INCLUSIVE AESTHETICS IN PUBLIC SPACES, My own journey with pradeep sachdeva

Jaya Jaitly, Founder | President Dastkari Haat Samiti

Now that one has dealt with the deep initial grief that hits when hearing of the passing of a loved one, one realizes how much there is to say about the legacy of Pradeep Sachdeva’s life and work. In messages at his memorial, those who could be present had many ways of arriving at one common thought – that he was, above all his other qualities, a unique friend. However, Pradeep was a remarkable architect as well. His natural emphasis was on simplicity in aesthetics but his bold creative mind brought innovative change to public spaces in quiet, quirky ways. Nothing was overbearing, pompous or exuded dominance, as many buildings do, yet they grew on you and stirred your better feelings. An important characteristic, not often seen among the more flamboyant well-known names in his profession, was the uplift of the gifted but underprivileged artists and craftspeople in whom he saw the talent that could be incorporated into his work or even his beloved workplace at PSDA at Ayanagar in south Delhi.