Interview with Architect K. Senthil Kumar, Tamil Nadu

What inspired you to pick architecture of all professions? I got both Medicine (MBBS) and Engineering (BE) in merit but didn’t get Architecture in the first list. Those days B.Arch was offered only in two Govt colleges in TN, SAP, Anna university (25 seats) and REC–Trichy (15 seats). Architecture was in great demand. I Joined Architecture in Anna university in the Second list. Till date no one believes me when I tell them that I left MBBS and Joined Architecture. Now I proudly tell them, I left Medicine 30 years back to become today, The Chairman of the Indian Institute of Architects, Tamilnadu. My Uncles daughter Usharaj, a beautiful and talented dancer joined Architecture and she was my inspiration to join B.Arch. Your favorite project and why? Favorite project is the recently completed Hotel project “Hotel Emerald Dove“ at Yelagiri Hills, TN with 32 rooms, Restaurant and Conference halls. It was completed at a shoe string budget with Labour contract and in a record time of 9 months including the interiors. It has become a landmark in Yelagiri now. Customers are giving good feedback about the building and the facilities. That was the first project in which we handled Architecture, Interiors and Landscape. What would your wish list be for architecture in our country? Architecture should be separated from the Ministry of Human resource and Development and a separate ministry for Architecture should be formed taking into account the enormous development in the housing and public sector in the coming years. Scrutiny, Approvals, Environmental clearances, No objection certificates and Licences should be streamlined making the entire process user friendly, transparent and granted within a time frame. Exclusive universities for Architecture, such as Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine arts university, Hyderabad, should be created. Source: Zingy Homes