The Rashtrapati Bhavan, the residence of the President of India, represents one of the greatest architectural projects of modern times. A unique fusion of Indian and Western classical architectural styles, the monumental building has a rich and complex legacy. Yet its story, spanning colonial and post-Independence periods, has never been fully revealed.

 

Sahapedia’s multi-volume documentation project, commissioned by the President’s Secretariat and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), is an attempt to fill this void. The Rashtrapati Bhavan Series of books bring to life the historical, architectural and cultural aspects of the presidential estate. These have been put together by Sahapedia in collaboration with experts and professionals after extensive research and field work in India and the UK.

 

The Rashtrapati Bhavan has dual association with India as a British colony and an independent democracy; it also serves dual purposes, as a private home and a public monument. These dualities form the underpinning theme of the seven-volume series:

  • Right of the Line: President’s Body Guard 
  • The Presidential Retreats of India 
  • Landscape and Architecture of Rashtrapati Bhavan
  • Flora and Fauna of Rashtrapati Bhavan
  • Interiors and Artworks of Rashtrapati Bhavan
  • Kitchens, Dining and Entertaining at Rashtrapati Bhavan
  • Life at Rashtrapati Bhavan

 

The project includes four additional volumes on the performing arts at Rashtrapati Bhavan and children’s books. The books have been published and are available from the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India.