Empowering Women Through Practical Fashion Education Since 2014
Anjan Institute of Fashion Design (also known as Anjan Skill Centre) is Belagavi's most trusted fashion design training centre. Founded by Smt Veena Girish Jigajinni, the institute was built on a single conviction: that every woman, regardless of her background, deserves access to quality, practical skill education that leads to real employment, self-employment, and financial independence.
Located in the heart of Belagavi, Karnataka, the institute has trained more than 800 women from over 15 districts across North Karnataka, South Maharashtra, and Goa over the past decade. Our graduates run their own boutiques, work in garment production units, teach fashion design, and contribute to the regional fashion economy every single day.
What sets us apart is not just what we teach, but how we teach it — with 100% practical learning, small batch personal attention, an industry-relevant curriculum, and a unique Earn While You Learn model that allows students to earn income during their education.
Our Story: From a Single Classroom to a Regional Fashion Education Hub
Anjan Institute of Fashion Design was born from a personal observation that troubled its founder, Smt Veena Girish Jigajinni, for years. Across the towns and villages of North Karnataka, she saw countless talented women — women with creative hands and ambitious dreams — who had no access to quality fashion education. The institutes that existed were either prohibitively expensive, located in distant metropolitan cities, or focused heavily on theory with little practical application. Women from middle-class and lower-income families, especially in semi-urban and rural areas, were left with no viable path into the fashion industry.
Determined to change this, Smt Veena Jigajinni established Anjan Institute of Fashion Design in Belagavi. The early days were humble — a small rented space, a handful of sewing machines, and a first batch of just a few students. But the approach was revolutionary for the region. Every class was hands-on. Every student touched fabric, operated machines, and created garments from her very first week. There were no lengthy theory lectures, no textbook exams. The focus was entirely on building real, marketable skills.
Word spread quickly. Mothers who saw their daughters learn practical skills in weeks, not years, began recommending the institute to relatives and neighbours. Students from Dharwad, Hubli, Gadag, and even Kolhapur in Maharashtra started enrolling. Within a few years, the institute outgrew its original space and moved to a larger, better-equipped facility in Goaves, Belagavi — its current home at Sachidanand Krupa Building, above Canara Bank.
As the institute grew, Smt Veena Jigajinni identified two additional needs. First, students needed real-world work experience, not just classroom training. This led to the creation of NG Unique Designers, an in-house production unit where advanced students work on actual client orders, gain industry experience, and earn income simultaneously. Second, she recognised that many women — particularly from rural and economically disadvantaged backgrounds — could not afford even modest tuition fees. To serve them, she founded NG Unique Education & Women Empowerment Social Welfare Society, a registered NGO that provides free and subsidised fashion training to underprivileged women across Belagavi district.
Today, Anjan Institute is more than a training centre. It is an ecosystem — comprising education, production, and social impact — that has collectively empowered over 800 women from more than 15 districts across Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Goa. The institute continues to operate with the same values it was founded upon: practical learning, personal attention, affordability, and an unwavering commitment to women empowerment.
Our Approach: Five Pillars of the Anjan Teaching Methodology
Every decision at Anjan Institute is guided by five core principles that shape how we teach, whom we serve, and what outcomes we deliver.
1. 100% Practical Learning
At Anjan Institute, we believe fashion design is a hands-on craft that cannot be learned from textbooks alone. From day one, every student works directly on real fabric, real patterns, and real garments. Our curriculum is structured around doing, not just studying. Students cut, stitch, drape, and construct garments throughout the course. There are no lengthy theory lectures or written exams. Instead, students build a portfolio of actual garments they have designed and created themselves. This approach ensures that when a graduate leaves the institute, she is ready to work on her very first day — whether at a boutique, a garment factory, or her own tailoring business.
2. Small Batch, Personal Attention
Each batch at Anjan Institute is limited to just 8 to 12 students. This is a deliberate choice, not a limitation. With smaller batches, our faculty can give individual, one-on-one attention to every student. If a student struggles with pattern drafting, the instructor sits with her until she masters it. If another student excels at embroidery, she is given advanced challenges to grow further. This personal mentorship model means no student is left behind and every student progresses at her own optimal pace. Parents often tell us that this small-batch approach is what gives them confidence to enrol their daughters.
3. Industry-Relevant Curriculum
Fashion is a constantly evolving field. What was trending two years ago may be outdated today. That is why the curriculum at Anjan Institute is reviewed and updated annually to reflect current market demands, new techniques, and emerging trends. Our course content covers not just traditional Indian garment construction but also Western wear, fusion fashion, contemporary embroidery techniques like aari work, and essential business skills such as pricing, customer management, and marketing. We study what boutiques, garment units, and fashion houses are looking for in new hires, and we train our students accordingly. This market-driven approach ensures our graduates are always in demand.
4. Earn While You Learn
This is perhaps the most unique aspect of Anjan Institute, and something no other fashion institute in Belagavi or North Karnataka offers. Through our in-house production unit, NG Unique Designers, advanced students work on live commercial orders from real clients. They stitch garments, complete embroidery orders, and handle production tasks — and they are paid for their work. Students can earn up to Rs 10,000 per month while still completing their education. This model achieves two things simultaneously: it gives students invaluable real-world production experience, and it provides them with income that often helps fund their own education. Many of our students come from families where this earning makes a significant difference.
5. Women-First Environment
Anjan Institute was created specifically to empower women, and every aspect of the institute reflects this commitment. The learning environment is designed to be safe, supportive, and encouraging for women of all ages and backgrounds. All batches are exclusively for women. The faculty includes experienced female trainers who understand the unique challenges their students face. The campus is secure, professionally managed, and welcoming. Whether a student is an 18-year-old school graduate, a 30-year-old homemaker, or a 45-year-old woman looking for a fresh start, she will find a place here. Many of our students tell us that the confidence they gained at Anjan transformed not just their careers, but their lives.
Our Vision
To become North Karnataka's most impactful and far-reaching fashion design institute — a centre of excellence that produces skilled, confident, and financially independent women who actively shape and strengthen the regional fashion economy.
We envision a future where every talented woman in the Belagavi region, regardless of her socio-economic background, has access to world-class practical fashion education. We aim to expand our reach to every taluka in the district, establish satellite training centres in underserved areas, and create a network of Anjan-trained fashion entrepreneurs who mentor the next generation. Our vision is not just education — it is the creation of a self-sustaining ecosystem of women who learn, earn, create, and empower others in an unbroken chain of progress.
Our Mission
To make quality fashion design education accessible, affordable, and intensely practical — enabling every student who walks through our doors to acquire professional skills, earn meaningful income, and build a sustainable career or business of her own.
We accomplish this mission through a multi-pronged approach. First, by keeping our courses genuinely affordable with flexible EMI options that put fashion education within reach of middle-class families. Second, by maintaining our 100% practical curriculum that ensures graduates are job-ready from day one. Third, by operating NG Unique Designers as an earn-while-you-learn production unit that gives students real income alongside real experience. And fourth, through our NGO that extends free training to women who cannot afford any fees at all. Our mission is to leave no aspiring woman behind.
Smt Veena Girish Jigajinni
Founder & Director — Anjan Institute of Fashion Design, NG Unique Designers, NG Unique Education & Women Empowerment Society
Smt Veena Girish Jigajinni is a qualified fashion designer, educator, and dedicated women empowerment advocate who has spent over a decade making practical fashion education accessible to women across North Karnataka. Her journey began with a simple but powerful observation: talented women in semi-urban and rural areas had no affordable, practical path into the fashion industry.
Under her leadership, three interconnected organisations have been established, each serving a distinct but complementary purpose. The institute provides quality education, NG Unique Designers creates earning opportunities through real production work, and the NGO extends free training to women who cannot afford fees. Together, they form a comprehensive ecosystem for women empowerment through fashion.
Her guiding philosophy — "Learn. Create. Earn. Empower." — has shaped the lives of over 800 women, many of whom now run their own businesses, support their families, and serve as role models in their communities.
Read Full ProfileOur Impact in Numbers
A decade of consistent effort has produced measurable, meaningful outcomes for women across the region.
Graduates working across fashion, garment, and textile industries
A decade of consistent, quality fashion education in Belagavi
Students from North Karnataka, South Maharashtra, and Goa
Institute, Production Unit, and NGO — a complete ecosystem
Three Organisations, One Mission: Women Empowerment
Anjan Institute operates as part of an integrated ecosystem of three organisations — each serving a distinct purpose but united by a shared commitment to empowering women through fashion skills.
Anjan Institute of Fashion Design
The educational arm offering diploma and short-term fashion design courses with 100% practical training, small batches, and career-focused outcomes.
Explore CoursesNG Unique Designers
The in-house fashion production and manufacturing unit where students work on real client orders, gain production experience, and earn income during their training.
Learn MoreNG Unique Education & Women Empowerment Society
A registered NGO providing free and subsidised fashion training to underprivileged women, conducting rural skill development camps, and enabling women entrepreneurship across Belagavi district.
Support the MissionRegions and Districts We Serve
Based in Belagavi, our students travel from across three states to train at Anjan Institute. Here are the key regions we serve.
Karnataka
- Belagavi
- Dharwad
- Hubli
- Gadag
- Vijayapura
- Bagalkot
- Haveri
- Uttara Kannada
Maharashtra
- Kolhapur
- Sangli
- Satara
Goa
- North Goa
- South Goa
Infrastructure and Learning Resources
Our institute is equipped with professional-grade tools and facilities to ensure students receive industry-standard training from day one.
Industrial Sewing Machines
Multiple high-speed machines for garment construction practice
Aari Embroidery Frames
Dedicated aari work stations with professional frames and tools
Pattern Drafting Tables
Large work surfaces for pattern making, cutting, and draping
Fabric Library
Curated collection of fabric samples for hands-on material study
Design Workspace
Dedicated area for fashion illustration, mood boards, and design development
Finished Garment Display
Exhibition space showcasing student work and inspiring new batches
Frequently Asked Questions About Anjan Institute
Find answers to the most common questions about our institute, courses, and approach.
When was Anjan Institute of Fashion Design founded?
Who is the founder of Anjan Institute?
Where is Anjan Institute of Fashion Design located?
What makes Anjan Institute different from other fashion design institutes?
Do you accept students from outside Belagavi?
Is the institute safe for women?
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