Bengaluru’s old buildings shine in first ever INTACH Heritage awards

by April 21, 2015 Society
INTACH recognises heritage buildings in Bengaluru on the basis of maintenance, architectural integrity and value to the cityscape at the first edition of the Heritage Awards.

Srinivasa Mahal, Winner – Private (Residential) category

Commemorating World Heritage Day, INTACH Bengaluru announced the winners of the city’s first Heritage Awards. The winners were selected from amongst 50 nominations that were received from the public in two categories, government-owned and private buildings. The selection was made by an eminent jury comprising former UNESCO Ambassador Chiranjivi Singh, senior archaeologist Dr SVP Halakatti and the young and accomplished architect Anup Naik.

Based on the diversity of entries, it was decided to give awards to buildings in three categories: Public, Residential (Private) and Institutional (Private). Some of the parameters the jury considered were the maintenance, architectural integrity and value, value to the cityscape and so on. The selection was difficult and in some categories, the jury was compelled to give more than one prize.

Winners in the Public category


‘B’ station, Winner – Public category

‘B’ Station: For its historical value and its link with a major city event (electrification of the city), its functional continuity and its architectural integrity.


Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, Winner – Public category

Seshadri Iyer Memorial Hall, housing the State Central Library: For its architectural integrity, historical setting, and as an example of a colonial style of architecture with many elements of a local Mysore style of architecture.

The jury felt that Tipu Sultan’s Fort and Palace stood unique in their own separate category and were best considered as one complex. Accordingly, they decided to give a Special Award to the Fort and Palace complex, for being among the surviving historic monuments of Bangalore, for being well maintained in their surroundings and also for the distinctive wooden architecture of the palace.

Winners in the Residential (Private) category


SVS Gupta and his son receive the award for the Private (Residential) category

Srinivas Mahal, Vasavi Temple Road, Basavanagudi, owned by SVS Gupta: For being a living example of a synthesis of various styles of architecture, for its maintenance, for its high quality of craftsmanship, and for how the owner has maintained its architectural intent.

Perfect Peace, Inner Circle, Whitefield, owned by Paul D’Souza: For maintaining the architectural intent, for its maintenance, and for being a good example of colonial architecture in Whitefield.

Special Mention Award to Umapathi Dharmalingam for his bungalow on Kenchappa Road, Fraser Town

A Special Mention Award is given to a bungalow on Kenchappa Road, Fraser Town, owned by Umpathi Dharmalingam, for being an example of architecture characteristic of a part of the cantonment, for maintaining the original elements of the house and for resisting the pressure to change, despite change all around!

Winner in the Residential (Institutional) category

$(document).ready(function(){ $(‘.carousel .carousel-inner .item’).first().attr(‘class’, ‘active item’);});

The winner in the Institutional (Private) category is the Mahila Seva Samaj building, for maintaining its continuity into the present, for its architecture which symbolises a particular time period and use, and for its powerful associative value.

The INTACH Heritage Awards 2015 were partly sponsored by Good Earth Eco Futures Private Limited.

Sections:

About Meera Iyer

Meera Iyer is a member of INTACH's Bangalore chapter, and a freelance journalist writing on science, environment and history.
Read more by Meera Iyer

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Road to freedom: How this Chennai shelter empowers women with disabilities

by November 28, 2025 Society
A purpose-built, fully accessible space is helping women reclaim dignity, pursue education and sport, and advocate for systemic change.

When fifty-one-year-old Matilda Fonceca first wheeled herself through the gates of the Better World Shelter for women with disabilities in Chennai, she was not looking for transformation. She simply wanted a safe place to stay. The locomotor disability that has shaped her life since childhood has never stopped her from pursuing independence, yet it has often dictated how society has treated her. Much of her youth was spent moving between NGOs, where she learned early that institutions might make space for her, but rarely with her needs in mind. Before arriving here, Matilda lived an ordinary urban life, working night…

Continue reading

Similar Story

From shadows to spotlight: Youth in Mumbai’s Govandi rewrite their story through art

by October 22, 2025 Society
In the city’s most overlooked neighbourhood, the community rises above challenges to reclaim space and present the Govandi Arts Festival.

“For the last five years, I’ve only come to Govandi to report on crime or garbage,” admitted a reporter from a national newspaper during the Govandi Arts Festival 2023. “This is the first time I’m here to cover a story about art, and it’s one created by the youth themselves.” He went on to publish an article titled Govandi Arts Festival: Reimagining Inadequately Built Spaces Through Art and Creativity. It featured young artists who dared to tell their stories using their own voices and mediums. One might wonder why a place like Govandi, home to Mumbai’s largest resettlement population, burdened…

Continue reading