NEWS

Biography of Ar. Ishrat Nowshehri

Brief educational background of the promoter / founder (school , graduation and post-graduation ) .

When Ishrat Nowshehri started her schooling, she instinctively inclined towards the art of design and drawing and Ishrat chose a field that almost no Kashmiri girl had till then __ architecture. Two decades back, architecture as a career for a woman in Kashmir was unheard of. Her parents were apprehensive and sceptical initially. But once they realized that it was in architecture and design that her heart lay, they backed her unconditionally, and has the distinction of being Kashmir’s first female architect. To realize her dream, Ishrat travelled to the other end of the country: after completing her high school from Presentation Convent School Srinagar she did the five-year Bachelor of Architecture course from Karnataka University.

Place of birth and family background.

Born in Srinagar the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir and comes from an educated family of civil engineers, and doctors.

Challenges faced during early childhood or during education.

Ishrat travelled to the other end of the country: after completing her high school from Presentation Convent School Srinagar and she did the five-year Bachelor of Architecture course from Karnataka University.

Year in which you began your professional career. 

In 1999 she did her practical training with a senior architect “Ar.Munir Khan” for six months and then started her own architectural firm by name of “Ishrat Nowshehri Associates “in Srinagar Kashmir. Interestingly, she did not opt for a government job as she had always wanted to do something on her own.

Brief profile of your organisation.

She works both on traditional and contemporary designs.

Over the years, Ishrat has worked on various large projects including government buildings, hotels and residential houses. Important buildings designed by her include, Kashmir Haat, the Home Science Department building of Kashmir University, its Distance Education Department, the Kashmir University Sheikh-ul-Alam Chair building, Orphanage at Tangmarg, Piaggio showroom at Awanitapora and Primary health care centres in Kashmir Valley. 

Details of Services or products of your organisation. 

Architectural services which covers designing of residential, commercial, renovations, interiors, landscaping and turnkey projects.

Major achievements / major milestones achieved. 

Ishrat’s design for the prestigious project “Kashmir Haat” in Srinagar city won her a government award in year 2005 by honourable late CM of J&K Mufti Mohammad Syed. Also, she has also been awarded under various titles like “Finest architect in Srinagar”, “Bespoke residential architects and designers in Srinagar” and awardee for “Women entrepreneur (architect) in Srinagar J&K”

Challenges faced in your professional career.

Being a practising Architect in a male dominated field is a challenge in itself.

Challenges faced with initial customers / during product development. 

As an Architect discussing the conceptual drawings and motivating the clients to executing the drawings on site is a challenging process.

Major learning from your professional and personal journey. 

All she thinks is that one should be confident enough to deal with the clients and have patience to mould their ideas into reality. 

Advice to upcoming professionals from your domain. 

Ishrat’s message for them is that ‘Don’t be forced into this field. Get in only if you have patience and a good imagination for design’.”

Details of the best / challenging project delivered or details of a unique product developed.

“Kashmir Haat” project which was designed to keep in view the environment, the traditional   architecture and timely completion of the prestigious project.

“Sheikh-Ul-Alam Chair” (Library) at university of Kashmir which was designed on the concept of a shrine Sheikh-Noor-U-Din Noorani (RA)

“Hotel Village Walk” project designed in Sonamarg, Kashmir. Where snowfall is upto 20fts and the project has been carve on a mounted surface keeping in view natural topography and climate of the region

 Major collaborations if any.

“Ishrat Nowshehri Associates” has no collaboration. It’s an individual firm.

Future plans and actions 

Architect Ishrat Nowshehri was getting a partnership offers in couple of architectural firms in Dubai, UAE way back in 2008 but decided to stay back and work for here own people. Let’s see what future holds.