Ar. Mandar Parab
PRINCIPAL
Principal Ar. Mandar V. Parab is an alumnus of L.S. Raheja School of Architecture.
While studying Architecture he simultaneously gained education in the field of Interior Design. He
completed his Govt. Diploma in Interior Design education in the year 1994 and went on to complete
his Architecture in 1996 with 1st class honors. He also completed his Master in Architecture
(General) with 1st Class honors, from Rachana Sansad affiliated to Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra
Open University, Nashik in the year 2008.
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A mindful leader and a diligent administrator added to his keen passion for teaching makes him
balance his teaching and professional career admirably. He has been associated in the capacity
as full time and visiting professor with several institutions imparting architecture and
interior design education for the past 25 years.
A practicing architect, he has worked on several commercial, residential and institutional
projects till date. He is a Runner up award recipient of COA recognized Architectural design
competition for Octroi Check Post of Mumbai organized by MCGM. He was felicitated by Society
Interiors Awards for his contribution in Profession and Education in the year 2019.
His association L.S. Raheja School of Architecture & School of Interior Design has been ongoing
for the past 25 years. Initially associated as a visiting teacher, and since 2010 as full time
core faculty, mandar Parab was appointed Head of Department in 2014, eventually taking over as
Principal in 2018 and serving his alma mater with dedication. Throughout his teaching career he
has been extremely critical of the teaching learning methods. He has always believed in
transferring and sharing knowledge for culturing new generations of students as well as
contemporary teachers. Under his guidance, adopting innovative pedagogics relevant for the
industry has always been a prime focus at the institute. He formulated the course syllabus for
the Modular interior Design Programme and with his efforts the B.Voc (ID) programme was started
at the institute. Out of the many first time resources at institute, under his eminent vision
the institute initiated the ‘On campus Interviews’ through placement cell for the graduating
students.
He is a guide and mentor to many in subjects like Design Dissertation, Advance Building
Construction, Building Services, and Interior Design. He has written articles and conducted
lecture series for Quality improvement training of various Industries. He has extensively
travelled on study programmes with students in India and Internationally.
Prof. Urmila Rajadhyaksha
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Urmila Rajadhyaksha graduated in Architecture from College of Engineering Trivandrum and Masters in
Landscape Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi in 1990. Urmila, in her
practice since 1995 in Mumbai where she chose to settle down, has donned many hats as an adviser, team
member, researcher, policy maker, collaborator, designer and teacher. Her works range from small
interventions at the individual or even the city level to large campuses, city advisories forest parks
and so on.
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Her work for the Front Garden of the Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai has been awarded by an
Honourable Mention at the 2010 UNESCO Asia Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. Some
of her other works include developing a Manual for Landscaping of National Highways for NHAI. As
part of a team she has worked on International Projects as well. She has worked on developing an
Interpretive Forest Park in Nashik supported by the TATA Trusts and initiatives in greening rural
housing policy funded by the UNDP.
She has been equally active in ISOLA the national society of Landscape Architects in India being the
founding Chairperson of ISOLA Mumbai and is presently heading the Masters Programme in Landscape
Architecture at L.S.Raheja school of architecture.
As a teacher at the undergraduate level of Architecture for the past 26 years and she has been
responsible for evolving the curriculum and teaching methodology to suit contemporary needs. She has
also served as a University paper setter and examiner and also on various educational committees.
NEHA SHAH
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Neha Shah has completed her B.Arch in 2012 from Dr. Baliram Hiray College of Architecture, Mumbai. She
has completed her Masters of Landscape Design from CEPT University, Ahmedabad in 2017. She currently
pursuing online one year post Graduate diploma in sustainable management of natural resources and nature
conservation from the ecological society Pune.
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She has worked housing scheme scale as junior architect at Saga Design Architects upon graduation.
She has worked with Rajoo Pradhan and Padmaja Pradhan at Landscape design and Development, landscape
design and planning firm based in Mumbai for a year before joining the master’s program at CEPT
University.
After pursuing masters she has worked on various smaller landscape as well as and interior projects
as a consultant. She is currently working at LSR as a full time faculty as well as is involved with
the Undergraduate studio at LSR.
