PUBLISH
News

Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya announced as inaugural recipient of Balkrishna Doshi Guru Ratna Award by Vastu Shilpa Foundation

Professor Neelkanth Chhaya has researched and worked extensively in the domain of appropriate architecture for India and has extensively documented places of historic significance.

SHARE THIS

Vastu Shilpa Foundation has announced Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya as the inaugural recipient of the ‘Balkrishna Doshi Guru Ratna Award 2023’.

Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya announced as inaugural recipient of Balkrishna Doshi Guru Ratna Award by Vastu Shilpa Foundation 1
Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya. Image © VSF

The award is given in recognition of his exceptional contributions to education, innovation and transformative mentorship.

Prof. Neelkanth Chhaya is an architect and academic who has been practicing in Ahmedabad since 1987. He started Mandala Design Services in Vadodara with partners Kallol Joshi and Sohan Neelkanth. He taught at the Faculty of Architecture at CEPT University from 1987 to 2012, when he retired as the Dean of the Faculty. He also taught earlier at the University of Nairobi and at the Institute of Environmental Design, Vallabh Vidyanagar, and has been an Adjunct Faculty at Srishti School of Design, Bengaluru. Professor Chhaya has researched and worked extensively in the domain of appropriate architecture for India and has extensively documented places of historic significance. He recently collaborated with Hunnarshala to build a cost-effective crafts centre in Kutch, Gujarat

Like what we publish?

Subscribe for free

AUTHOR

Picture of Rajesh Advani

Rajesh Advani

Profile and Contributions

Follow us on WhatsAPP

12 Responses

  4. Wonderful news Prof Chhaya !!
    Heartiest Congratulations and best wishes
    Regards,
    Arun & Anita Bhattacharya

    Reply

  6. Chhaya is a fine human being, a thinking architect and teacher. Eminently deserved Award!!
    Congrats Chhaya Sab!!

    Reply

  9. Congratulations Prof Chayya,
    A wonderful moment indeed.
    So happy to see you as the first recipient of this award. You brought alive our history clases where the buildings and landscape spoke volumes to our young minds. We were indeed blessed to have your presence and guidance through all the years of Architecture design studio and thesis years at SA CEPT.
    Hope you leave your teaching legacy behind for the future generations to come.
    Warm Regards
    Suparna Ray

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Posts

Feature image - Ego, Equity, and Experience Architectural Employment in India. Nitin Mandhan

Ego, Equity, and Experience: Architectural Employment in India

December 4, 2025

Through his detailed critique, Nitin Mandhan talks about the architectural education and employment in India, highlighting outdated minimum standards of education by Council of Architecture, poor industry-academia links, exploitative low-paid work, and elitist access. He argues for reform in the education standards, ethical workplace systems, better mentoring, and collective responsibility from institutions, council, and practices to create fair, sustainable careers.

Read More »

“The new architect must be an environmental thinker, a social listener, a technological innovator, and an ethical actor.” – Ravindra Punde on reimagining architecture education in India

November 19, 2025

Ravindra Punde, architect and academician, calls for a fundamental reimagining of architecture education in India, arguing it must shift from colonial pedagogies to address climate change, social inequality, and ethical responsibility through ecology-centred, community-engaged, and culturally diverse learning.

Read More »
Architecture-in-Development — Global Challenge 2025 Shortlists

“The stronger promise in Architecture-in-Development’s Do-it-Together (DiT) ethos is that design can be measured by what it connects and sustains, not just by what it costs or how quickly it is implemented.”—Nipun Prabhakar

November 13, 2025

Nipun Prabhakar, in his article on the 2025 Global Challenge finalists of Architecture-in-Development (A––D), elaborates on how community-led design defines the new frontline of practice. They showcase us a future where design is measured not only by metrics or capital, but by its capacity to connect, care, and endure.

Read More »
Rome Scholarship in Architecture 2026-27—Call for Applications

Rome Scholarship in Architecture 2026-27—Call for Applications

November 12, 2025

The Rome Scholarship in Architecture calls for applications for a six-month residency (Jan-June 2027) at the British School at Rome for a postgraduate or early-career architect. It includes £1000 monthly grant, board, and access to BSR resources for a self-directed research programme in Italy. Deadline: December 15, 2025.

Read More »

Featured Publications

We Are Hiring

Click here to apply
SUBSCRIBE
Instagram Twitter Facebook Youtube Pinterest

Stories that provoke enquiry into built environment

www.architecture.live

Subscribe & Join a Community of Lakhs of Readers