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Designing Spaces, Inspiring People


Specttrum Profiles: The journey of Architect Manmohan Khanna is quite inspiring. Some people design buildings. Others help shape the people around them. Architect Manmohan Khanna belongs to the second category. For nearly five decades, he has combined professional excellence with mentorship, industry leadership and an infectious enthusiasm that makes age seem almost irrelevant.

Founder and Principal Architect of KMA Architecture (Khanna Manmohan Architect), Chandigarh, he established the practice in 1976 soon after graduating from the Chandigarh College of Architecture. Since then, he has remained actively engaged in designing residential, commercial and institutional projects with a strong emphasis on sustainable architecture, energy-efficient buildings, landscape planning and alternative energy solutions.

Architecture, for him, has always been more than constructing physical spaces. It is about creating environments where people can live, work and grow with greater harmony and responsibility towards nature. His contribution extends well beyond his own practice.

As Chairman of The Indian Institute of Architects, Chandigarh-Punjab Chapter, he worked to strengthen professional dialogue within the architectural fraternity. Later, as the founding Chairperson of the Indian Institute of Interior Designers (IIID), Chandigarh Chapter, launched in 2015, he helped create a vibrant platform for architects, interior designers, students and professionals to exchange ideas, discuss innovation and encourage better design practices. Under his leadership, the chapter organised seminars, lectures and interactions that brought together experienced professionals and young designers on a common platform.

My association with Manmohan Khanna began through a mutual journalist friend and gradually grew into a warm friendship. We travelled together through the beautiful hills of Kasauli, shared long conversations over simple meals and often met at his spacious Chandigarh residence, a place that has welcomed countless friends, professionals and creative minds over the years. In January 2021, he readily offered his home as the venue for an important media interaction under SpecttrumPR. It reflected his generous nature and willingness to support meaningful initiatives without hesitation. A few months later, life presented a far more difficult test.

When Covid struck me with devastating force in May 2021, Manmohan Khanna became one of the people who stood firmly beside me. His timely support and concern played an important role during one of the most challenging phases of my life. Some friendships are remembered because of pleasant moments. Others become unforgettable because they quietly appear when life becomes uncertain.

Even today, whenever we speak, I greet him with the same words: "Hello, young man!" He smiles every time. Officially, he is a senior citizen. In spirit, he continues to outpace many younger professionals. He still travels extensively across India, remains deeply engaged with architectural projects and actively participates in professional forums.

His curiosity, optimism and eagerness to explore new ideas have remained remarkably intact over the decades. That, perhaps, is his greatest achievement. Buildings eventually become part of a city's skyline. Enthusiasm becomes part of a person's legacy. The journey of Architect Manmohan Khanna reminds us that professional success is measured not only by the structures we build, but also by the encouragement, friendships and goodwill we leave behind.


Verified Human Stories. Lasting Digital Legacy.

Specttrum Profiles documents remarkable people, organisations and ideas through verified human stories, creating a searchable and lasting digital archive of journeys that deserve to be remembered.

Every profile is prepared with editorial care and based on verified information available at the time of publication. As living documents, profiles may be updated periodically to reflect significant milestones, achievements and refinements shared by the profile subject.

Editor: Narvijay Yadav | Email: specttrumnews@gmail.com | Website: narvijay.in

© Specttrum Profiles. All rights reserved. 

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