INSPIRING SUCCESS STORIES
Having begun her career in the USA, working with a distinguished architect, Dr. Ar Ponni M. Concessao, Founder & Principal Architect, Ponni & Oscar + Rahul Architects, relocated from New York City to Chennai city as she wanted to bring similar quality of design and development to her own country. “As an architect, I believe that our profession inherently contributes to nation-building. My motivation to pursue architecture was to learn from the best democracy in the world and bring valuable knowledge back to India. I aimed to explore different architectural methodologies, building technologies, and legal systems in the Western world.” Suresh Heblikar, Chairman and Founding Trustee of Eco Watch had more than two decades of notable career in the Kannada film industry as filmmaker, director, and actor. However, he shifted his focus towards environmentalism during 1990s. “Originally hailing from Dharwad, a culturally rich town known for academic institutions, my passion for films was ignited by a workshop conducted by a French professor. What prompted my shift towards starting environment protection organization was when I witnessed first-hand the rampant depletion of Western Ghats. It significantly impacted me and overshadowed my interests in films, literature, art, and music.” Sapna Srivastava, Editor, Realty+ summarizing the strong sense of social responsibility of both the eminent personalities said, “Architect Ponni wanted to contribute to the India growth story by bringing international standard of construction through her work while Heblikar refused to be a silent spectator and decided to himself take the initiative of creating environmental awareness initiating steps to work with the concerned authorities. Indeed, these examples inspire us to take a look at the urgent challenges of global warming, climate change, and population growth that require a balanced approach to development.” Both the experts also gave a gist of their initial respective journeys. Dr. Ponni Concessao shared, “While applying at the National Institute of Technology in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, I faced strong resentment and discouragement not only from the admission staff but also the principal of the college. But that was a long time ago, over time, I have witnessed positive changes in India regarding women's rights and empowerment. Girls now have more control over their lives and politicians are increasingly encouraging gender equality. However, I still notice a big number of women architects and engineers quitting work, after becoming mothers, mostly due to lack of support at home.” Actor-turned-environmentalist Suresh Heblikar stated, “Environmental awareness was the biggest challenge when I started in 1990 and it still remains so. Over the period of time, what I have noticed is that educating children aged 8 to 14 is vital for long-term understanding of environment and its importance. Professionals, planners and policy makers too require proper knowledge to prevent ecosystem damage and conserve resources.” Sapna Srivastava concurred with the speakers, “Social conditioning is one of the biggest reasons behind biases towards women at home and that must change. Likewise, the understanding of impact of climate change on our daily lives is yet to percolate to all levels of the society. Fortunately, the supportive laws and government backing are gradually fostering positive changes in these directions.” The experts addressed the vital issue of equilibrium between development and environment. As a developing nation, India needs to address the numerous infrastructural needs, including housing shortages and industrial growth. Addressing the vital issue of maintaining equilibrium between the indispensable aspects of development and the equally-significant preservation of the environment, Dr. Ponni Concessao, articulated, “In Europe, laws protect natural areas due to their crucial role in preserving resources for cities' survival. Comparatively, in India, corrupt politicians exploit their power to benefit financially from development of even naturally fragile lands, as they must maintain their electorate base. To address this issue, environmental education should begin at the primary school level, and a more involved civil society must influence lawmakers. Lawmakers with global awareness and a commitment to creating a better society must be elected. India should adopt policies focused on net zero emissions and tripling renewable energy resources. Solutions include electing educated lawmakers and offering tax credits to sustainable industries. These practices, already successful in European nations and will help create environmentally responsible progress for our country too.” Suresh Heblikar stated, “There has been a growing awareness about environmental issues, and governments institutions, and bureaucrats are becoming educated about nature preservation. While laws are there, what is required is the strict implementation of those laws, In addition, awareness about going back to our traditional beliefs that were entrenched in what we call a circular economy, will inculcate environmental values in all. Rather than copying the West, the holistic development of smaller cities and towns in keeping with the special needs of their natural habitats and living patterns can help address urbanization's negative effects. Preserving the environment does not require excessive spending or technology but rather responsible stewardship”. Dr. Ponni Concessao added, “I am proud to be the first woman in Asia to design a state secretariat, I.e. the Telangana State Secretariat in Hyderabad. Additionally, I am working at the Gaganyaan Space Center in ISRO and have championed women's technical education in India by opening opportunities for women in premier engineering institutes. These accomplishments are truly noteworthy and something I feel good about contributing to society”. Disclosing his aspirations for the forthcoming year, Suresh Heblikar said, “Society remains hopeful as global efforts focus on combating climate change, maintaining ecological balance, and ensuring access to clean resources for the betterment of world citizens. The young children are our hope and they must be informed right from the beginning on the saving of natural resources. “The notion of development raises questions regarding its true meaning; is it high-rises and malls or thriving small cities? Urban expansion in cities like Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai has led to environmental issues, prompting a need to revaluate our perspective on development” - Suresh Heblikar, Eco-Watch. “The key to a country's progress lies in men and women working together equally in the workforce. Women must be economically independent and join the labour force to help India reach the level of other developed countries. It is also up to women to claim their rights and contribute to our nation's progress” - Dr. Ar Ponni M. Concessao, Ponni & Oscar + Rahul Architects Challenges still persist, such as gender-based stereotypes, lack of women in top management positions as well as a casual approach to climate change among not only the citizens but many a professional and policy makers - Sapna Srivastava, Realty+
Tags : Suresh Heblikar Eco-Watch Dr. Ar Ponni M. Concessao Ponni & Oscar + Rahul Architects Sapna Srivastava Realty+ National Institute of Technology architectural methodologies building technologies legal systems