Pravina Mehta facts for kids

Pravina Mehta helped plan Navi Mumbai with two other architects.

Pravina Mehta (born 1923 or 1925 – died 1992 or 1988) was an important Indian architect and city planner from Mumbai. She was also a political activist.

During the Indian independence movement, she was inspired by Sarojini Naidu. Sarojini Naidu was a famous freedom fighter. Pravina joined street protests against the British Raj (British rule in India). This was before she started studying architecture.

In 1964, Pravina Mehta helped create the plan for New Bombay. She worked with Charles Correa and Shirish Patel. Their plan suggested extending the city to the east, onto the mainland. This idea was shared in a magazine called MARG.

Pravina Mehta also worked to help people living in slums. She helped those affected by earthquakes. She designed low-cost homes. These homes also considered the environment and city planning. She worked with Minnette de Silva and Yasmeen Lari on these projects.

Early Life and Education

Pravina Mehta started her education at the Sir J. J. College of Architecture in the 1940s. She stopped her studies for a while. This was because she became very involved in the Indian independence movement. She was even put in prison for her activism.

Later, she moved to the United States to continue her architecture studies. She earned her bachelor's degree from the Illinois Institute of Design. Then, she got her master's degree in architecture from the University of Chicago. After finishing her education, she worked in Washington, D.C. for two years. She returned to India in 1956 to begin her career as an architect.

Designing Buildings and Cities

Pravina Mehta designed many different buildings. These included houses, factories, schools, and other important places. She used modern architectural ideas she learned in the US. She brought these ideas to India, which was becoming independent. For example, she used red sandstone to create a beautiful handcrafted stairway.

She led a research team in Mumbai. Mumbai is a city with many different kinds of people. It has complex social and economic challenges. Her team studied the city's diversity. They worked to keep its unique ways of life. At the same time, they created city plans. These plans aimed to meet needs like housing, sanitation, and water supply.

Pravina also wanted to connect architecture with other art forms. She believed that traditional Indian art, which has a rhythmic style, could be shown in buildings. She thought it could be translated into "the language of concrete and mortar."

Some of her famous designs include:

• The Patel House in Kahim (1962): This was a weekend resort by the sea. It was thought to be influenced by a famous architect named Le Corbusier.
• The J.B. Advani Oerlikon Electrodes Factory in Chinchwada, Maharashtra (1963): This factory was built using a lot of on-site work. It had a special design of windows for good air and light.

A bridge across Vashi Creek in Navi Mumbai. Pravina Mehta helped plan the city.

In 1964, Pravina Mehta, Charles Correa, and Shirish Patel proposed the plan for New Bombay. This city is now known as Navi Mumbai. Their idea was different from earlier plans. Their vision was compared to the hopeful theme of the famous Bollywood film Shre 420.

The CIDCO gave them important roles. This allowed them to create the Draft Development Plan in October 1973. This plan was approved in August 1979. It included government efforts to build new roads, bridges, and industrial zones.

Pravina Mehta and her husband were also involved in dance. She tried to bring the rhythm of dance into her building designs. A good example is the audiovisual recording center at Arehi. In a small space, she created a beautiful display of folklore and traditional colors.

Pravina worked in a field mostly dominated by men. She once said, "When a woman is truly committed to her career... she ceases to regard herself as a woman but only acts as a professional." This showed her strong dedication to her work.

Images for kids

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  Pravina Mehta's notable work of Navi Mumbai Urban planning with two other architects

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  A bridge across Vashi Creek in Navi Mumbai

See also

In Spanish: Pravina Mehta para niños