The credit for designing New Delhi, popularly known as Lutyens’ Delhi, largely goes to British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, though he was not alone in the task. Chosen in 1912 after the British announced shifting their capital from Calcutta to Delhi, Lutyens was appointed to design the new city.

Lutyens envisioned New Delhi as a “garden city” with wide boulevards, symmetry, and green spaces. His masterpiece was the Viceroy’s House (now Rashtrapati Bhavan), built on Raisina Hill, symbolizing imperial authority. He also designed the India Gate, the All India War Memorial, along with key parts of the Central Vista. His design followed classical European traditions but incorporated Indian features like chajjas (overhanging eaves), jalis (stone lattices), and chhatris (domed pavilions), creating a unique fusion of East and West.

However, Lutyens was not the sole architect. Sir Herbert Baker, his colleague, played an equally important role, designing the North and South Block secretariat buildings and collaborating on Parliament House. Together, Lutyens and Baker gave Delhi its iconic administrative core, though their relationship was marked by creative disagreements.

Today, Lutyens’ Delhi covering around 230 acres remains the political heart of India, a lasting blend of colonial vision and Indian adaptation.