Session Number:  10
Date of Debate:  27-Sep-1955
Debate Type:  Part 1(Question and Answer)
Debate Title Subject:  ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Debate Title:  Indian Architects sent Abroad
Members Participated:  NARAINDAS RATTANMAL MALKANI
RAJ BAHADUR GOUR
CHAIRMAN
GOPIKRISHNA VIJAIVARGIYA
Question Number:  625
Question Type:  Starred
Questioner Name:  MOHAMED VALIULLA
Page Number from to:  4760-4762
Ministry:  EDUCATION
Minister's Name:  K.L. SHRIMALI
Issue Date:  1-Mar-2012
URI:  http://rsdebate.nic.in/handle/123456789/581431
Appears in Collections: Part 1 (Question And Answer)

INDIAN ARCHITECTS SENT ABROAD

*625. SHRI M. VALIULLA: Will the Minister for EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government are sending two architects abroad to study important national theatres and opera houses and to submit their proposals regarding the national theatre to be constructed in New Delhi; and

(b) if so, what are the qualifications of those architects

THE DEPUTY MINISTER FOR EDUCATION (DR. K. L. SHRIMALI): (a) Yes, Sir. Two architects. Nawab Zain Yar Jung and Shri Man Sinh Rana selected for the purpose have left for Europe on 27th July 1955.

(b) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT

Qualifications of Architects sent abroad to study National Theatres and Opera Houses)

The qualifications of the architects are:—

(1) NAWAB ZAIN YAR JUNG:

(a) M.I.E. (Ind.) [Member of the Institute of Engineers (India)]

(b) F.I.I.A. (Fellow of the Indian Institute of Architects)

(2) SHRI MAN SINH RANA:

(a) A.I.I.A. (Associate of the Indian Institute of Architects)

(b) Fellow of Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, U.S.A.

SHRI M. VALIULLA: Sir, what are the other countries which they are visiting, apart from England?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: They are scheduled to visit Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, U.K., U.S.A., France and Switzerland.

SHRI M. VALIULLA: What is the idea of sending these two architects all round the world?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: Sir, the idea was that we proposed to put up a national theatre, and we found that the architects competent to design the building for this national theatre were not there. We did invite several architects to send designs. Those designs were examined by competent people, and then we came to the conclusion that it would be much better to send two of our people to study the designs and other things connected with theatres, and then prepare the designs.

SHRI M. VALIULLA: Have they got to visit any particular theatres or every theatre?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: I have already mentioned the names of the countries where they would visit theatres and opera houses and then prepare the designs.

SHRI M. VALIULLA: What is going to be the cost?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: The estimated expenditure for this trip would be approximately Rs. 30,000.

PROF. N. R. MALKANI: Sir, is the national theatre intended for staging Indian plays mainly, or foreign plays mainly?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: The national theatre will be truly representative of our country.

PROF. N. R. MALKANI: Have the Government taken any steps to see that the future theatre house is built in such a way as to meet the growing needs of the country with regard to Indian plays?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: Yes, Sir. That is the whole idea.

DR. R. B. GOUR: May I know, Sir, whether there is any person included in the group which is touring these countries, who knows the requirements of a theatre, that is to say, an artiste, not merely an engineer?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: The two people who have been selected are very competent people. Nawab Zain Yar Jung is a well-known architect, and another man, Shri Man Sinn Rana, has also a good deal of experience in architecture. And both these persons are very competent to prepare designs for this building.

MR. CHAIRMAN: The point is this. They may be engineers. But the question here is whether they are artistes as well.

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: They are architects.

SHRI GOPIKRISHNA VIJAIVARGIYA: Are they to visit the U.S.S.R. also?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: No, Sir.

SHRI M. VALIULLA: Could they not have got the blueprints and the drawings from those countries instead of going there?

DR. K. L. SHRIMALI: No, Sir. That was not possible. It is a very difficult task, and a very difficult assignment. It is difficult to draw proper designs unless they have actually visited those theatres.