JAWAHAR NAVODAYA VIDYALAYA, BARGARH(O)

The Treasure Within Class-VIII

(Supplementary Reader)

Presented By-Sh. J. P. Kar, (TGT English)

BORN on 19th June, 1950 in Mumbai, Maharastra. FAMILY- Parsi / Zoroastrian, Nationality : Indian,Mother: Roshan, who was a teacher. Father : Sorab Contrator , a businessman. Education-He did his Graduate Diploma in architecture from Mumbai in 1975 and completed his graduation from Columbia University New York (USA) on a Tata scholarship and then went on to pursue a post graduation degree from Columbia University in New York. Presently, he is a member of the Bombay Heritage Committee and New Delhi Lutyens Bungalow Zone Review Committee.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

A Brief Biography of Hafeez Contractor

Designed by Hafeez Contractor

‘ The Treasure Within ’

Architect- Hafeez Contractor’s Carefree School-Life

Hafeez Contractor is a leading architect of India. But as a school boy, he did not do well. From the third standard onwards, he seemed to have lost all interest in studies. He was bad at languages. He hated Mathematics. He had nightmares about his Mathematics exam. He used to copy in every test until he reached Class- 11.He was pulled up at school. He received a caning every week. He didn’t bother and he was interested in playing and nothing else.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

HAFEEZ CONTRACTOR LOVED ‘ACTION’, NOT ‘THEORY’

As a school boy, Hafeez Contractor was more interested in games and playing funny pranks on others. He was a gang leader and would have gang fights. He would plan strategies. He was the Captain of school Cricket teram. Hafeez says that he has learned more by doing than from the books. As for himself, the school life made him a ‘street-smart’.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

Hafeez Contractor’s Special Interests

At school, Contractor was more interested in other things than studies. If it rained outside the class, he would think of the flowing water into a dam. He would dream how much water the dam would hold. Every Saturday, the students were allowed to go to a movie. Hafeez was the leader and he collected money from students to book tickets.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

The Principal’s Advice Worked! Hafeez Contractor passed his matriculation only by copying. However, when he reached his 11th Class, the Principal called him and advised him to act as a responsible grown-up boy and take his studies seriously. The Principal’s advice had a deep influence on Hafeez. For a whole year, he didn’t go to playground and studied all his books starting right from the 5th Class. As a result, he scored 50% marks in his SSC exam.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

Joining Jaihind College, MumbaiHafeez wanted to join the police force but his aunt wanted him to do his graduation. It was not easy to join a College with only 50% of marks but Hafeez got admission in Jaihind College, Mumbai by influence. Hafeez had to opt for either French or German. He had studied French at school but knew nothing about it. He decided to take German. But after sometime, his German teacher died. So, finally he had to take up French.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

Hafeez in an Architect’s Office

Hafeez Contractor started learning French from his cousin whose husband was an architect. So, Hafeez Contractor had to go to an architect’s office. One day, he saw somebody drawing a window in this office. Hafeez pointed out the mistake in the sketch and told the man that the window would not open. Later, it was found that Hafeez was right. His cousin’s husband was impressed. He asked Hafeez to draw a few sketches and design of a house. Hafeez did it well at once. The architect asked him to give up everything and join architecture.

Lake Castle Apartment Designed by Hafeez Contractor

‘ The Treasure Within ’

Hafeez Joins Architecture

The architect took Hafeez Contractor to the Principal of the College for Architecture. But admission was quite impossible for Hafeez Contractor with only 50% marks. The Principal allowed him to appear the entrance test. He got ‘A+’ grade. He stood ‘first class first’ in all the subsequent examinations. After that, he never looked back. He did his Graduate Diploma in architecture from Mumbai in 1975 and completed his graduation from Columbia University, New York (USA) on a Tata Scholarship.

‘ The Treasure Within ’

Hafeez Contractor commenced his career in 1968 with his uncle T. Khareghat as an apprentice architect and in 1977 he became the associate partner in the same firm. Between 1977 and 1980 Hafeez has been a visiting faculty at the Academy of Architecture, Mumbai. He started his firm, ‘Architect Hafeez Contractor’, in 1983. One of his first success stories is the Vastu Building at Worli Seaface. He then bagged projects in Pune for Karia Builders and a lot of residential buildings. He has also designed The Imperial Towers, Mumbai, the tallest buildings in India. His projects are spread across India.

The Imperial TowersBy Hafeez Contractor

Hafeez’s Career as an Architect