Conservation of Subz Burj, one of the unique double-domed architectural gems in the national Delhi, India, has been completed after three years of concentrated efforts carried out by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC).
As part of a broad initiative to revive Delhi’s historic heritage, Sabz Burj – an early Mughal-era tomb turned to roadside ruin through centuries of neglect, vandalism and poor repair – has been restored to its former grandeur by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in partnership with the Archaeological Survey of India and with the support of Havells India Limited.
The garden of the Qutb Shahi tombs is a deep stepwell of dressed granite. “It is probably one of the earliest structures here, along with the Idgah and might pre-date the necropolis. The other boalis (stepwells) are built on rocky outcrops.
Stepwells are sometimes small stone-lined trenches, capturing rainwater and refilling underground aquafers, while others are masterpieces of inverted architecture. The stepwells are known as “baolis” or “bwaris” and have not always been conserved as monuments to cherish.
In South Mumbai, India, Aga Hall Estate – an upcoming residential high-rise development project – is one of the first and largest AKDN projects to earn EDGE Advanced Certification, the globally recognised benchmark for green building created by International Finance Corporation.
To help advance and scale innovations for greener city life, the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat has created this toolkit to guide practitioners through an evidence-based approach to assess hotspots in different urban contexts and develop nature-based solutions to protect and restore their ecosystems sustainably.
In Gujarat, India, the Aga Khan School, Mundra has achieved affiliation with the Central Board of Secondary Education to offer Grades 11 and 12, enabling young students to stay home and finish higher secondary school without having to migrate to distant cities.
The Nila Gumbad, or the blue dome, stands at the far-east of the Humayun tomb complex. It isn’t visited by as many sightseers as the Mughal emperor’s mausoleum, but it is the oldest edifice in the compound, which is a UNESCO world heritage site. In the beginning there was just this Nila Gumbad.
In 2017, the government in India identified 15 stepwells in Delhi for restoration. In 2019 the Aga Khan Trust for Culture partnered with the German Embassy in India to restore a stepwell in the Humayun Tomb complex in Delhi.
This 28-minute documentary film introduces audiences to the transformative world of Schools2030, a programme led by the Aga Khan Foundation, and its mission to help give teachers and school communities the tools they need to become education innovators.