Brinda Somaya: a woman for all seasons!

Read Time: 2 mins 30 secs; viewing time: 4 mins

The ease with which Brinda Somaya aligns her personal and professional life is enviable. 

Seated in her South Mumbai home in a moss green silk kurta and slacks, Ar. Brinda Somaya is a picture of grace, no different from the elegant impression she makes in a sari in professional and social settings. At half-past-ten on a Saturday morning and, unlike most weekends, she is all set to go on-site and to her firm, Somaya and Kalappa. 

On a usual weekend, the architect and her husband Anand, a cardiothoracic surgeon, might catch a movie and leisurely stroll in the mall, or may even spend time at their Alibag farmhouse, where Brinda enjoys learnings about trees and organic farming. She also makes time for varied circles of friends, including a group of female architects, who she often meets for a movie, dinner or a quick trip to the farmhouse for woman-to-woman chats paired with a bottle of wine. 

Having accomplished decades of excellence in what continues to be a male-dominated industry, the distinguished architect tells us that she now looks at time as the most precious commodity. In the five hours prior to our meeting, she has already taken a brisk walk, read the news and responded to emails before sitting down for a “good South Indian breakfast” with her husband. 

Now, in this transitory period, between her ‘me-time’ and work hours, we are privy to the unfolding layers that make up the real Brinda, the woman behind the architect who has a deft work-life balance. It’s become strikingly clear that she doesn’t believe in living a black-and-white life governed by a set of rules. Instead, she says, there can be an overlapping of thoughts, ideas and beliefs at work and during one’s downtime. 

Brinda points outs to a rug in her living room endearingly. The rug, acquired on a recent trip to Morocco, was woven by the women of the Berger tribe. Her eye for good design is palpable; but for Brinda, it’s really the stories behind objects, structures, people and places that matter — yet another instance of the intersectional nature of her personal and professional life.  

Credits:

Interview & Editor-in-chief: Savitha Hira
Text: Beverly Pereira

Videography: Sadaf Khan & Robi Mehra

Video Editing: Parag Phatak
Sound Engineer: Neal Shenai
Music Funny Song from Bensound.com.
Social Media: Avinash Yadav
Concept & Creative Direction: Lalit Hira


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