Breaking through

We speak to women in the design industry who have tackled the glass ceiling and made their mark

A brief insight into each of your design journeys? Alpana Gupta (AG): After graduating from Architecture school, I worked for a year with Sarda Plywood Industries on their housing project, after which I freelanced as an event decorator for a bit, working with British Airways and KLM Cargo. Freelancing gave me a good balance between work and my personal life – making time for my young children. Once they were older and went to school regularly, I joined Vijay Gupta Architects, the firm my father had established. I started by learning AutoCAD as a fresher architect, which was quite a humbling experience. It felt like the architecture degree I’d worked so hard for was in vain!

Mitu Mathur (MM): Growing up in a family of architects, the excitement of experiencing a holistic profession grew on me gradually, and choosing architecture was, therefore, a natural instinct. My undergraduate degree in architecture in Delhi and master’s degree in Urban Design in New York further propelled that direction and a creative thought process. The built environment and urban challenges in my professional journey also urged me to question the current norms of the practice and how we approach design for people and cities. As an architect and designer, my family, life, and work have always inspired me in this journey, teaching me key lessons, and making me socially aware and sensitive, shaping my life.