B. V. Doshi

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Dr Balkrishna Doshi, a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects and a Fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects was born in Pune in 1927. After initial study at the J J School of Architecture, Bombay, he worked for four years with Le Corbusier as senior designer (1951-54) in Paris and four more years in India to supervise his projects in Ahmedabad. His office Vastu-Shilpa (environmental design) was established in 1955.

Dr. Doshi has been a member of the jury for several international and national competitions including the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Apart from his international fame as an architect, Dr Doshi is equally known as educator and institution builder. He has been the founder-Director of School of Architecture, Ahmedabad (1962-72), founder Director of School of Planning (1972-79), founder dean of Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (1972-81), founder member of Visual Arts Centre, Ahmedabad and first founder Director of Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad. Dr Doshi has been instrumental in establishing the internationally known research institute Vastu-Shilpa Foundation for Studies and Research in Environmental Design. The institute has done pioneering work in low cost housing and city planning. As an academician, Dr Doshi has been visiting the U.S.A. and Europe since 1958 and has held important chairs in American Universities. [citation needed]

In 1976, the Government of India awarded Doshi with the Padma Shri, a national civilian honour.

A book describing the works and thoughts of Balkrishna Doshi titled Balkrishna Doshi: An Architecture for India by William Curtis was published in 1987. The book was awarded a silver medal at the International Book Fair at Barcelona.

Another book titled Complete Architecture of Balkrishna Doshi by James Steele was published in London in 1998.