IIA Maha Convention 2010 and All India Architects Congress at Pune

Introduction
The development progress of Maharashtra state over the last 50 years has been significant, and an
inspiration to architects throughout India. Architects from all the major cities, towns and corners of this
proud state have contributed to this development in this part of India. To commemorate this achievement,
the Indian Institute of Architects Pune Centre and Maharashtra Chapter, along with the Council of
Architecture (COA), hosted a convention on the 8th of October, 2010 (Friday), followed by the Architects
National Congress on the 9th of October (Saturday), at Laxmi Lawns, Magarapatta City, Pune.
The convention deliberated upon important issues & serious concerns related to the practice of the
architectural profession, in the context of recent liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation in India.
A highlight of this convention would be the All India Architects Congress which is directly related to COA,
and thus the Architects Act, and hence important for all registered Architects. The congress debated over
issues pertaining to architectural practice and education in focused subject committee forums and finally in
the main session / general body where 10 resolutions were considered and unanimously passed. The
same would be forwarded to concerned authorities for further action.

More than 3000 Architects participated in the Convention Dy. Ch. Min. Shri Chagan Bhujbal greets the Convention

More than 2800 architects from the length and breadth of the country registered and participated in this
mega-event. The intent was two-folds – one to discuss serious issues plaguing our architectural fraternity in
a participative manner with expert guidance, and second, to celebrate the state’s development progress
over the last 5 decades, and chart the course for the future. With this being the largest gathering of
Architects in recent collective memory, the event took the opportunity to bring forward pressing issues
regarding practice of architecture that some architects may have been oblivious to, while ensuring that such
a meet is also a social event, full of camaraderie, bonhomie and inter-dispersed with the mandatory fun &
revelry.

Book Launch of “The Journey” at Maha Convention Laxmi Lawns, Magarpatta City – the Venue

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Organisation
Under the stewardship of prominent Pune Architect, Prakash Deshmukh (Exec. Council Member of the
COA, and Past-Chairman
Chairman IIA Mahar
Maharashtra
shtra Chapter) as Convenor for the event, a specialised technical
team of IIA Pune Centre, IIA Maharashtra Chapter and collaborative architects, put their collective heads
together for over six months to ensure proper planning and management of such an unprecedented large
event.

Keynote Speaker, Ar. H. Contractor

ntractor with the Convention OC Convenor Ar. Prakash Deshmukh COA President Ar. V. Sohoni

Key Highlights of the Convention

Day 1:
• Keynote address by renowned Architect Hafeez Contractor of
Mumbai, on the progress of development in India so far,
fa and the emerging
trends seen
seen. He stressed on promoting high-rise
rise development to meet the
demands of low land availability in an increasingly urban future.
• Presentations by veteran Architect Kamu Iyer and by Ar. Iqbal
Chaney showed the changes Maharashtra state has undergone so far. far
• Lectures
ctures by Architects & Urban Designers, P.K Das (Mumbai) and
Prasanna Desai (Pune) on the relevance of social architecture, in the
shaping of our cities in the immediate and near future.

Day 2:
The Architects congress was held with nine important issues, debated over 3 simultaneous forums.
1. Council of Architecture and Government Nodal Ministry
Speakers – Prof. Shireesh Deshpande (Nagpur) & Prof. Akhtar Chauhan (Mumbai)
RESOLUTION PASSED - “It is the
he prerogative of the Honourable Prime Minister to allocate business of the
Government to various Departments and Ministries.
Resolved, that the honourable Prime Minister be requested to allocate the business of Architects Act 1972,
and the Council of Architecture, to the Ministry of Urban Development, Govt. of India, under the Allocation
of Business Rules 1961.”
2. Mutual Recognition Agreements
greements (MRA) with other countries to give equivalence to Indian
qualifications for working abroad
Speakers – Ar. A.N. Ramanathan (N.
N. Delhi
Delhi) & Ar. Ramaraju (Chennai)
RESOLUTION PASSED – “Resolved Resolved that the Council of Architecture should enter into mutual recognition
agreements with registration boards of other countries, to facilitate cross
cross-border
border architectural practice by
Architects in both countries, strictly on basis of reciprocity.
reciprocity.”

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3. Public, Semi-Public and Govt. Projects – Procedure and norms for allocation of job, scope of
work and fees structure
Speakers – Ar. Nimish Patel (Ahmedabad) & Ar. Partha Ranjan Das (Kolkata)

RESOLUTION PASSED – “Resolved that the Architects Act be suitably amended to ensure that the basis
for selection and appointment of Architect for public, semi-public and Government projects, must be the
competence and prior experience of the Architect, and not professional fees charged. The process of
tendering and financial bidding for architectural services be prohibited.”

Ar. Nimish Patel & Parul Zaveri discuss scope of Architects’ work Prof. Jaimini Mehta & Ar. K.B. Jain demands CEPs

4. Creation of facilities for continuing education programmes for Professionals

Speakers – Ar. K.B Jain (Ahmedabad) & Ar. Jaimini Mehta (Ahmedabad)
RESOLUTION PASSED - “Resolved that Council of Architecture must create facilities for Continuing
Education Programmes for registered Architects. The Architects Act be suitably amended to make it
mandatory for all registered architects to acquire certain number of credits through Continuing Education
Programs, leading to renewal of registration.”
5. National Building Code and COA Norms for practicing Architects
Speakers – Ar. Rajiv Raje (Pune) & Ar. Pramod Shinde (Hyderabad)
RESOLUTION PASSED - “Resolved that the Govt. of India be requested to take steps to stop architectural
practice by non-architects. The National Building Code has made provisions to allow non-architects to
design buildings on plots upto 500 Sq.M. The Govt. of India be requested to immediately direct the Bureau
of Indian Standards to delete from the national Building Code, such provisions which are contrary to the
provisions of the Architects Act.”
6. Implementation of the Architects Act - Foreign Architects in India
Speakers – Ar. Hafeez Contractor (Mumbai) & Ar. Ashish Ganju (N. Delhi)
RESOLUTION PASSED - “Resolved that the Architects Act be suitably amended to restrict practice of
architecture in India by foreign Architects. Further resolved, that, foreign Architects be allowed to practice in
India, only in partnership with an Indian Architect, with the foreign Architect having not more than 49%
share of the partnership. The Foreign Architect should also bear professional responsibility and liability.
Such foreign Architects should also be subjected to domestic regulations binding upon Indian Architects.”
7. Architectural practice and Professional Indemnity
Speakers – Ar. Jatinder Saigal (New Delhi) & Ar. Madhav Deobhakta (Mumbai)
RESOLUTION PASSED - “Resolved that the Architects Act be suitably amended to restrict the professional
and legal liability of the architects. Further resolved that the Govt. of India be requested to direct the
Insurance Companies to create professional indemnity insurance products for Architects.”
8. Architectural profession, Scale of Fees, and relevant laws
Speakers – Ar. Jose Mathew (Kottayam) & Ar. K. Jaisim (Bangalore)
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RESOLUTION PASSED - “Resolved that the minimum scale of fees as prescribed by Council of
Architecture be implemented for all projects including Government, semi-government, public and private
projects. The Architects Act be suitably amended to prohibit charging less than the prescribed fees.”
9. Amendment in Architects Act to allow for corporate and multidisciplinary practice
Speakers – Ar. Ravi Joshi (Pune) & Ar. Vishwas Kulkarni (Pune)
RESOLUTION PASSED - “Resolved that the Architects Act be suitably amended to allow practice of
architecture by Corporates and multi-disciplinary firms, in line with global practices. However, persons part
of the Corporates and multi-disciplinary firms, responsible for architectural service, must be registered
Architects.”
10. Request to Govt. to reconsider recent bill being tabled in the Rajya Sabha, enforcing changes in
the Architects Act of 1972, infringing on autonomy of the Council of Architecture
RESOLUTION PASSED – "Resolved that the amendments to Architect Act tabled in Rajya Sabha, are
detrimental to interest of architectural profession. This Congress requests the Govt. of India, to reconsider
the amendments, and also incorporate the suggestions given by us"

Unanimous Show of Hands Pass the resolutions Convenor, Ar. Prakash Deshmukh addresses the House

• With the final tabling of resolutions, the event was concluded with a summary of the day’s events and a
vote of thanks towards the large team that made the event a resounding success.
• Once again, the evening was filled with music and merriment and the lawns were full with Architects in
fellowship with each other, happy in the summation of two engaging days of the convention.

A Rock Show enthrals the evening crowd The night is for socialising after 2 days of serious talks

Day 3:
The Convention organisers had also planned two free convention tours on the 3rd day, Sunday. About 200
enthusiastic were given a special guided tour of Suzlon’s world headquarters – “One Earth”, and later in the
afternoon, a tour of Magarpatta City, India’s first true privately developed integrated township.

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