cylinders. Finally, after 4 days I heard those magical words, “Kirti, we are going ahead with this one”.
On January 16, 2018, it was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Foundation Stone laying ceremony of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited.
It was this design that got me an offer of a transfer to Headquarters and made an Operations Officer from Ajmer into Public Relations Officer for a Maharatna (then Navratna) Company!