KOCHI: Prof T Oommen, who passed on Monday in Thiruvananthapuram, was one of the foremost architects that Kerala has produced, renovating centuries-old churches retaining its heritage structure, and a soft-spoken professor loved by a multitude of his students.

He is also credited with introducing Vastu Shastra, the classical Indian system of architecture, in the syllabus when he became the first full-time head of the Department of Architecture at the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET) from 1979 to 1991. Prof Oommen (81), whose funeral will be held on Wednesday, was an outstanding student and he graduated with first rank and first class from the first batch of architecture (1963-69) from CET, under the University of Kerala; and a Masters in Architecture (first class with honors, second rank) from the University of Roorkee in 1974.

Later, Prof Ommen went on to become the special officer and the first principal of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology (RIT).

Dr M Kurian Thomas, a leading Church historian, said Prof Oommen's  architectural excellence came to the fore during the renovation of the St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral, Manarcad, in early 2000s.  "The 'karotte palli' (St George Church), which is an integral part of the Cathedral, could not be demolished as its two sides were cemeteries, and one side there's a road. Without demolishing the church, he expanded the church area by double. What he did was he joined the verandah by removing the wall in between. This was hitherto untried," Dr Thomas explained.

....