Dalip Chand Thapar (also often spelt Dilip Thapar) was born in India and studied architecture at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture in c.1964. He was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Government College of Arts & Crafts, Lucknow in 1966, before pursuing postgraduate studies in London, attending the Architectural Association’s Department of Tropical Architecture from 1967–68. Upon graduating, Thapar returned to Lucknow and served as Principal of the Government College of Arts and Crafts until 2000, overseeing its transformation into one of north India’s leading architecture schools. During this time he supervised design proposals for a range of public institutions, including an Aquarium at the National Zoological Park in Delhi (1985) and a campus plan for the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun (1985). Beyond academia, he contributed to the INTACH-sponsored Hussainabad heritage conservation study in Lucknow in the late 1980s, reflecting his interest in preservation and urban planning. Following his retirement from government service, Thapar became the founding Director and Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Integral University, Lucknow, in the early 2000s. He also played a leading role in the profession, serving as a founding member and president of the Uttar Pradesh chapter of the Indian Institute of Architects. His writings include Right or Wrong? – Random Thoughts on Architecture & Urban Planning (2020), a compilation of essays reflecting on architecture and city development. Thapar’s career has been defined by his commitment to public-sector architecture, education, and professional development. Honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, he is regarded as a major figure in Lucknow’s architectural community and continues to be recognised for his lasting impact as a teacher, mentor, and institution-builder.
Sources:
- Architectural Association Student Register, 1945-71. AA Archives
- Integral University. Archfacultydetails – Integral University. Lucknow: Faculty of Architecture, n.d. Accessed August 23, 2025. https://www.scribd.com/doc/313888199/Archfacultydetails-Integral-University
- Lucknow Architects Association. “Prof. Dalip Chand Thapar honoured at SDCA 2024.” Lucknow Architecture Festival News, April 2024. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.smartex.org.in/blogs-details.php?blid=26
- Maheshwari, Sanjeev. “Conservation Challenges in Lucknow: Hussainabad.” INTACH Journal of Heritage & Planning, 1989.
- Thapar, Dalip Chand. Right or Wrong? – Random Thoughts on Architecture & Urban Planning. Lucknow: Self-published, 2020.
- Uttar Pradesh Architects Association. “Member Directory – Dalip Chand Thapar.” UPAA Official Website. Accessed June 28, 2025. https://uparchitects.org/chapter-lucknow/
