New Delhi(OR) 23-A Prithiviraj Road. If you drive down from India Gate towards INA Market,you would find this address on the left hand side. Though now stands a residential complex of super luxury flats,here JRD Tata used to live during his stay in capital. Actually, this was the Delhi residence of doyen of Indian industry for many,many decades. It was a colonial style bungalow with a big courtyard and manicured garden. It is said that after the demise of JRD in early 90s,his house was razed to ground. And on the heap of rubble, super luxury flats were built. The decision to delete the heritage of Jeh as he was called among his friends came at the apex level of the Tata management.

In the flats that were built on 23-A Prithiviraj Road,many Tata group companies are occupying flats including Tata Steel and Voltas. In the flat of Tata steel, you can find many rare pictures of JRD with political and industry leaders. There was also one picture where he is standing tall with his wife,Melba. But for the first page advertisement that has appeared on last Thursday (29 JulY) in couple of newspapers announcing the birth anniversary of icon of Indian Industry,JRD Tata, perhaps nobody could know about this fact.

How can we preserve the properties once associated with greats of their fields ? Author and historian R.V.Smith is of the view that it is not possible to preserve all those buildings ever associated with greats. However, it is definitely possible that local authorities or RWAs themselves come forward and put plaque outside the houses or offices of great personalities. ” I was recently working on an essay on play back singer Mukesh. I could locate his old Delhi house after efforts of more than two months as nobody had any idea about that. If any plaque was placed there, i did not face this kind situation,” suggests Smith, who knows Delhi more than anybody else.

Noted architect J.K.Jain says that he was a young architect working with great architect Jospeh Allen Stein during those days when he came to know that the beautiful bungalow of such a towering man would be demolished. “The Tata management could easily preserve it for posterity. After all, it was the house of their most dynamic chairman of all times,” feel Jain, who heads the realty firm Designers Arch e-homes. Recalling those days,Jain informs that he along with his couple of friends from department of Architecture of Roorkee Engineering college used to visit the JRD’s house to study the architecture. Meanwhile, Dr.Davinder Gupta,CMD of realty advisory Century 21 India.

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