B. V. Doshi
Architect; first Indian winner of the Pritzker Prize
- Lived
- 95 yrs
- 1927 – 2023
- Works listed
- 3
- Building, Housing
- Honours
- 6
- Most recent 2023
- Profile views
- 1
- 0 followers
Balkrishna Doshi was an architect and urban planner who worked with Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn and developed a humane modernism rooted in Indian climate and culture. In 2018 he became the first Indian to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
Biography
With Le Corbusier and Kahn
Doshi studied at the Sir J. J. School of Architecture in Bombay and in 1951 joined Le Corbusier’s studio in Paris, later supervising his projects in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. He then worked with Louis Kahn on the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, absorbing the ideas of both masters of modern architecture.
Vastushilpa and his buildings
In 1956 he founded his practice, Vastushilpa, in Ahmedabad. His buildings include the CEPT University campus, IIM Bangalore, his own studio Sangath (1980) and the cave-like underground gallery Amdavad ni Gufa, created with the artist M. F. Husain. His Aranya low-cost housing in Indore, home to tens of thousands of people, won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1995.
Philosophy
Doshi believed architecture should respond to climate, community and everyday life rather than monumental display. His buildings use local materials, shaded courtyards, vaults and water to stay cool in the Indian heat, and his housing projects leave space for residents to adapt and grow their homes over time.
Teacher and institution builder
Doshi founded the School of Architecture in Ahmedabad in 1962, which grew into CEPT University, and the Vastu-Shilpa Foundation for research in environmental design. He taught generations of Indian architects and lectured worldwide.
Recognition and legacy
In 2018 he became the first Indian to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the jury praising his commitment to architecture that serves people; he received the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2022. He died in Ahmedabad on 24 January 2023 at the age of 95 and was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan.
Personal life
Doshi married Kamala Parikh, and they had three daughters; his daughter Radhika Kathpalia worked with him, and his granddaughter Khushnu Panthaki Hoof became a partner in Vastushilpa. He lived and worked in Ahmedabad for nearly seven decades, often welcoming students to Sangath, his studio, which he designed as a place of conversation and community.
Timeline
-
1927
Born in Poona (Pune), Bombay Presidency
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1951
Joins Le Corbusier’s studio in Paris
-
1956
Founds Vastushilpa
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1962
Founds the School of Architecture, Ahmedabad
Later CEPT University.
-
1976
Padma Shri
-
1980
Completes his studio, Sangath
-
1995
Aga Khan Award for Architecture
For Aranya housing.
-
2018
Pritzker Architecture Prize
First Indian laureate.
-
2020
Padma Bhushan
-
2022
RIBA Royal Gold Medal
-
2023
Dies in Ahmedabad; Padma Vibhushan
-
2023
Died, aged 95
Notable works
-
1983
IIM Bangalore Building
-
1980
Sangath Building
-
1989
Aranya Low Cost Housing Housing
Indore.
Awards and honours
-
Padma Shri
1976
-
Aga Khan Award for Architecture
1995 · Aranya Low Cost Housing.
-
Pritzker Architecture Prize
2018
-
Padma Bhushan
2020
-
RIBA Royal Gold Medal
2022
-
Padma Vibhushan
2023 · Awarded posthumously.
Did you know?
-
1
He was the first Indian to win the Pritzker Prize.
-
2
His studio, Sangath, means “moving together through participation”.
-
3
He designed the underground gallery Amdavad ni Gufa with M. F. Husain.
Gallery
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is B. V. Doshi?
Balkrishna Doshi was an architect and urban planner who worked with Le Corbusier and Louis Kahn and developed a humane modernism rooted in Indian climate and culture. In 2018 he became the first Indian to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
When did B. V. Doshi die?
B. V. Doshi died on 24 January 2023 at the age of 95.
Where is B. V. Doshi from?
B. V. Doshi was born in Poona (Pune), Bombay Presidency.
What is B. V. Doshi known for?
B. V. Doshi is best known for IIM Bangalore, CEPT University, Aranya low-cost housing; Pritzker Prize 2018.
What awards has B. V. Doshi received?
Notable honours include Padma Shri (1976), Aga Khan Award for Architecture (1995), Pritzker Architecture Prize (2018), Padma Bhushan (2020).
References
- Balkrishna Doshi — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Balkrishna Doshi — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Balkrishna Doshi — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Balkrishna Doshi — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Balkrishna Doshi (Q380449) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“B. V. Doshi.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/b-v-doshi
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