Fields like architectureCivil engineering and urban planning have long been male-dominated professions. Already in the textbooks we read in school, in the pedagogy and in the discourse about great historical monuments and conventional geographical wonders, this field can boast of several architects, most of whom are male. These narratives of architectural triumph have traditionally highlighted them in a biased way, often ignoring some very notable contributions from women. This gendered perspective on important national contributions has a major influence on the way knowledge and achievements are recorded and celebrated.
This article looks at six of these remarkable Indian women architects whose achievements deserve to be similarly documented. It contains everything you need to know about their architectural style, their professional background and education, and the social perspective on which their designs are based.
1. Eulie Chowdhury: Architect of India’s first planned city
Eulie Chowdhury is considered one of the first women to bring the knowledge and implementation of modernist architecture and urban planning to India. Having studied at prestigious institutions such as the University of Sydney, the University of Pennsylvania and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, a globally informed perspective was found to predominate in her work. In the 1950s, Chowdhury made a major contribution to the urban development of Chandigarh (India’s first planned city after independence), in close collaboration with well-known architects such as Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeanneret. Working with prominent architects of the time, she became a link between them and other Indian women architects by becoming part of their team.
Source: Rethinking the Future
As a member of such a team, her major assignments were Home Science College and Women’s Polytechnic, Chandigarh. Her work focused on human-centered urban environments and integrated modernist design principles with the socio-cultural needs of a newly independent India. They went beyond aesthetics; She placed particular emphasis on creating functional public spaces and educational institutions in the city. She later became the chief state architect of Haryana and later of Punjab.
2. Pravina Mehta: Modern architect and social activist
Pravina Mehta was a modernist architect and activist on social issues such as housing and urban inequality. After graduating from the Sir JJ School of Architecture in Mumbai (1940s), she became a key figure in India’s post-independence urban development efforts. She worked with architects such as Charles Correa in the planning and conceptualization of Navi Mumbai (then known as the New Bombay proposal), which included the construction of new roads, bridges and the zoning of industrial zones. Her architectural designs include Patel House, Kahim and Factory Chinchwada, Maharashtra.
In addition to being an urban planner, Mehta was also a passionate advocate for low-cost housing and slum rehabilitation. She believed that architecture should meet the needs of society’s most marginalized communities. Their designs focused on functionality, cost efficiency, social justice and affordable housing. Although their structures no longer exist, they are known for incorporating traditional architectural elements into modern designs (such as the use of red sandstone for a staircase), their way of designing an independent and “resurgent” India.
3. Perin Jamsetjee Mistri: India’s first woman architect
Perin Jamsetjee Mistri was the first professionally recognized woman architect in India. After graduating from the Sir JJ School of Art in Mumbai in 1914, she joined her father’s architectural firm Mistri and Bedhwar. Despite the social barriers of the colonial period, Mistri established itself in the fields of industrial and institutional architecture.
Despite the social barriers of the colonial period, Mistri established itself in the fields of industrial and institutional architecture.
Some of her major architectural works include Sir Behramji Karanjia’s airy Art Deco bungalow on Carmichael Road, the Khatau Mills in Borivali and St. Stephen’s Church on Cumballa Hill. She was known to have made a significant contribution to public housing and industrial work. Perin was also vocal about the importance of including women Design spaces and in important decisions in the architectural process.
St. Stephen’s Church. Source: ChurchLeaf
According to an anonymous letter in the Times of India, a woman once praised her inclusivity in design by saying, “A woman architect would certainly not make the mistake, as the architect of the building I live in did, of thinking that families would no longer have children.” She discovered that her “expensive” house didn’t even have a small porch where she could air out her children’s clothes.
4. Gira Sarabhai: Architect and founder of NID
Gira Sarabhai was a self-taught architect under the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin West Studio, Arizona. She co-founded the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad, which remains one of India’s leading design institutions. She is also known to have founded Shilpi, an Indian design advertising agency.
Sarabhai also founded the Calico Museum of Textiles in Ahmedabad. It is a board of trustees for historical structures, a center for knowledge, education and research. Their architectural vision emphasized the fusion of modernist ideas with Indian traditions and promoted the preservation of culture through design. Through her work in education and curation, she inspired generations of designers and architects who placed cultural awareness at the heart of modern design thinking.
5. Sheila Sri Prakash: Architect and sustainable architecture scientist
Sheila Sri Prakash is one of the first advocates of sustainable and eco-friendly architecture in India. A graduate of Anna University in Chennai, she started her architectural practice in 1979, at a time when green building concepts were still unknown in India. Her designs have received national and international recognition in works such as Mahindra World City (India’s first integrated business city based on principles of sustainable development) and Cholamandal Artists’ Village (an artists’ community in Chennai).
Her designs have received national and international recognition in works such as Mahindra World City (India’s first integrated business city based on principles of sustainable development) and Cholamandal Artists’ Village (an artists’ community in Chennai).
Their architectural style integrates native traditions, passive cooling techniques and the use of local materials to reduce environmental impact. She is also the creator of the Reciprocal Design Index, a framework for assessing the sustainability and social impact of architectural projects. As a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Design Innovation, she advocates for holistic approaches to urban planning and sustainable development on global platforms.
Source: Architect and Interiors India
6. Revathi Kamath: Advocate of mud architecture in India
Revathi Kamath is widely regarded as a pioneer of earthen architecture in India and advocates for sustainable and community-oriented architectural practices. She earned her degree in architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in Delhi and dedicated her career to creating environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive buildings. She opened a company called “Kamath Design Studio – Architecture, Planning and Environment” and was a proponent of the “Evolving Home” renovation concept (for which she consulted 350 families to understand their needs and build their home on the ground).
One of its most influential projects is the Anandgram Project, a rehabilitation housing initiative for displaced artisans. Kamath works with traditional construction techniques, particularly clay architecture, to create affordable and climate-friendly housing. Her designs emphasize participatory architecture and involving communities in creating their own living spaces.
In today’s world, there is no doubt that we must grapple with the complexities of urbanization, climate change and the need for more inclusive cities. The legacies of these women remind us not only that architecture is a very possible field for women, but also that the future of architecture must be both sustainable and humane. In this way, these women not only built basic architectural structures, but also built solid social structures to inspire more women to aspire to the same in the future.
Lakshmi Yazhini is a postgraduate pursuing an Integrated Masters in Development Studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Yazhini lives in Chennai and has a strong research interest in the intersectionality of feminist geography and the state in peripheral cities. In her free time, she enjoys baking, yoga, reading fiction, and writing her thoughts in her journal (mostly about the micro-inequalities around her). Yazhini hopes to one day research, write and make a difference on these issues as a policymaker.