Homi Framjee Billimoria

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, (23 May 1901 - June 1956) was a

Ceylonese Sri Lankan or Ceylonese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Sri Lanka ** Demographics of Sri Lanka * Sri Lankan people, or of Sri Lankan descent; this includes: ** Sinhalese people, the ethnic majority ** Sri Lankan T ...

architect of

Parsee The Parsis or Parsees () are a Zoroastrian ethnic group in the Indian subcontinent. They are descended from Persian refugees who migrated to the Indian subcontinent during and after the Arab-Islamic conquest of Iran in the 7th century, whe ...

origin. He was the first Ceylonese to graduate from

Liverpool University The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University, it received Royal Charter by King Edward VII in 1903 attaining the de ...

and be elected a fellow of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

. Homi Framjee Billimoria was born on 23 May 1901 in Colombo, Ceylon, the second of three children and the oldest son of Framjee and Dinbai Billimoria (1877-1945). Billimoria married Munnie Karanjia (1912-?). In 1938 Billimoria joined the Government service as the country's first town planner. He served as the

chief architect Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...

of the Public Works Department from 1953 to 1956. In the

1948 Birthday Honours The 1948 Birthday Honours were appointments by George VI, King George VI to Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of the Commonwealth Realms. The appoint ...

he was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

while serving as the deputy chief architect, in 1953 he was conferred with a Coronation Medal and in the

1954 Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours 1954 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The appointments were made to celebrate ...

, he received an Officer (Civil Division) Order of the British Empire. Billimoria was a founding member of the Ceylon Institute of Architects (CIA) and was later elected as a fellow of the Institute. In 1938 Billimoria joined the Government service as the country's first town planner. He served as the

of the Public Works Department from 1953 to 1956. In the

he was appointed a

while serving as the deputy chief architect, in 1953 he was conferred with a Coronation Medal and in the

, he received an Officer (Civil Division) Order of the British Empire. Billimoria was a founding member of the Ceylon Institute of Architects (CIA) and was later elected as a fellow of the Institute.

Notable works

Mumtaz Mahal, Colombo The Mumtaz Mahal is the former official residence of the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, which now houses the National Defence College, Sri Lanka, located in Kollupitiya, a suburb of Colombo. Built in 1929, it was purchased in 1948 to se ...

(1928) *

Tintagel Colombo Tintagel Colombo is a boutique hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka and the former town residence of the Bandaranaike family. The hotel is situated in Rosmead Place in Cinnamon Gardens. History Homi Billimoria designed the Tintagel Colombo in 1929 for gyn ...

(1929) *

Independence Memorial Hall Independence Memorial Hall (also known as ''Independence Commemoration Hall'') is a national monument in Sri Lanka built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the restoration of full governing responsibil ...

, Colombo (1948) * Kandy Masonic Temple (1951) *

Young Men's Buddhist Association The YMBA, or Young Men's Buddhist Association, was created in Sri Lanka in 1898. The main founder was C. S. DissanayakeHuman Rights Watch (2009)''The Resistance of the Monks: Buddhism and Activism in Burma'' p. 12. as part of a bid to provide Bud ...

building, Colombo (1955) * Navroz Baug (Fire Temple), Colombo.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Billimoria, Homi 1901 births Ceylonese Officers of the Order of the British Empire Alumni of the University of Liverpool Sri Lankan Zoroastrians 1956 deaths Sri Lankan people of Parsi descent 20th-century Sri Lankan architects