Architecture & The Artist
Who hasn’t seen World Trade Park?
Driving past the iconic glass structure on JawaharLal Nehru Marg, one can’t stop admiring the ship styled building, which has become a favourite hunting ground for Jaipurites. Step inside and you feel like in a completely different world as if you are not in India but in Dubai or Singapore.
Just as this building, its creator too needs no introduction. Meet Anoop Bartaria, the man behind conceptualizing and creating several architectural marvels not just in the Pink City, but across the country.
He is a structural engineer who graduated from Jaipur’s Malviya Regional Engineering College (Now Malviya National Institute of Technology). Rather than an eyesore, his buildings actually leave an artistic impression. Leave alone WTP, there are several projects like Amar Jawan Jyoti, Panch Batti, Teeji Ki Sawari, Kalbelia Statue and Sawai Man Singh Statue that speak volumes about putting soul into his art.
“I have an engineering degree and architecture is my profession, but basically I am an artist at heart so I have the capability of converting my art into reality that gives me an edge to start with,” says Anoop, the manbehind modern architecture in the Pink City.
That is why confining Mr. Bartaria to just an architectural genius would be gross injustice to this multifaceted personality, which is a rare combination of art, entrepreneurship and spirituality. He is an architect by profession, artist at heart, possesses mind of a businessman but spiritualism is his soul.
In his own words: “As soon as you unleash the spiritual side of a person, it gives extraordinary results. If anyone writes two lines on a piece of paper with a pious feeling, it will turn into reality. Whatever designs I created are those I dreamt with a pure mind.”
But converting dream into reality is not easy. It requires not just skill but hard work. And, Mr. Bartaria has worked hard for nearly three decades to reach this position. Yet, despite attaining name and fame as a leading architect in the country, he now works even harder.
“I would say that every dayI start afresh as if I am zero, which gives me the passion to do something; prove myself. I always challenge myself to do better,” reveals the man who set off on a successful journey three decades ago.
“I started my earliest venture of Sincere Group where I sketched and designed numerous projects. I was lucky to have big projects at initial stage of my career and I executed them successfully. My clients developed faith in me and I worked hard to justify their belief in me. My initial projects include residence of Dr. Shailesh Srivastava, Autolite India Ltd. factory and residence for Mr. Shanti Kumar Sethi opposite my college” he said with pride in his voice. Why not, he was just 21 then .
As a familiar quality in every successful person, Anoop too is modest about him and gives credit to his parents and teachers. “My parents were quite supportive. They gave me freedom to choose whatever I wanted to do in life. I come from a family of IPS officers but my parents never forced me to go for civil services,” he revealed. It was because of their support that even while pursuing studies he started consultancy, which was a very new concept in the city.
Similarly, he found good teachers in college. He particularly remembered Mr. Tanvani and Mr.Raisinghni who were structural engineers and helped him understand what engineering is all about.”Once I asked my professor what I should do in life, he said whatever I will, it will be good so do everything with passion,” he said.
And, passionate he was about everything he took up since childhood – studies, sports, sketching, drawing, debate or quiz. “I was keen in studies since schooldays and always topped in the class but that didn’t mean I missed on sports and other extra-curricular activities. I had an inclination towards sketching, crafts, painting and drama. My sketches of Rabindranath Tagore were well appreciated,” said the alumni of St. Paul’s, Udaipur and St. Xavier’s, Jaipur. In the college too he was a topper throughout but at the same time successfully represented his college in debates and painting competitions.
This year when he entered in golden age of his life, Anoop has nothing more to prove yet he begins his day with a new dream.
“I start my day with a new dream every day. Every moment is a dream for me. I wish to create a better world with whatever I have learnt in my life,” he reveals.
And, this is what keeps him going. “What I have achieved has no meaning if my society doesn’t grow and my city has no impact of it,” he said while explaining his association with several government projects in the city. According to him he not only volunteered but also didn’t charge a single penny.
Anoop is now involved in smart city projects not only in Rajasthan but other states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand etc.. So what should be a smart city like?
In his views, a smart city is not about installing cameras at different places, but the one which has a robust system, user friendly facilities, maintains cleanliness, displays its unique cultural heritage through architecture and preserve its culture and traditions with happy citizens. “Smart city has no meaning without smart citizens,” he explained.
When asked where does World Trade Park fits into the idea of a smart city, Anoop said, “After completing the beautification work of Jaipur I thought my city wanted something more. It should give a message to the world that we are not behind any city like Dubai, New York, Manhattan, etc. which are advanced cities. Thus, the idea of World Trade Park came to my mind.” He doesn’t forget to add that World Trade Park is his first love and will remain forever.
