Scientist, philanthropist and entrepreneur, Dr. K Anji Reddy’s passion for drug discovery and his pioneering contributions to making medicines affordable are legendary. Born in Tadepalli in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, India, in a farming family, he grew up watching his father make herbal pills that he distributed free. Little did he realize the prophetic significance of what he saw. After working at the state owned Indian drug and pharmaceuticals limited for six years, he established Dr.Reddy’s laboratories in 1984. Dr Reddy’s life cannot be summed up in one word – his life was rich and made up of multiple strands.

In his public life, he was a scientist, an entrepreneur, a pioneer, a collector and a philanthropist who cared enough to turn away from conventional modes of giving in order to make the less privileged feel secure in a skill that they were encouraged to master. The Dr. Anji Reddy Memorial was conceived in order to celebrate his life. Dr.Anji Reddy Memorial takes us to contemplate different aspects of Dr Reddy’s life, its unique and bold message: no matter how humble our beginnings, it’s up to us to transform our lives and reach for something larger than ourselves.

Dr Reddy’s life is marked by an intense attentiveness to learning and application. His scientific life was engaged in ways that could alleviate suffering by making affordable medicine. He also stands tall as an example of a deeply compassionate human being who actively tried to rethink the idea of charity and how to unlock potential in the disadvantaged. This memorial presents multiple ways of navigating Dr Reddy’s life, following it and tracing its patterns in order to reach an understanding of the lessons it holds out. Client requirement was to create a memorial for Dr.Reddy that would stand an inspiration for the forth coming generation.

Location chosen for the memorial was a 1.2 acre piece of land in a 100 acre site. This location was chosen to immortalize the path taken by Dr.Reddy from his residence to the lab.Location identified with its existing trees became the reference to the design. Avenue of silver oaks,grid of gulmohar trees, avenue of Ashoka trees ,avenue of palm trees and colonnade of casuarina was transformed to entrepreneurial path, path to samadhi, pradakshna path, path of discovery, path of philanthropy respectively. Entrepreneurial Path: Avenue of silver oaks portrays Dr.Reddy’s life journey from a humble start to a successful enterpriser with his bike and car is displayed either side of the path with a gradual slope.

A walk along this path would motivate and inspire one to set and reach higher goals. Path of reflection void/samadhi: A grid of gulmohar trees with a linear water body culminates into his samadhi.As one walks towards the Samadhi, the waterbody reflecting the sky seen through the cut in the wall behind, evokes a sense of his absence. A void in the center of samadhi represents the end of an era to the realm he has built and the presence of his absence in the lives he inspired and nurtured. Pradakshana path: It is around the samadhi along avenue of palm trees. The cycle of his life “from” nature and “to” nature is represented through walls and voids between the palm trees.

The voids eventually increase in number reaching towards the sky and finally merge into the sky. The Path of discovery and enlightenment along the Ashoka trees shows his journey of challenges and growth from a farmer’s son to an entrepreneur. The texture of flooring from rough, semi polish, polish to merging into lawn finally culminates into Bodhi tree which is a symbol of Enlightenment. “I came up with a little help here and there and whenever possible, I try to return it. If by giving help you can transform it into opportunity for someone to show his ability, it is the greatest satisfaction” -Lt.Dr.Kallam Anji Reddy.

Water channel and Spout: The overflowing water reaches out as an offering of oneself, a prayer, a defining aspects of Dr. Anji Reddy was his desire to give back to society he has grown from. It is a narrow colonnade of casuarina, lies along north-south axis.it is a glimpse of display panel engraved on stone wall along the casuarina trees axes to explain the giving nature of Dr.Reddy. Dr Reddy’s memorial, a non-building set amidst the nature, connects and communicates with its natural surroundings creating a serene atmosphere.

Design: Mindspace
Photography: Sebastian Zachariah

http://www.archdaily.com/867929/dr-kallam-anji-reddy-memorial-mindspace