Chandigarh, December 26: On 26-12-2011, Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab invited Prof. S.S.Bhatti, an internationally renowned Architect for delivering a talk on the understanding of architecture of Le Corburier’s city for the benefits of architects/engineers from abroad. Prof. Bhatti made an audiovisual presentation on ‘the making of new city of Chandigarh’ in a jam-packed Conference Hall of the institute.
2. A large number of foreign architects from Belgium, USA and U.K. and other dignitaries like S.K.Dass,IAS Additional Director, Common Consul, Delhi, Sh. A.K.Kundra, IAS(retd), Sh.D.P.Bajaj, Retd. Chief Engineer, (B&R),Sh. Deepak Ghavri, Principal Architect, Aashray Design Consultant, Sh. Sh.N.S.Sodhi, Retd. Chief Engineer Sh. Subhash Malhotra, Retd. Chief Engineer and ACM Bhandari, Retd. Superintending Engineer were in the audience.
3. at the outset, Shri. Rajan Kayshyap, former Chief Secretary Punjab, and now Adviser of MGSIPAP, welcomed Dr. Bhatti and distinguished audience from India and Abroad. Prof. Bhatti, former Principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture, Founder of First Friday Forum and ex-Fellow and Dean, Faculty of Design and Fine Arts, Punjab University, based his presentation on his first Ph.D namely “Chandigarh and the context of Le Corburier’s ‘statute of the land ‘: A Study of plan, action and reality”. His presentation was based on a multi disciplinary exercise ranging from physics, geography, metaphysics and history. His main emphasis was examining the city on social organism. Prof. Bhatti outlined his newly developed method of research to the study of human settlement. He paid tribute to the vision of Pt. Jawaharlal Lal Nehru who called Chandigarh, “A symbol of a nation’s faith
in the future’’. The vision of Pt. Nehru in making the new capital of Punjab was translated by Le Corburiser, a Swiss born French man, one of the greatest architects of 20th Century, who made Mr. Nehru’s vision into an icon of modern urbanism. Prof. Bhatti said Chandigarh is a tribute to the meeting of two phenomenal minds –Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru and Le Corbusier. According to Prof. Bhatti, “Chandigarh is where sun, space and verdure created a phenomenon created by a new esthetic every day”. He said, “Chandigarh is the 20th Century’s greatest architecture monument where architects and town planners of the world came on professional pilgrimage”. Prof. Bhatti also paid rich tribute to Sh. Nek Chand who has given to the world a unique art fantasy- “Rock Garden, Chandigarh where from waste to wealth has been created by Sh. Nek Chand with vision, dedication and discipline, by using discarded building material.
4. During the question answer session Prof. Bhatti exhorted the citizen of Chandigarh, “To preserve, protect and defend the legacy of Le Corburiser” as mafia of certain influential people are threatening to grap land and bringing malls malaria in the town by destroying even historically important buildings to develop malls.
5. Sh. Rajan Kashyap, former Chief Secretary and Chief Information Commissioner, Punjab thanked Prof. Bhatti for his illuminating talk. He said even the people of Chandigarh who are living in Chandigarh for decades in the town should be made aware of such talks to safeguard the interests of the city so that it remains the vision of urban development for centuries to come.
