Ar. PR Mehta: Experiences as the President of the Council of Architecture. Anecdotes and Insights!
Channel: The Built
Date: 05/06/2021

Architect Premendra Raj Mehta, Partner DAG Architects, since 1979 shares his experience during his tenure as the President of the Council of Architecture. 
He very candidly tells us his guiding principles, his vision and philosophy.  
He answers the following questions:
1. You served the CoA President for two terms, what were your guiding principles?
2. During your term, Council produced a huge amount of guidelines and documents, can you please tell the viewers about the vision and the contents of these papers?
3. The question on AICTE vs COA judgement and how architecture won as an independent profession. 
4. You were the saviour for many architects who were in litigation due to providing architectural services, what exactly had happened? How did the Architects Act come to their rescue?
5. In terms of the recent Supreme Court judgement on non exclusivity on practice of Architecture, what will be your suggestion to the present Council? Should there be a follow up to get the Architects Act amended?
6. How did you deal with the pressures from the executive when your decisions were a little off alignment from their wishes?
7. When your received complaints against architects, what was your yardstick for holding them to account? Did you show some leniency as they were fellow professionals at the end?
8. If there is one single moment, during your tenure, when you really thought you had fulfilled your role, what would that moment be?
9. How does a person in public office manage any scope of conflict of interest? How does one manage any issues of personal gain due to the influence of public office holding?
10. For our viewers, how can they bypass any negativity, that may be apparent on social media regarding the profession in the bad state? Or is it all true?
11. If there is one message to the Council of Architecture that you wish to convey, what would it be?

About Ar. Premendra Raj Mehta:
Architect Shri Premendra Raj Mehta is the former President of the Council of Architecture, India. ( Ministry of HRD)
Ar Mehta  has the unique distinction of being a member of various statutory forums  of the Government of India including:
• Lalit Kala Academy ( Ministry of Culture), 
• CBRI Roorkee ( Ministry of Science & Technology), 
• BMTPC ( Ministry of Urban Development), 
• Committee on General Agreement on Trade in Services (Ministry of Commerce), 
• He has been Chairman of the All India Board of Architecture, Town Planning & Applied Art of AICTE. 
• Member of AICTE's Statutory Boards on PG Education, 
• GATE Committee of GOI etc. 
• He has represented India at WTO, Geneva in bilateral and Multilateral negotiations on Market Access and also presented a proposal thereon Recognition of qualification.
• He presently serves as a member of Technology Sub Mission of Mission Housing for All of Govt of India and 
• A member of the National Accreditation Board of Education and Training of Quality Council of India
Shri Premendra Raj Mehta has been a partner of the Design Action Group, since 1979.