Shirish Patel: The urban planner who looked beyond the vanity of Mumbai’s privileged

Shirish Patel, in his life and work, reminded us that relationships need not be transactional or transient, as they tend to be these days.

As a journalist interested in cities, how they work, where they are headed, and especially how they accommodate the needs of a burgeoning urban poor population, there could be no one better than Shirish Patel to educate you. He went beyond his background as a structural engineer and urban planner to provide us with a perspective on not just the “how” but the “why” of urban chaos and misgovernance as exemplified in a city like Mumbai.

Yet, Shirish was more than a “source” or an “expert”. He was a deeply engaged and concerned citizen. And there was no contradiction in being both. For me, the expert also became a mentor and friend. He never talked down to you, even if you asked stupid questions. He represented a fast-disappearing breed, a person who has grace, charm, patience and above all a genuine interest in the person speaking to him, irrespective of their age, gender or class.

The last time I met Shirish was almost exactly a year ago. It was a few months before we got the news of his terminal illness. We...

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