AR. SD SHARMA THREE GENERATIONS IN CONVERSATION

The unsung hero of Chandigarh, Shivdatt Sharma’s life story is like the screenplay of a movie. From the Partition of India to a front-line participant in birthing the City Beautiful, the modernist architect ‘hero’ has seen and done it all.

- Maria Louis

Back in 1959, as a young refugee, he acquired his National Diploma in Architecture and enrolled himself in the team working on the Capitol project. Sharma got the opportunity to assist Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret in creating the new city’s landmarks, and was awarded the task of completing Le Corbusier’s museum after the untimely death of the legendary Swiss-French architect.

The six decades of his career has spanned varied experiences. During the formative period, from 1963-73, he was exposed to Indian Modernism in the very crucible where it was being developed. From 1973-79, Sharma worked as chief architect for ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). After opting for voluntary early retirement to work in Abuja, the new capital of Nigeria, the coup that occurred there caused him to return to Chandigarh to set up his own practice in 1980. Since then, he has mentored many young architects – including his son Sangeet and grandson Shivansh, apart from his daughter-in-law Purnima.

SD Sharma’s conversation with Sangeet and Sangeet’s tête-à-tête with Shivansh throw light on the impact of this hero’s life and work on Indian architecture in general and Chandigarh in particular.

SANGEET INTERVIEWS HIS FATHER, SD SHARMA