Prof. Richa Sharma, faculty at the M.Arch. course at Pillai College of Architecture was awarded the 2013 MASA Best Teacher Award for related design discipline in Urban Design at the two day MASA annual convention held recently at MGM’s Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College in Aurangabad on 20th and 21st March, 2014.
Every year the Maharashtra Association of Schools of Architecture (MASA) organizes an annual award function in which MASA Best Teacher Awards are given out to teachers for their significant contribution to various subjects in architectural education. The selection is made by an eminent panel of jury members. This year the MASA Awards Jury consisted of Prof. Uday Gadkari, President, Council of Architecture, Prof. Prakash Deshmukh, National President, Indian Institute of Architects, Prof. Vijay Sohoni, Former President, Council of Architecture, Prof. Akhtar Chauhan, Immediate Past President, MASA and Prof. Milind Telang, President, MASA.
Prof. Richa Sharma works at Pillai College of Architecture, as Associate Professor and Course Coordinator for the Master’s program in Urban Design. An Architect from Government College of Architecture, Lucknow and Urban Designer from School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, Prof. Sharma has been a gold medalist in both her academic courses. Besides teaching, she also freelances as an Architect-Urban Designer and is actively associated with research and documentation based in and around Navi Mumbai and Mumbai. Most of her research work has been read and published at international platforms. Her research interests revolve around the domains of the public realm, urbanism and sustainable development. She has over ten years of experience into the profession and academics.
The M.Arch. Urban Design course at Pillai College of Architecture started in 2011 and is a two year course affiliated to the University of Mumbai. Dr. Arif N. Merchant, Principal, PiCA states, that, the award is indeed a matter of pride and honour for the college and is an assurance of our efforts and endeavours. Prof. Sharma along with the support and guidance of Dr. Merchant have envisioned a range of course initiatives to contribute in delivering industry relevant and socially responsible professionals. ‘To have received the MASA award has been very encouraging and I am deeply humbled by the same. It only motivates me to take on the future with much more commitment and hard work as a teacher, professional and person’ says Prof. Sharma.