A professor from USA, Abir Mullick today showcased various designs of public toilets conceptualised by him, at National Institute of Design (NID).

The aesthetic designs of the public toilets are a result of research conducted by a team of four led by Prof Mullick that studied the life and needs of slum dwellers after visiting 80 sites in India including states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat and interviewing over 300 people.

"Today's presentation by Prof Abir Mullick, who is also a Fullbright-Nehru-Scholar-in-residence at NID is very significant as it looks into the life of millions of people in India who are not so privileged as we are," Director NID Pradyumna Vyas said.

"The approach to design should be of inclusive growth. I am proud that Mullick has invested his valuable time to see that how this needy segment of society could benefit from design. Such initiatives encourage our students to foray into social development area," Vyas said.

The new toilets address public sanitation problems faced by the Indian society. Designed for mass manufacture, the toilets allow mass customisation and facilitate off-site production and on-site installation. Describing the problem of public sanitation in India, Mullick said it is estimated that around 600 million Indians do not have access to toilets, so where do they go.

In slums, it is estimated that 54 per cent urban slumdwellers dont have access to toilets, which is a fairly large number, and most community toilets are so filthy that they are not usable, he said.