Kalabhavan Architects Alumni Foundation was constituted with the primary objective of launching a fund for a new building with its own independent premises for the Department of Architecture.
The foundation derives its name from the Kalabhavan Institute of Technical and Fine Arts established in 1890. The course was essentially in draftsmanship and awarded a certificate in Architectural Assistantship. The teaching originally took place in Senabhavan, opposite the Laxmi Vilas Palace.
In 1910, all the departments were transferred to another stately building and renamed Kalabhavan Technical Institute. Around 1926 the certificate course was converted to a four-year diploma course. After Independence, Kalabhavan was renamed Faculty of Technology and Engineering (FTE) becoming one of the most important constituent faculties of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU) established in 1949. The Department of Architecture was one of the five founding departments.
While the diploma course continued, a five-year full-time Bachelor of Architecture course was introduced in 1954.
With time, it was felt that the facilities and resources available were not sufficient to meet the challenges of an evolving profession. The need of an independent building was essential and this vision started taking shape in the minds and hearts of the faculty and alumni.
With a spirit of good will for the Alma Mater, Ar. Madhav Deobhakta supported by some very strong motivation from Ar. Karan Grover and together with a group of enthusiastic architects such as Ar. Yashwant Mistry, Ar. Ajit Chokshi, Ar. Shashikant Vora and Ar. Malvika Patel came together to constitute the Kalabhavan Architects Alumni Foundation (KAAF) on March 7th,1991. A formal constitution was framed by the first Executive Committee (EC) lead by Ar. Madhav Deobhakta.
The uphill task of establishing an independent educational environment was taken forward by the EC with passionate endeavour.
The first milestone was the acceptance by MSU, of the proposal to shift the Department of Architecture out of Kalabhavan to Dadabhai Naoroji Hall (DN Hall), a heritage building in its own right within the main MSU campus, and the granting of approximately 2.5 acres around it for the department's specific use.
Under the capable leadership of prominent alumni such as Late Ar. Manoj Patel, Late Ar. N. B. Chhadva, Late Ar. Dhirubhai Patel, Late Ar. Rasik Shah and other EC members, Rupees sixty lakhs was collected for the construction of the new building.
The foundation stone for the new premises was laid on March 7th, 1992 by Prof. Rama Reddy, the then chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC). It was unanimously decided that prominent architect, Prof. A.N.Shirgaonkar would be entrusted to design the building. Ar. Ajit Chokshi, a senior alumni architect working in the University took responsibility for the entire supervision and construction management of the building.
The construction of the new building began with the bhoomi pujan performed by Smt. Padma Ramchandran, the then Vice Chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in 1996.
This act of goodwill was unprecedented not only in Baroda but in the country. Never before had the alumni come forward to donate an entire building to its alma mater. KAAF acknowledges the efforts of all in this endeavour.
Several professionals, individuals and the industry came forward to help and KAAF is thankful to all donors, small or large, as it is small droplets, that finally fill the ocean. KAAF sincerely acknowledge the largest, single donation from M. K. Switches and from Mr. Harish Patel of Dinesh Tiles.
The new building was handed over to MSU in the year 2000 under the Presidentship of Late Ar. Dhirubhai Patel.
AIMS
- To foster a sense of fraternity
- To serve as a platform for exchange of ideas
- To serve as an appropriate channel of communication
- To motivate, encourage and assist research in theory and practice of architecture
- To upgrade architectural education to meet challenges of the profession
OBJECTIVES
- To serve as an appropriate channel of communication for closer contact among members in general, and between members and the Alma Mater in particular.
- To consolidate and foster a sense of fraternity among members and thereby to generate active co-operation and positive interaction among them.
- To instill a spirit of allegiance and goodwill for the Alma Mater and to pool and channel resources and bilities for a positive contribution towards preserving the distinct identity, strength, growth and glory of the Alma Mater and to continue to encourage its further advancement in the education of Architecture and allied fields.
- To provide to the members a permanent platform for exchange of ideas, information, lectures, seminars, workshops and exhibitions for achieving the objectives of the foundation.
- To undertake documentation of the history and chronicles of the Alma Mater and to collect and preserve documents, drawings, photographs and other such items incidental and relevant to the chronicles and to buildup and maintain an archives of the Alma Mater.
- To raise and establish a fund through subscription, admission fees, donation, lottery and by other available means and to disburse such funds for achieving aims and objectives of the foundation and for related expenditures of the foundation.
- To extend the field of activities of the foundation by establishing chapters of the foundation in other cities.
- To interact with the students studying at the Alma Mater and to encourage them to achieve higher standards of performance to enhance the prestige of the Alma Mater.
- To communicate, co-operate and co-ordinate with other similar organizations or allied associations for achieving common goals.
- To do all such things as are incidental, necessary, advisable or conductive to the attainment of the aims and objectives of the foundation. Besides continued support in the upgradation of infrastructure, the principal activities of KAAF include organization and sponsorship for presentations, lectures and seminars including Memorial Lectures in honour of faculty, founder members and contributers. This promotes interaction between professionals and students and helps carry on the debate on issues faced by the profession.
Executive Committee for 2019-2022
| Name | Designation | Mobile Number |
|---|---|---|
| Ar. PRASHANT MODY | PRESIDENT | 9825159486 |
| Ar. KETAN SHAH | VICE PRESIDENT | 9825045705 |
| Ar. CHETAN SOMANI | VICE PRESIDENT | 9824076569 |
| Ar. BIRJU DIXIT | HON. SECRETARY | 9825034425 |
| Ar. MITESH PANDYA | HON. JOINT SECRETARY | 9998964633 |
| Ar. SNEHA VADHERA | HON.TREASURER | 9662440114 |
| Name | Mobile Number |
|---|---|
| Ar. AVANI THAKKAR | 9879446023 |
| Ar. MINESH SHAH | 9925245965 |
| Ar. ANUP GHOSH | 9978812060 |
| Ar. VIGNYA SHAH | 9228122098 |
Past Presidents
| Term | Name |
|---|---|
| 1992-1994 | Ar. Madhav Deobhakta |
| 1994-1996 and 1996-1998 | Ar. Rasik Shah |
| 1998-2001 and 2001-2003 | Ar. Dhirubhai Patel |
| 2003-2005 and 2005-2007 | Ar. Arun Shah |
| 2007-2009 and 2009-2011 | Ar. Arun Vakil |
| 2011-2014 | Ar. Vijay Matai |
| 2014-2016 | Ar. Mona Desai |
| 2016-2019 | Ar. Sailesh Nair |
| 2019-2022 | Ar. Sandhya Shah |
Tenure of Heads, Department of Architecture
| Duration | Name |
|---|---|
| 1952-1963 | Prof. M.B. Dave |
| 1963-1980 | Prof. M.B. Achwal |
| January 1980- July 1980 | Dr. V.S. Pramar |
| July 1980-August 1981 | Prof. N.B. Chhadua |
| August 1981- October 1986 | Dr. V.S. Pramar |
| October 1986- March 1987 | Prof. N.B. Chhadua |
| March 1987-September 1987 | Prof. Jaimini Mehta |
| September 1987- March 1988 | Prof. S.V.Deshpande |
| March 1988- September 1989 | Prof. Jaimini Mehta |
| September 1989 – January 1994 | Prof. S.V.Deshpande |
| January 1994- October 1996 | Prof. Uday Shelat |
| October 1996- October 1998 | Ar. A.G. Navangul |
| October 1998 – October 1999 | Prof. Uday Shelat |
| October 1999 – October 2004 | Ar. V.U. Matai |
| October 2004 – October 2006 | Ar. A.G. Navangul |
| October 2006 – March 2011 | Prof. Uday Shelat |
| March 2011 - May 2016 | Prof. Shishir R. Raval |
| May 2016 - October 2018 | Ar. V.U.Matai |
| October 2018 - February- 2020 | Dr. S.Brintha Lakshmi |
| February 2020 onwards | Dr. Bhawana Vasudeva |