Dr Ambedkar memorial architect Sheo Dan Mal passes away

Nagpur, Jan 24 (UNI) Noted architect Sheo Dan Mal (Mokha), who designed Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's memorial at Deekshabhoomi here, died today after a prolonged illness.

He was 84. He is survived by four sons and a daughter. His second son Ashok Mokha is also an architect.

The funeral was held here this evening.

Born at Phalodi village in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan on August 5, 1923, Mr Mokha completed his education under adverse conditions after losing his father when in standard VI. He acquired his diploma in architecture from All India Council of Technical Education and an Associate Membership of the Institution of Engineer (AMIE) in 1954.

After holding a variety of jobs, Mr Mokha migrated to Nagpur in 1956. The first building he designed - the Panchasheel cinema theatre - went on to become a landmark.

Mr Mokha later designed several prominent structures, including the Guru Nanak Bhawan auditorium of Nagpur University, the buildings of the local branches of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Institution of Engineers (India), the Town Hall of Nagpur Municipal Corporation, Yeshwant Stadium, and the sprawling market yard of Nagpur Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), considered the biggest in Asia.

Mr Mokha even designed several industrial and commercial complexes in Indore, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ajmer, Kota, Udaipur, Raipur, Tatanagar, Mangalore, Bangalore, Kolkata and Gwalior, among other places.

UNI