‘I have a huge list of sweet nostalgic memories of this institute’

She is a staunch believer in the practice of hard work to achieve success in life and would not have had it any other way. Meet Anjul Gupta, who passed out of Apeejay Institute of Technology-School of Architecture and Planning (AIT-SAP) and since then has been involved with her own brand of architecture. In a candid interview she expresses her life turning experiences at college and much more.

Tell us about yourself.

I am from the 2011-16 batch. I did my post graduation in General Architecture in 2020-22 from AIT SAP.

Where are you recently placed?

At present, I’m running my firm along with my husband (also an alumnus of AIT-SAP) under the name of LRKLS Designs. We work from home. We pursue construction and project management work as well.

Tell us about your college life.

⁠The best that I could ask for. Great camaraderie with seniors and family like love with colleagues. Study wise things were a little complicated but then all’s well that ends well.

Share a few nostalgic memories from AIT-SAP.

⁠Achieving the impossible which is the Council of Architecture (COA) license.  Every memory and struggle connected with this fight is nostalgic. The other memories include all the submission times and festivals celebrated.

How was the faculty?

There was a huge shift of teachers in our time. Each staff member was like a mentor to me who instilled the best of learnings. There was one professor who left a deep impact on my career back then.

What are your dreams and goals?

As of now we are concentrating on our projects and our firm and its stability. We are looking for big turnkey projects and are aiming for the sustainable market.

Your comments on the brain drain trend.

There are several reasons like poor working conditions and pathetic pay scale. Oversaturation of graduate architects every year due to excessively easy entrance and abundant seats and colleges. Lack of norms and laws that protect our professional integrity and status. The contractors are designing projects and architects are merely used as signing authority.

How did college help you hone your skills?

⁠Our batch faced the biggest challenge in terms of a few administration challenges and we faced the biggest blow. It was only after our director changed that things started becoming better.

Any message for the students of the institute.

You are studying in an absolutely new environment and opportunities so please make the best of it. Of course college is the best phase of your life to live and enjoy it but it is equally important to shape your career. There should be a perfect balance for both as it should be in your life post college.