The 25th Annual NASA Convention – “Dahaleej” (1983)

TPS Archives proudly brings you a special feature on the 25th Annual NASA Convention, hosted by the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi, in 1983 — a silver-jubilee moment for NASA India. This convention, aptly titled “Dahaleej” (meaning threshold), was more than just an annual gathering. It was a reflective pause — a moment where the Association collectively asked, “This is all very well, but what next?”

A Convention of Visionaries

The convention was spearheaded by an outstanding Organizing Committee that worked tirelessly to make this event a landmark in NASA history:

• Prof. V. P. Raori – Head of Department of Architecture

• Prof. M. R. Agnihotri, Mr. Surendra Sharma, Mr. Jyoti P. Rath – Staff Coordinators

• Mr. Jyoti P. Rath – General Secretary, NASA '83

• Mr. Rajeev Maini – Unit Secretary

• Mr. Vivek Oberoi – Convention Treasurer

• Ms. Vandana Jhajharia – Convention Coordinator

• Mr. S. S. Dasgupta – Convenor

• Mr. Shekhar S. Garud – Incharge, Competitions

• Mr. Prasanna A. Desai – Incharge, Exhibitions

• Mr. Anand Dhote – Incharge, Cultural Programmes

• Ms. Renuka Gupta – Incharge, Catering

• Mr. Ashu Paul – Incharge, Transportation

• Mr. Rajesh Kant – Incharge, Printing

• Mr. Neeraj Manchanda – Incharge, Brochure

• Mr. Sushil Aggarwal – Incharge, Graphics

• Mr. Ravi Kaimal – Incharge, Reception

• Mr. Puneet Sohal – Incharge, Railway Bookings

• Mr. Pushkar M. Kanvinde – Incharge, Audio Visuals

These names, many of whom are now renowned architects and educators, embody the pioneering spirit of that convention.

The Leadership

The NASA Executive Council of the time was led by:

• Mr. Vivek Gupta – President

• Mr. Nishil Shetty – Vice-President

Unit Secretaries – The Backbone of the Convention

Representing colleges from across the country, the Unit Secretaries were the lifeblood of this gathering:

• Mr. Akbar M. Biviji – Academy of Architecture, Bombay

• Mr. Prasad Kulkarni – Pune

• Mr. Christopher Gomes – Bandra School of Art, Bombay

• Ms. Padmini Achwal – Baroda

• Mr. A. Banerjee – Howrah

• Mr. Javed Hussain – Bhopal

• Mr. Manoj Khanna – Chandigarh

• Mr. Rajeev Maini – Delhi

• Mr. S. Akbar Ahmed – Hyderabad

• Ms. P. V. Sunita – Kharagpur

• Ms. Swati Chattopadhay – Calcutta

• Mr. Sunil Kenkare – Sir J. J. College of Architecture, Bombay

• Mr. Ashok Hamsagar – Lucknow

• Mr. C. N. Ramalingam – Madras

• Mr. Alex Jacob – Manipal

• Mr. Unit Secretary – Ahmedabad

The pages of the convention publication also carry the names of Anjali Gijre, Anup Misra, Ashish Rege, A. R. Ramanathan, Avik Roy, Anuradha Chaturvedi, Beena Idnani, Biresh P. Shah, Chander Mohan, Debashis Bose, D. M. Kailash Nath, H. V. Jyothi, Harsh K. Gupta, H. Gowri, Indrajit Ghosh, Indu Mathur, Itu Chaudhri, Keshav Gangadhar, Kusum, Manjari Sharma, Maitreye Bezboruah, Manjari Gupta, Meenakshi Srivastava, Mihir Mishra, Meenu Tewari, Mirza Yaftali, Naresh Vij, Narayan Shastri, Pawan Jain, Purnima Kapoor, Pawan Mehra, Priyadarshi Sharma, P. K. Das, Pushkar Kanvinde, Rajat Tandon, Aditya, Rakesh Goel, Rajesh Rishi, Rajiv Shankar, R. R. Pillai, Sharashtant Patara, Siddhartha Mitra, Sanjay Wadhwa, Shabnam Patel, Sanjiv Anand, Sebastian Antony, Sunil Saini, Sujata Kohli, Siddhartha Majumdar, Tapan K. Chakravarty, Vinita Khurana, V. K. Malik, Preeti — all of whom contributed to competitions, exhibitions, and the spirit of this convention.

Theme – “Dahaleej”

The editorial of Dahaleej called on students to reflect and reimagine:

“On a bright morning with a radiant sun, as your mind takes a walk down the beaten but still exciting track of what has been and what is… you pause for a moment, and wonder… ‘This is all very well, but what next?’”

This reflective stance on architecture explored vernacular design, continuity of tradition, and the evolving relationship between man and building, urging students to search for solutions that harmonize with the complex rhythm of architectural evolution.

A Legacy That Lives On

Looking back at this convention, it is clear that Dahaleej was not just an event — it was a threshold moment that shaped the future of the Association and of Indian architecture. Rediscovering these names and these pages today is like uncovering the blueprint of an era that defined NASA India’s voice.

The 25th ANC remains an important milestone, reminding us that the questions asked in 1983 — about identity, continuity, and evolution — are still relevant today.