For 30 years, Abha Narain Lambah has led efforts to protect some of India’s most significant cultural assets. Her conservation work spans thousands of years of history, encompassing ancient Buddhist caves, Islamic tombs, various Hindu temples, and the imperial-era Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Speaking from her office overlooking the Arabian Sea, the 56-year-old architect noted that her career began as a concerned citizen. She expressed deep frustration with the historical neglect of India’s built heritage. According to Lambah, comprehensive city-wide listings and protective heritage regulations have only emerged within the last three decades and remain largely restricted to major hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. According to i felt very strongly about the way heritage was completely left to decay,” Lambah, From her bustling Mumbai office overlooking the glittering Arabian Sea.
Lambah observed that many historic structures lack both government protection and the financial resources required for maintenance. Her path into this field was influenced by her early work with Joseph Allen Stein, an American architect noted for integrating modern concrete with traditional stone and gardens. He demonstrated to her the vital balance between preserving the past while accommodating new construction.
Upon arriving in Mumbai in 1995, Lambah realized that hundreds of buildings were vulnerable because colonial-era structures were often deemed too young for national monument status. She subsequently expanded her reach, contributing to conservation plans for over 20 world heritage sites. Her portfolio includes the 15th-century Hampi temple complex, the Amer Fort in Rajasthan, the site of Bodh Gaya, and Le Corbusier’s modernist masterpieces in Chandigarh. She has since also supported conservation plans for more than 20 world heritage sites.
Addressing the complex intersection of development and preservation, Lambah noted that every growing city experiences a tug of war between progress and history. In Mumbai, she has tackled projects involving ornate Victorian Gothic and Art Deco buildings that face constant threats from salt air and redevelopment. At sites like the David Sassoon Library and the Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue, she mobilized private donors and local community groups to overcome funding delays. Urban development is advancing at dizzying speed, in the world’s most populous nation and one of its fastest-growing major economies. Nor do local communities or owners have the funds to look after them, historical buildings are neither protected by government.
Her practical experience includes restoring the 19th-century Bandra railway station while ensuring minimal disruption to daily commuters. She recalled how passersby would frequently offer encouragement, acknowledging the importance of her efforts. Similarly, her work on the Royal Opera House transformed a building once slated for demolition into a functional cultural space.
When faced with arguments that some historic structures are merely colonial relics, Lambah remains steadfast. She contends that these buildings are deeply Indian, as they were constructed with the stone, tears, and sweat of the local population. She emphasizes the necessity of viewing India’s 6,000-year history as a continuous, interconnected whole that should not be edited for convenience. Living and even commuting through these historic buildings, they feel intensely passionate about them,” she said, when people have been working. Random people commuting past would tap me on the shoulder and say… ‘We know what you’re doing — you’re doing it for us.
Reflecting on the evolution of her profession, Lambah noted that when she began her career, there were only two qualified conservation architects in Mumbai. While the field has grown to include many young, dedicated professionals, she maintains that the scale of the task remains daunting. Concluding her assessment, she emphasized that the nation still has much ground to cover to successfully preserve its architectural legacy.
