Experts reflect on PL Varma’s role in building Chandigarh

Experts, historians and architects came together on Sunday to honour PL Varma, the first chief engineer of Chandigarh, who was described by city’s creator Le Corbusier as “the soul of Chandigarh”.

The event, hosted by the MN Sharma Architectural Society at the Le Corbusier Centre, highlighted Varma’s central yet often overlooked role in shaping the city in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Deepika Gandhi, former director of the Le Corbusier Centre, said most people tend to recall only Le Corbusier’s name when talking about Chandigarh, while others like Varma, who worked closely with him, remain largely unrecognised. She referred to a postcard where Corbusier himself called Varma “the creator of Chandigarh”, reflecting their close professional collaboration and shared vision for the city.

“After the Partition, creating a new capital for Punjab was an enormous task, but Varma stood at the centre of it,” Gandhi said. From site selection, functional planning and cost estimates to bringing in architects Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry, Varma played a key role at every step. It was also Varma who convinced Corbusier to come on board for the Chandigarh project, she added.

Gandhi also credited Varma with key milestones in the city’s development, such as the creation of Sukhna Lake and relocation of Panjab University to Chandigarh.

Yojana Rawat, general secretary of the MN Sharma Architectural Society, welcomed the panel, which included former Chandigarh College of Architecture principal Rajnish Wattas, former UT chief architect Kapil Setia and senior advocate ML Sarin.

Wattas, sharing personal anecdotes, remembered Varma as a man of gravitas, with earnest objectives in life.

Stating that the partnership between Le Corbusier and Varma made for a rare example of collaboration, Setia emphasised the historical urgency that led to Chandigarh’s creation: “The project was needed after the loss of Lahore. Chandigarh was meant to symbolise the spirit of a modern, independent India.”

Sarin recalled spending his childhood in Varma’s Sector 5 home and stressed the importance of preserving Chandigarh.

Varma’s grandson Udyan Sehgal also spoke at the event, sharing memories of growing up in awe of his grandfather’s work. “Even as a child, I knew he was working on something great. We were always very proud of him,” he said.

British deputy high commissioner Caroline Rowett, who attended the event with her husband, praised the city’s enduring charm: “I’ve been living in Chandigarh for four years and everything about it is beautiful, the way it has been planned and built.”