On Sunday, Patel, whose name is taken in the same breath as Achyut Kavinde, Anant Raje, B V Doshi, and Charles Correa, was given the biggest gift of his lifetime, a book on his works by his son Dr Bimal Patel and co-author Catherine Desai. The book, 'The Architecture of Hasmukh C Patel Selected Projects (1963-2003)' was released at Premal Jyoti or the Newman Hall just opposite St Xavier's college, which he had designed.

Hasmukh dedicated his works to his wife, who, he claims has always stood by him. The book includes details and images of 51 buildings by Patel, many of which have been published for the first time.

One should thank Patel for giving Ahmedabad some landmark addresses - Shyamal Row House, Center Point Apartments, Puja Abhishek, AEC, Bhaikaka Bhavan, Chinubhai Towers, besides Dena Bank, SBI and RBI buildings.

He rarely spoke of his works, says Bimal. And yet, each of his projects is a built manifesto, an exploration of how architecture might enrich the lives of India's modern citizens. "His buildings are an intuitive appreciation for the power of form and space. They belong to a deep tradition of 20th-century modernist thinking," says Bimal.