8 January 2013, Mumbai
Birla White Yuvaratna Awards for Architects and Engineers
Click here to view the results
Innovative Concepts in Affordable Housing presented.
At the 9th Birla White Yuvaratna Awards function, 10 budding architects and engineers from across the country were honoured in Mumbai. Inaugurating the function, Mrs. Rajashree Birla, Director, UltraTech Cement Ltd, complimented the Birla White team for focusing on a subject of immense relevance.
Says Mrs. Birla, “More than 50 million families do not have a decent roof over their head in India. Talking of housing in urban areas, we have the mushrooming of concrete jungles, and a tremendous shortage of housing as well. That apart, the land prices are soaring, hence affordability by even middle-class and lower middle-class income groups is an issue. So I feel very heartened that you have chosen the theme of an ‘Affordable Housing Township’ and within it a healthcare centre. Designing a housing township that is holistic, sustainable and in a certain way, an invocation of space, offers tremendous potential for the imagination of the young”.
Visibly impressed by the designs that the students had put up, Mrs. Birla complimented the winners for creating new constructs, operating at different scales, with sustainable design concepts that were both fascinating and creative. In her view these designs were easily implementable by good builders, under the watchful eye of a good architect. She hoped that the design solutions presented would go a long way in meeting the need for affordable housing.
Mrs. Birla congratulated Mr. O. P. Puranmalka, Whole-time Director, UltraTech and Head, Cement Business, Mr. Rahul Mohnot, Senior President, UltraTech (Birla White), and Mr. Anurag Angrish, the Marketing Head of Birla White, for their sensitivity to the housing issue and their initiatives to mitigate the problem.
Said Mr. O. P. Puranmalka, Whole time Director, UltraTech Cement Limited –; “The Birla White Yuvaratna Awards, have always focused on real life issues. Affordable housing is the need of our country today. Our budding architects and engineers, given their exposure levels, have the potential to offer contemporary, yet out-of-the-box solutions on complex issues. This year again they have emerged with excellent concepts that will go a long way in helping resolve the housing issue. I am sure many builders will help translate their ideas into housing complexes.”
The distinguished panel of judges who named the winners comprised Mr. Zubin Zainuddin, Ms. Shilpa Ranade, Mr. Shantanu Poredi and Mr. P.S. Babaria; and prominent civil engineers including Mr. Hitesh Desai, Mr. B. V. B. Pai, and Mr. D. N. Singh.
About Us
“UltraTech Cement Limited, an Aditya Birla Group cement major, is among the leading producers of cement in the world and the largest in India with a capacity of 52 million tons. With over US $ 3 billion in revenues and anchored by 12,000 employees, UltraTech has 11 integrated units, 15 grinding units and five bulk terminals across India, UAE, Bahrain, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is also the largest producer of white cement, wall care putty and Ready Mix Concrete in India. UltraTech offers solutions for the construction industry with its presence in building products – dry mix mortar, concrete blocks and water proofing. A consumer validated Superbrand, UltraTech stands for premium quality, reliability, green technology and innovation, making it the choice of every discerning engineer and customer.”
For more information, visit: www.ultratechcement.com / Yuvaratna .birlawhite.com
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Pragnya Ram
Group Executive President
Corporate Communications & CSR
Aditya Birla Management Corporation Private Limited
Tel: 91-22-6652 5000 / 2499 5000
Fax: 91-22-6652 5741/ 42
Email: pragnya.ram@adityabirla.com