The book IDEAS FOR ACTION is a collection of pieces written during 2010-2016 for participation in two newspapers: Hindustan Times’ HT Chandigarh that holds weekly debate on issues of topical interest to the general public, and The Tribune’s Chandigarh Tribune Open House Question of a similar genre, involving their readers in active discussion on what may covertly and overtly concern them as aware and aspiring citizens of Chandigarh that they have fondly nick-named the “City Beautiful”.

In addition to these writeups there are several Letters to the Editors of different newspapars and magazine which carry similar material. The Contents of the Book are evidence of the author’s active concern for whatever goes on in the city that had put India on the world-map of modern urbanism as “the nation’s faith in the future”. His write-ups cover wide and complex ground, involving various disciplines such as education, environment, architecture, planning, governance, policing, civic services, to mention only a few.

What comes out clearly is the author’s undiminished enthusiasm and eagerness to share his expertise and experience as his contribution to the maintenance of the Built Environment as “Matrix of Civilsation” for inspiring individual and collective creativity. What’s more is that the author brings to bear upon his points of view the unmistakable authenticity of his professional insights and ideas that rise far above mere rhetoric to palpable pragmatism—for ready use rather than as topics for mere ratiocinative cerebration indulged in by academics for professional pleasure!

This noteworthy departure from the common run of readers’ contributions is what distinguishes the Contents of this Book as easy-to-comprehend arguments for or against a given issue. Hence, the title of the book IDEAS FOR ACTION, which urges attention and reflectionon the part of the politicians and bureaucrats to achieve something worthwhile in implementing the suggested solutions by a committed engagement in socially-beneficentaction.

What could be a better way of putting one’s expertise and experience acquired through a lifetime of versatile creativity steeped in meditative consciousness that encompasses in the author’s own words the “theory, practice, research, and pedagogy” assiduously applied to an insightful understanding of the four major fieldsof human endeavour: “the Humanities, Art, Science, and Technology” without condemnation or condescension of Religion. It need hardly be pointed out that Religion is by far the profoundest and most pervasive cultural influenceon the “Collective Unconscious” of Humankind, revealing as it does ever self-renewing Spiritual Realities. As God-fearing individual, the author imbues his literary contribution in palpable religious zeal making it offbeat and awesome!

Dr SS Bhatti is India’s most versatile professional pursuing architecture, planning, history, geography, landscaping, ecology, building economics, art, structure systems, poetry, music, criticism, mysticism, etc.

Nicknamed “Chandigarh’s Mr Versatility” by Chandigarh Newsline of The Indian Express, a leading, well-known English newspaper of the country, he is a celebrated theorist, practitioner, researcher, and pedagogue in the disciplines
noted above.

He holds three PhDs on Architecture, Theology, and Sikh Architecture. He has won over 20 awards, including the Indian Institute of Architects Life-Time Achievement Gold Medal for Architectural Education and its Journal’s National Award for Excellence in Architecture (Research Category) for doctorate on Chandigarh.

He developed new subjects like Architectural Journalism, Theory of Design, Art in Architecture, Design Development
& Presentation Techniques. He is a widely-respected public speaker and commentator on psycho-social and cultural matters.

Dr Bhatti pioneered original architectural research in the country with his work: “Rock Garden in Chandigarh—A Critical Evaluation of the Work of Nek Chand” for which he received his Master of Architecture (M Arch) degree from The University of Queensland, Australia. He has made this work of “Outsider Art” known worldwide.

Chapter on Van-Urbanisation written by him appears in the International Association of Foresters’ book titled “Man and Forests”. He has published over 700 articles on wide-ranging subjects, and authored a dozen books.

Retired as Principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture, established at Le Corbusier’s behest as the academic wing of the Chandigarh Experiment in Modern Urbanism, Dr Bhatti lives in Chandigarh, where he is active writing books, pursuing research, giving discourses, and exploring, among other things, new realms of Creativity in architecture, engineering, and many other disciplines.

He founded in October 1999 First Friday Forum as an Open Platform unfettered by the constraints of hardened formalities where “You speak your mind; you express your ideas; you spend your time - in self-renewing interaction with others; above all, to hear the heartbeats of universal camaraderie.” Over 200 discourses on a staggering variety of subjects, themes, and issues have since been held besides holding annual functions in which oration on a topical
theme is delivered by him, and dilated upon by experts from different fields.

Nearly 50 professionals from diverse fields have been honoured for their outstanding contribution to the aesthetic enhancement of the Built Environment. Dr Bhatti has created a record in carrying on this activity with undiminished enthusiasm for so long without any financial aid from the government while dealing with subjects of wide-ranging socio-cultural concerns and significance which may well be the envy of universities.

• Paperback: 252 Pages
• Publisher: White Falcon Publishing ; 1 edition (2018)
• Author: Dr SS Bhatti
• ISBN-13: 9789387193529
• Product Dimensions:  17.8 x 2.5 x 11 cm

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