# About - URL: https://miranj.in/about Miranj was founded in early 2011 as a boutique web design and development studio. We were among the earliest in India to [design in the browser] and build responsive websites. Being trained software engineers with an eye for design, we created simple, minimal designs directly in HTML/CSS/JS. Back then, minimal responsive designs weren't quite the norm, and we got recognised for it. Many organisations engaged us for a wide range of work — from [single-purpose][metarefresh-web] [conference][jsfoo-web] [websites][5thel-web] (for [HasGeek][hg-web]) to UX for web products such as [Mobikwik] and [YourCabs]. [miranj]: https://miranj.in/ [design in the browser]: https://hasgeek.tv/metarefresh/2012/141-designing-in-the-browser [metarefresh-web]: https://metarefresh.in/2012/ "Meta Refresh (2012)" [jsfoo-web]: https://jsfoo.in/2013/ "JSFoo (2013)" [5thel-web]: https://fifthelephant.in/2013/ "The Fifth Elephant (2013)" [hg-web]: https://hasgeek.com [mobikwik]: https://miranj.in/work/mobikwik [yourcabs]: https://miranj.in/work/yourcabs We've remained laser-focused on the web throughout our journey — no mobile/native apps, no product design, no trying to imitate a "full-service agency". Sometime around 2015, we drafted [our purpose] to put it explicitly in writing. Since then, we've consciously focused primarily on websites, where our work sits at the intersection of content, design, and code. Longevity became important to us, and we've since envisioned a 5+ year lifespan for each project. Some of our work has made it over a decade. We also actively seek meaningful work and often collaborate with non-profits and academic organisations. [our purpose]: https://miranj.in/purpose ### Selected Projects While we're at it, let's draw your attention towards some noteworthy projects that we've rolled out in the past — 1. **[CEPT University]** is a renowned higher education institute established in the 1960s as a school of architecture in Ahmedabad. It has since expanded to offer design, management, planning, and technology programs. It's one of [our recent university website projects][cept-project]. 2. **[The Nehru Archive]** is a digital library that records the life, work, and thoughts of India's first prime minister. We [led the product strategy and technical execution][nehru-project], and the website launched in 2025. 3. **[Blume]** is India's most founder-friendly seed venture fund providing capital and support to startup founders. We turned Blume's website into a rich content hub that establishes them as a thought leader in the Indian startup ecosystem. We [launched the redesign][blume-project] in 2022, and it's kept pace with Blume's growing content output since. 4. **[Azim Premji University]** is an educational institution based in Bangalore, India. The university was set up to address the need for well-qualified professionals in the social sector. It has since become widely known for its focus on education for social change. [This project][apu-project] has been live since 2021. 5. **[IndiaBioscience]** is a non-profit programme that evangelises growing academic opportunities in biology and life sciences in the country. [This project][ibs-project] was one of our largest information-organisation challenges and has remained online since 2015. 6. **[Guiding Tech]** publishes explainers, buying guides, analysis, and cool technology. Back in 2017, [this project][gt-project] helped us build our technical chops to create and scale media sites that receive millions of visitors each month. We're no longer associated with this project, but the site still carries our design foundations. You can read more about these, or explore other projects we've undertaken, on our *[Work][work]* page. [work]: https://miranj.in/work/ [CEPT University]: https://cept.ac.in [cept-project]: https://miranj.in/work/cept-university [The Nehru Archive]: https://nehruarchive.in [nehru-project]: https://miranj.in/work/the-nehru-archive [Azim Premji University]: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/ [apu-project]: https://miranj.in/work/azim-premji-university [Blume]: https://blume.vc [blume-project]: https://miranj.in/work/blume-ventures [IndiaBioscience]: https://indiabioscience.org/ [ibs-project]: https://miranj.in/work/indiabioscience [Guiding Tech]: https://www.guidingtech.com [gt-project]: https://miranj.in/work/guiding-tech [Obvious]: https://obvious.in/ [obvious-project]: https://miranj.in/work/obvious ### Services We offer turnkey services for creating robust websites, including *Website Strategy*, *Design*, *Development*, *Support*, and *Hosting*. A typical project takes 3-5 months to execute and involves a week-long project discovery and strategy workshop. In this workshop, we identify and align on all requirements, goals, and priorities. We also brainstorm the information architecture and content strategy, and create a work plan. During the execution phase, we work in rapid weekly cycles; i.e., we release a working build every week. Our clients test the builds on different browsers and devices and share feedback. Their feedback helps us align in the subsequent weeks. We're typically bang on with our project commitments. After a website launches, we continue to provide technical support and hosting services. We pride ourselves on being technology agnostic, having worked on projects using various technology stacks, be it JavaScript, PHP, Python, etc. For content websites, we've experimented with a range of CMSes — WordPress, Drupal, Bolt, Kirby, Jekyll, etc. Our current CMS of choice is [Craft CMS][craft], and it powers each of the above projects (we've also been [a Craft Partner since 2017][partner]). We're constantly investing in improving our efficiency by adopting frameworks and paradigms that solve common problems. We've built projects using LESS, SASS, and our homegrown utility-first framework before fully embracing Tailwind. We've been using [Gulp] and (more recently) [Vite] to automate our build processes. We've also shipped a complete [Svelte]-powered app [when the need arose][typoscope], but otherwise really like the reactivity [Alpine.js] affords us right alongside our markup. We host our projects on DigitalOcean VPS servers, which gives us full control to tweak and optimise the server architecture for performance and reliability. [craft]: https://craftcms.com [partner]: https://craftcms.com/partners/miranj [vite]: https://vitejs.dev/ [svelte]: https://svelte.dev/ [alpine.js]: https://alpinejs.dev/ [gulp]: https://gulpjs.com/ [typoscope]: https://miranj.in/work/typoscope "Typoscope for Universal Thirst" ### By the Web, For the Web Ideologically, we hold ourselves accountable to [the spirit of the web][spirit] and ensure our work is [future-friendly]. We keep ourselves up to date on the most novel practices in the world of the web, through publications like A List Apart and CSS Tricks, and by following thought leaders like Jeffry Zeldman, Ethan Marcotte, Brad Frost, Jeremy Keith, Frank Chimero, Addy Osmani, Alex Russel, Scott Jehl, Dave Rupert, Jen Simmons, Rachel Andrew, Chris Coiyer, Lea Verou, Adam Wathan, Andy Budd, and more. We've been on top of practices such as mobile-first, responsive, progressive enhancement, and modular design systems before they become industry buzzwords. We work tirelessly to make our websites inclusive, accessible, ceaseless, clear, and performant. Each year, we want to keep getting better at our craft as we look up to organisations like [iA], [Paravel], [Clearleft], [Upstatement], [Filament Group], [Pentagram], [Fictive Kin], etc. [spirit]: http://spirit.adactio.com [future-friendly]: http://futurefriendlyweb.com [iA]: https://ia.net/ [Paravel]: https://paravelinc.com [Clearleft]: https://clearleft.com [Upstatement]: https://www.upstatement.com/ [Filament Group]: https://www.filamentgroup.com/ [Pentagram]: http://pentagram.com [Fictive Kin]: https://fictivekin.com We're also active in the web and UI/UX communities. We participate in conferences around the world and [have spoken at events such as *Dot All*, *JSFoo*, *Meta Refresh*, *ReactFoo*][talks], and *[Hillhacks]* to name a few. We have also served on the editorial panels of some of those events. This participation has helped us meet new people, assess our standing within the international web community, and keep pushing ourselves to improve. Time and again, we invest ourselves in community initiatives such as [*World IA Day* (New Delhi)][WIAD], the [*Content Web* series][contentweb], and [*Two Studio Heads Walk into a Bar*][TSH]. [talks]: https://miranj.in/talks [Hillhacks]: https://hillhacks.in/ [WIAD]: https://www.worldiaday.org/events/new-delhi [contentweb]: https://hasgeek.com/contentweb [TSH]: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd2WkbMWeYjPuOywuUEi0wQ ### Our Culture Behind the scenes, Miranj's culture is quite unlike traditional 9-to-5 office jobs. Throughout our existence, we've embraced a [*remote-by-default*][remote] working philosophy. This means that even when we worked out of [a cool office][Base Station], we trained ourselves to minimise in-person interactions and use tools like Slack and Asana. This behaviour made remote work second nature, so our work isn't hindered when we're not co-located, when collaborating with folks in a different city, or on the odd day we work from home. In turn, this meant we were better prepared to handle the Work-From-Home switchover during the pandemic. We've now transitioned to a fully remote organisation. [remote]: http://stet.editorially.com/articles/making-remote-teams-work/ [Base Station]: https://basestation.in Culture-wise, we've never had dress codes, time-keeping or unnecessary rules. As a remote team, we meet for a morning catch-up. Beyond that, each of us sets our own rules, makes our own commitments, and coordinates work over Slack/Asana. We hold weekly Townhalls to build skills and learn as a team, and a monthly Chill-Session to unwind on a Friday evening. We're conscious of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, expect weekends off, and are generous with leave. We reach decisions through careful deliberation (not democracy), and we resolve differences amicably through extended reasoning. Being small, lean and flexible is our strength. About the only thing we are rigid about is our value system, which includes things like: reason and debate over authority; respect and empathy for people — users, clients, peers, colleagues; autonomy over control; slow and considered over fast and hasty, and a few more that are yet to achieve clear articulation. --- Miranj is currently a team of five. We've consciously remained small throughout our journey. We often collaborate with other individuals and freelancers who bring in complementary (sometimes supplementary) skills to the project, such as branding, graphic design, illustrations, etc. Some of our past collaborators are [3 Sided Coin], [Anoopa John], [Tiffinbox], [Hamsa Ganesh], [Cracker & Rush], [Now Form]. When not at work, our team members explore live music, food and culture events, hike and camp, or watch TV shows. You might want to check out our [Mastodon], [X profile], or [newsletters] to see what we're up to. [3 Sided Coin]: https://3sided.co.in/ [Anoopa John]: https://anoopajohn.com/ [Tiffinbox]: https://tiffinbox.in/ [Hamsa Ganesh]: https://thoughtput.in/ [Cracker & Rush]: https://crackerandrush.com/ [Now Form]: https://nowform.co/ [Mastodon]: https://mastodon.social/@miranj [X profile]: https://twitter.com/miranj [newsletters]: https://miranj.in/newsletters