Draft:Soumyendu Shankar Ray

Soumyendu Shankar Ray
Born	Bhadrak, Odisha, India
Citizenship	Indian
Alma mater	J.J. College of Architecture Mumbai, University of Roorkee (currently IIT Roorkee)
Occupation	Architect
Organization	Vastukar Architects & Project Consultants
Spouse	Tania Saritova Rath
Children	1

Soumyendu Shankar Ray is an Indian architect and educator, recognized for his contributions to the development of architecture as a profession in eastern part of the country. He serves as the Principal Architect of Vastukar, an architecture and project consultancy firm he established in 1985 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Vastukar has worked on a wide range of architectural projects, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and public infrastructure such as convention centers and stadiums.

He is the founding Director of the KIIT School of Architecture and Planning (KSAP), which was established in 2013. From 1985 to 2014, he served as a faculty member in the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering and Technology. In 2014, he resigned from his role as Head of the Faculty of Architecture at Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Odisha, to focus on developing KSAP.

He co-authored the book Odisha: An Architectural Odyssey, which offers a researched timeline of the state's diverse architectural heritage. In his Master's thesis, he developed a framework for evaluating the performance of schools, focusing on their role as learning spaces for children.

He has served as the Chairman of the Odisha Chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), He was part of the Senate at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi. Additionally, he is the Editorial Advisor for Neptune Glitz Architecture and Interior Design Magazine.

Early life and education

Ray was born on 11th September 1961 in Bhadrak, Odisha. He grew up on the campus of Bhadrak College, where his father, Late Shri Sudhanshu Shekhar Ray, a well-published author and freedom fighter, taught. After completing his schooling in 1977, he joined the Sir J.J. College of Architecture, University of Bombay, in 1980. He earned his Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) degree in 1985, after which he returned to Odisha and founded Vastukar. Later that year, he began teaching in the newly established Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) in Bhubaneswar, currently Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR). In 1991, he joined the Department of Architecture and Planning at the University of Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee) for his post-graduate studies, and received his Master in Architecture (M.Arch) degree in 1992.

Career

Academic Career

Ray began his academic career in November 1985 in the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering and Technology (CET), which was then part of the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology. In 2002, CET became an independent institution under the Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), and Prof. Ray was appointed Head of the Department, later becoming the Head of the Faculty of Architecture. As a faculty member, he promoted research and collaboration with industry.

In 2014, Prof. Ray resigned from his position at CET to lead the KIIT School of Architecture and Planning (KSAP) at KIIT (Deemed) University, Bhubaneswar. He was instrumental in launching the undergraduate program in architecture (B.Arch) and later introduced two additional programs—Masters in Urban Design (M.Des) and Masters in Interior Design (M.Des).

He has also chaired the National Jury for the Annual Neptune Glitz National Design Awards since its inception.

In 2021, he became a member of the Senate at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and also joined the Cultural Advisory Committee of Shrimandir (Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri). He was a member of the Board of Studies at VSSUT, Burla, Odisha, in 2016, and previously served on the Board of Studies at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, in 2008. Additionally, he was a member of the Board of Studies at Utkal University and Culture University, Odisha, in 2003.

Professional Career and Projects

In 1985, Prof. Ray founded Vastukar Architects and Project Consultants. His early work focused on residential, hospitality, and school buildings.

Given Odisha's vulnerability to natural disasters, Prof. Ray collaborated with Professor Dr. Lackner and Partners, GmbH Germany, to design and oversee the development of cyclone shelters along the state's 480 km coastline. The successful design of these shelters, which saved many lives during the 1999 Super Cyclone, earned widespread recognition and acclaim. Following the cyclone, he was involved in rehabilitation projects for school buildings under the Times of India Relief Fund and also designed additional cyclone shelters for the Spanish Red Cross.

Part of Prof. Ray’s portfolio, especially engineering college campuses, saw rapid growth in the country during his early years of practice. A key project is the campus for the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), which expanded quickly after 1997. Prof. Ray continues to design all campuses for KIIT (Deemed) University, now spread across 36 sq. km, with facilities including student housing, convention centers, guest houses, sports complexes, a state-of-the-art library, and a 22-story incubation center. He has also designed the campuses for KISS University, its affiliated district tribal schools, and the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), sister institutions to KIIT.

In addition to educational facilities, Prof. Ray has designed numerous hospitals and healthcare facilities, corporate buildings and hospitality infrastructure across the region. Notable projects include the headquarters of the Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) and the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited in Bhubaneswar, 100 bedded ESIC hospital in Jamshedpur for Ministry of Labour, Govt. of India and Skill Museum for Govt. of Odisha. He also developed Coconut Peninsula, a popular Country resort in Cuttack by using local vernacular construction style.

Professional Advisory Engagements

In 2023, he was a member of the Odisha State High-Level Committee, collaborating with the Central Government to facilitate urban planning in cities under the Housing & Urban Development Department, Government of Odisha. He also served as an independent jury member at the state level for the City Beauty Competition launched by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India, and as a member of the Technical Presentation Evaluation Committee for the Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation. In 2021, he served as the Chairman of the Odisha Chapter of the ASSOCHAM GEM Green Building Council and was a member of the Cultural Advisory Committee of Shreemandir (Shri Jagannath Temple, Puri). Since 2014, he has been the Editorial Advisor for The Neptune Glitz Architecture and Interiors magazine. Additionally, from 2004 to 2008, he served as the Chairman of the Indian Institute of Architects, Odisha Chapter.

Awards and Accolades

• Times of India Relief Fund
• Simple Versatile Affordable Green Rating For Integrated Habit Assessment by GRIHA Council on 15th July-2016
• Excellence in Architecture - KIIT University,
• Indian Institute of Architects
• Indian Society for Technical Education
• Institution of Engineers,
• Odisha Skill Development Authority- Outstanding Service
• Indian Concrete Institute -Ultratech Endowment Award - 2021 & 2022
• Neptune Glitz Design Honour 2016 for creative Excellence in the category Architecture: Institutional, Commercial
• Ar. Srikanta paikaray architect of the year 2009 award by the Indian Institute of Architects, Odisha Chapter.
• ASSOCHOM GEM-4 Certified Building – Coconut Peninsula - 2021 Publications

Journals

• "‪Evaluation of vernacular housing on sustainability–a case study of weaving settlements of Kushanpuri, Kuisiria and Bhatli village in Bargarh district of Odisha, India‬". Google Scholar. 23 Nov 2023. Retrieved 15 Nov 2024.
• "‪Exploring urban dynamics of crowding with COVID-19 incidence A case study of Mumbai and Bengaluru city in India‬". Google Scholar. Retrieved 15 Nov 2024.
• "‪Exploring the Determinants of Urban Resilience Against Pandemics: Case of Four Large Indian Cities‬". Google Scholar. 15 Dec 2023. Retrieved 15 Nov 2024.
• "‪USING A COMPOSITE INDEX TO CREATE A SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY SCORECARD FOR URBAN INDIA‬". Google Scholar. Retrieved 15 Nov 2024.