ahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) recently hosted the great-great-granddaughter of Sir Ganga Ram, Kesha Ram Hinsdale, an American politician, at an event organised especially to pay tribute to the architect of modern Lahore.

During her 10-day visit to the city, Hinsdale also visited various sites associated with Sir Ganga Ram, chiefly his samadhi.

At LUMS, she was part of a panel that included Zahra Ashraf, a veteran of the Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD); Saifullah Baig; and Dr Amjad Saqib, a former civil servant, author of several books and the chairman of Akhuwat and Fountain House. The Vermont State Senator was joined by her husband, Jacob Hinsdale.

The event was held under the aegis of the Gurmani Centre for Languages and Literature (GCLL) at LUMS. The illustrious panellists, whose work covers city planning, philanthropy, entrepreneurship and ecologically sustainable development, recalled the achievements of Sir Ganga Ram who has to his credit numerous iconic buildings of Lahore including Government College, Lahore High Court, Aitchison College, Mayo School of Arts, and the General Post Office.

Hinsdale expressed her awe at the magnitude of his great-great-grandfather’s work. She spoke especially of the iconic water reservoir inside the Walled City that remains functional to this day.

In her speech where she talked of different facets and contributions of Sir Ganga Ram, Hinsdale also expressed her awe at the magnitude of his great-great-grandfather’s work. She spoke especially of the iconic water reservoir inside the Walled City that is functional to this day.

Even more surprising to her, she said, was the “unyielding gratitude” that people from various walks of life had had for Sir Ganga Ram. “You value a life truly well lived; you’re a great society for remembering men like him and taking care of his legacy,” she said.

“Buildings are not just edifices of modernity… they’re always for people they’re meant to serve,” Hinsdale said in her concluding words. The audience in the packed auditorium gave her a thunderous clap.

Later, Dr Amjad Saqib presented her a framed title of his book, Chaar Aadmi. The book features the stories of Sir Ganga Ram, Malik Mairaj Khalid and Dr Rasheed Chaudhry.

The writer is a student of history and comparative literature at LUMS