NARI GANDHI AS A PERSON

"I have heard him being called an eccentric genius, talent gone wild, even crazy- but he was not crazy, it's the world around him that was! Here was humanity personified, art and expression exemplified, in a normal, humble, down to earth Parsi gentleman, who wore simple old clothes and possessed a wealth of mind and intellect, that would humble the most enterprising and exactiong philosopher"- Amrutlal Thakker; a close friend of Nari Gandhi.
These words sum up Nari Gandhi's personality. Every person who was in any sort of contact with Nari Gandhi always had one thing to say that he was first and foremost a complete human being and thereafter a brilliant architect. Nariman (Nari) Dossa Gandhi was born on 2 nd January 1934 Surat, India into a Zorastrian Parsi family from Bombay. He was one of the six children with three brothers & two sisters.
Nari completed his schooling at St.Xavier's School (V.T) and thereafter joined Sir.J.J. School of Architecture in Mid Fifties. He was brilliant in college. He was an enigma to his professors, who didn't know what to make of it. Few were equipped to understand his work at that time. Nari completed 5 years at Sir. J.J. School of Architecture.
Nari Gandhi cut a rather surprising figure. Tall, heavy built with a gentle white moustache matching his white khadi kurta and pyjama, a liking for leather kolhapuri chappals, he always carried a cloth bag (jhola) with him. He appeared to be more a restful old Parsi Gentleman rather than the immensely gifted architect.