Perin Jamsetjee Mistri facts for kids
Perin Jamsetjee Mistri (1913 – 1989) was a trailblazer! She was the very first woman in India to become a qualified architect.
Early Life and Education
Perin Jamshedji Mistri was born into a famous Parsi family. Her family was well-known for being engineers and master builders. Her father, Jamshedji Pestonji Mistri, was a respected architect and engineer. He started an architecture company called Mistri & Bhedwar. This company built many important structures in Mumbai. Some of these include the Art Deco Metro Cinema and the HSBC bank building. They also built the sea walls at Colaba and Cuffe Parade. Plus, they constructed the first runway for the Mumbai Airport.
Perin's younger brother, Minocher Mistri, also became an architect. He helped start a famous Indian art and architecture magazine called Marg.
Perin started her schooling in Gujarati in Bombay. Later, she went to Miss Kimmin’s High School in Panchgani. When she was 10, she moved to England and finished her education at the Croydon High School. After returning to Bombay, she studied at the Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy (J.J.) School of Art. She earned her diploma in architecture in 1936. In 1937, she joined her father's company. She worked there as a partner for nearly 50 years until she passed away in 1989.
Her Amazing Career
One of Perin's first big projects was a beautiful Art Deco bungalow. It was built for Sir Behramji Karanjia on Carmichael Road. This house was known for being airy and open. She also designed other buildings, including homes, public spaces, and factories. Some of her other works include the Khatau mills in Borivali and St. Stephen's Church at Cumballa Hill.
In 1936, Perin made headlines for being the first Indian woman to get an architecture diploma. People were very impressed! Someone even wrote a letter to the Times of India newspaper praising her. The letter said that a woman architect would understand what families truly need in a home. For example, the writer mentioned that her own expensive house didn't even have a small balcony to air out children's clothes. Perin's first bungalow, with its deep verandahs and long balconies, showed she understood these needs perfectly.
Perin had many interests outside of architecture. She enjoyed playing the piano and hockey. She also loved gardening and even studied snakes at the Haffkine's institute in Bombay. She married a businessman named Ardeshir Bhiwandiwalla and moved to Pali Hill in Bandra.
