Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), Mumbai, honoured city architect Surinder Bahga with the ‘Presidential Special Recognition’ Award for his notable contribution to the literature on Indian architecture.
This award was presented to him during the closing ceremony of the IIA National Conference held on 9-11 February 2024 in Lucknow. His book ‘From Follows Roots-Architecture for India’ was released some time back. He has co-authored three books titled ‘Modern Architecture in India: Post Independence Perspective’, ‘New Indian Homes’ and ‘Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeannery: Footprints on the Sands of Indian Architecture’. He has researched ‘A Dream Realised’, a traveling exhibition on the lives and works of Le Corbusier and Pierre Jeannery for the Swiss Arts Council. He served as Co-Editor of the proceedings of the conferences ‘Urbanism and Green Architecture’ held at NIT, Hamirpur in 2010, Contemporary Architecture: Beyond Corbusierism in 2011, NICHE-2014 and Re-discovering Cities-2015. Architect Surinder Bahga has established the architecture organization ‘Sakar Foundation’ in Chandigarh.
His works continue to be published in many reputed newspapers and magazines. Two of his churches were displayed at the 5th Asian Architects Congress held in Lahore, Pakistan. His work was displayed at the Archifest exhibition organized by the Singapore Institute of Architects.
Bahga was given the Sir M. Visvesvaraya Award by HUDCO in 1995 for energy-efficient housing design. His Baptist Church in Chandigarh has been selected as one of the best 41 energy-efficient buildings in India by the Ministry of Non-Conventional Sources and TERI. He has been awarded the Michael Ventris Award from the Architectural Association, London. Police Memorial, Jammu, designed by Bahga and Puri has received the Excellent Concrete Structure Award from the Indian Concrete Institute.
He served as the Chairman of IIA, Chandigarh-Punjab Chapter for two terms (2008-2012). He served as Chairman of the IIA Publication Board and Editor of the Journal of the Indian Institute of Architects from January 2013 to May 2015. He was nominated as a councilor in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation for the period 2012–16. He served as a member of the high-powered Finance and Contract Committee of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. He was the Chairman of the Committee for ‘Buildings and Roads’ of Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. Currently, he is a member of the Consultative Committee on Union Territories to the Home Minister of India. He has been appointed as Member of Chandigarh Housing Board and President of Chandigarh Chapter of Fire and Security Association of India for the period from 2021 to 2024.
