Architect Ponni Concessao has been awarded the ‘Jewel of Chennai’ for her award-winning projects in architecture and her contribution. Born into a family of professionals, Ar. Ponni Concessao graduated from the illustrious Church Park Convent, Chennai. A pioneer in women’s technical education, she was the first woman undergraduate student of the prestigious National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli, University of Madras, graduating in June 1987. After completing her post-graduate studies at Cornell University, USA, in 1989 with the JND Tata Endowment Scholarship and Scholarship from Cornell University, she worked with Edward Larrabee Barnes Architect, New York City, USA, and with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington D.C., USA. Ponni did her Advanced Professional Studies at Harvard University, USA in the areas of affordable housing, hospitals and research labs in 1992, and has been conferred with Honorary Doctorates from the University of Malaysia and the University of Milano for Modern Architecture and Architectural Science.
Ponni returned to India and settled in Chennai, her hometown and started the firm Oscar & Ponni Architects with her husband in Chennai in the year 1996, providing consultancy services in urban design, architecture, interiors and engineering services. The inspiration and design philosophy for Oscar & Ponni Architects’ work comes from an understanding of the client’s needs and goals with both a local and global perspective, with a constant search for Design Excellence and meticulous details. To Concessao, an architect’s role is nation-building, and one must have a strong sense of contributing to the welfare of society at all levels, especially the poorest of the poor.
She has been a keynote speaker on several topics and on the Advisory Board of several government and private organisations, NGO’s and Universities.
