Unfortunately, the last few years of Parab’s life have not been kind on him. Parab suffered from Diabetes and the disease slowly drained him of his energy and enthusiasm. His long suffering has come to an end and we are happy he is at peace.
He lived a full life and was loved dearly by all his family, friends and ex-colleagues. We will all miss him very much and look back at fond memories of time spent with him with much happiness.
After his long stint with CIDCO, Parab decided to carry on with his love for good planning and architecture by setting up a private practice. Unfortunately, not all his clients appreciated his desire to build in tune with nature and one’s surroundings.
He continued however to guide and teach a large number of students, sharing his experiences, helping them to understand good design and encouraging them to evolve as great architects themselves. The open door policy he always followed during his long tenure at CIDCO continued at home and everyone was welcome...
Links below to a couple of videos on youtube of Parab, Gogte, Sule and Pendarkar at the opening ceremony of Pillai's College of Architecture in New Bombay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5pwDhR37Z0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vooXDmPz1Q&feature=relmfu
In 2008, he co-authored a book with PM Deshpande in Marathi called 'Gavtali te Shahartali' (villages lakes to city lakes)'.The book on urban and rural water bodies aimed at bringing awareness to local political groups, planners and local citizens of Navi Mumbai about the existing management of water bodies in Navi Mumbai. It also included strategies for their protection.
Parab came back to India in the early 70’s and fate provided an opportunity that pretty much defined his life thereafter. In March 1970, a Maharashtra state government sub-committee, the Bombay Metropolitan Regional Planning Board, approved the proposal (put forward by Charles Correa, Pravina Mehta and Shirish Patel) and created the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra "CIDCO" as an independent corporation empowered by the state to develop the territory. New Bombay began to take shape…
Parab was interviewed for the position of a Town Planner (ironically on the same day as SB Gogte who also ended up getting a job in the same department and became one of his dearest friends… they even bought houses next to each other!!) and ended up being one of the pioneering employees of CIDCO.
In the meanwhile, on the personal front, he married Deepa in 1971 and they had two children Sameer and Pallavi. At CIDCO, Parab soon became the first professionally qualified Chief Architect and Planner.
There is enough written about his momentous work in New Bombay that it is perhaps better to encourage you to read the extract “Building New Bombay” written by Peter Engel which was published in the Architecture and Design magazine in 1991 (see attached pictures for the article). While Parab’s vision of a city for the common man and a large “urban village” made up of woodland corridors, self-help communities and other radical concepts never received the support they deserved, rest assured he gave it his best shot in his 20-year tenure with CIDCO. As summarised in the attached article, Parab told Peter, “Where the land reaches the water, it is God’s place and Where the land reaches the sky, it is God’s place. You should not give it to anyone”.
Parab was also very sympathetic to the indigenous people of the areas that were being developed by CIDCO. He has always had a special relationship with the villagers and helped them in any way he could, largely by allowing them to gain employment in the development work.
Similarly, he had a special place in his heart for the Adivasi (tribal) people of the area and was involved in several projects, which included the work he did in Tara, Maharashtra with the Yusuf Meherally Centre. You would think the man wanted to rest over the weekend after what was a highly stressful day job, but every weekend he was out to do his bit of social work.
http://www.yusufmeherally.org/aboutus.html
Parab’s work in the self-help redevelopment project of ‘Jaffar Baba’ slums in Bandra, Mumbai, that was planned and designed by him and led by ‘BUILD’ – an NGO, won him a national award for his design. The project was awarded the first IIA Snowcem Award for excellence and unique contribution in the field of architecture in 1990. It involved the reconstruction of about 200 houses and a community center including restructuring the overall layout. See attached article “Housing the People” by Akhtar Chauhan (see attached pictures for the article).
The first in his family and perhaps in his community to decide to try newer pastures, he left for England in 1964. His friends and family have never tired of listening to how he went to England by sea and survived on a meal a day and an apple!! England was good to him and he enjoyed his time in a country that offered him opportunities to grow and develop his potential. He completed his Diploma in Town Planning from the Leeds School of Town Planning in 1968 and became a member of the Town Planning Institute in 1970.
His social and outgoing nature resulted in numerous friendships and he continued to stay in touch with his friends in the UK and around the world over the years.
Born in Girgaum, Bombay in 1938 – D.G Parab (affectionately known as “Datta” to his family and friends) started life in a one room chawl, sharing this modest home with four brothers and two sisters! His childhood was full of happy memories, spent wandering the streets of Bombay and making mischief with his many friends. He always spoke fondly of this time in his life and had countless stories of life in old Bombay, the communal spirit of the chawl system, the long afternoons spent in Irani cafes and the warm evenings on Chowpatty beach.
He studied at Wilson High School and has remained in touch with many of his dear friends over the years. How he managed to excel in his academics while gallivanting endlessly remains a mystery…
He then chose an extremely unconventional career path for those days and studied Architecture at the J.J School of Architecture, completing his B.Arch. from the University of Bombay in 1962. He has been a loyal member of the Indian Institute of Architects since 1964.
