MN Sharma, ‘Salman Khan from Sialkot’ who became Chandigarh chief architect

Sharma, the first Indian chief architect of Chandigarh, died on Sunday morning, on Diwali day, at the age of 93

“Not many know that MN Sharma was also known for his muscular body with adorable biceps. We used to call him the Salman Khan of the city’s architecture sector,” says SS Bhatti, former principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture (CCA).

MN Sharma at his house in Chandigarh on June 14, 2015. (HT File Photo)

Remembering Sharma, the first Indian chief architect of Chandigarh, who died on Sunday morning at the age of 93, Bhatti shared his close association with him since 1961.

IN PICS | Life and works of MN Sharma, Chandigarh’s first Indian chief architect

The late Nek Chand, creator of Rock Garden, working on a pillar in MN Sharma’s house garden in 2010.

“He used to have three full-length mirrors at home and he used to do regular exercises. Every gym tool and material was found at his place. He was a fitness freak. His life shows that people who care about their physical health are the ones who are better at balancing emotions,” said Bhatti.

Bhatti said that Sharma was endowed with a distinguished aesthetic sensibility and he did his job with aplomb and farsightedness as the first Indian chief architect of the Chandigarh Project. “He had the uncanny ability to locate, identify and pick up exceptional talent and then nurture it to full blossom, all for the sake of the City Beautiful,” he further added.

Tourist Information Centre at Capitol Complex, Sector 1, Chandigarh, designed by MN Sharma.

SS Bhatti

Bhatti strongly believes that after MN Sharma retired, “nobody could replace him since no work of similar stature has been ever created so far”.

“I first met him on August 7, 1961, it was a Monday morning. I was a lecturer at Chandigarh College of Architecture, which was under him. He used to visit the college occasionally to check if everything was going on smoothly. Out of curiosity, I used to show my work to him and he used to praise me by saying, ‘You are really creative.’”

Bhatti shared that another thing which the world may not know him Sharma is he hailed from Sialkot, now in Pakistan. “After much research, I realised why he was such a gem: It was because he was a Sialkotia! Many world-renowned people like Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Shiv Kumar Batalvi are from Sialkot,” he said with a smile.

Designed by MN Sharma, the government press building in Sector 18.

Also designed by MN Sharma, the fountain at the plaza in Sector 17.

Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, MN Sharma and former chief engineer, Punjab, PL Verma, in 1956.

MN Sharma with former PM Indira Gandhi when she visited his office in the early 1970s.