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Perin
Jamshedji Mistri was probably the
first professional qualified Woman
Architect of India. She was born in
Bombay in 1913. Having taken Gujrati
education in bombay, young Perin was
entered as a boarder in Miss Kimmin's
High School in Panchgani. At the age
of 10 she went to England and completed
her education from the Croydon High
School.
When she returned to Bombay, she joined
'The Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy (J.J.)
School of Art' and obtained her diploma
in architecture in 1936. She then
joined her father's firm M/s. Mistri
and Bhedwar in 1937. Her father's
firm M/s. Mistri and Bhedwar was started
in 1891 and later opened a branch
in Karachi in 1916.
The Mistri family was in the construction
business for 4 generations before
Perin. Their works included the Royal
Mint, which was dismantled and replaced
by the New India Assurance Building.
Their other wokrs included the Colaba
and Cuffe Parade Sea Walls and the
first runway for the Mumbai Airport.
One of Perin's first works was Sir
Behramji Karanjia's bungalow at Carmichael
Road. Her other works included residential,
industrial and public buildings (Khatau
mills) and St. Stephen's Church.
Perin's interests ranged from Hockey
to Gardening to the study of snakes
in the Haffkine's institue in Bombay.
Her brother Mr. Minoo Mistri also
an Architect, was kind enough to give
the HECAR Foundation information about
Perin.
Along with two of his colleagues,
Minette De Silva and Mr. J. P. J.
Billimoria, Minoo lauched the 'Marg'
Magazine. After nurturing it for a
decade it was handed over to the Tatas
to ensure a reliable continuity.
She practiced for almost half a century
as the partner of the firm before
she died in 1989.
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