Structural engineering is a hallmark of endurance : Ajay Mahale

When the children of his age were busy playing outdoor games like cricket in the gullies, Ajay Mahale, born in a confined residential space in Thane’s Charai, spent his time making forts in a nearby construction site. Ajay made forts from the cement and sand scattered all around the area and kept his eyes and ears open to what was going around him. Ajay shares, “Sometimes, I saw a bunch of people reporting to a gentleman who would take stock of things on construction sites. As a child, I was impressed with that man’s job, which I later understood was that of a structural engineer.” Though the job profile would have been out of Ajay’s dictionary, he was determined to become one when he grew up.

Ajay did not have an engineering background. His father was a factory worker, and his mother was a teacher at a municipal school in Mumbai. Hailing from a humble financial background, Ajay spent his childhood in a 10×15 room. Since his parents wanted him to have a bright future, they encouraged him to study hard. Ajay respected his parents’ advice and studied hard. In the meantime, he also started developing a keen interest in the construction business, thanks to his regular visits to the construction site in his area. Ajay vividly recalls, “I was about nine years old when I started getting inquisitive about buildings and how they are constructed. I also had the construction maps with me. Whenever I went to the construction site, I made sure that I casually interacted with the workers. We became friends, and they allowed me to go on every slab which I climbed barefoot to observe the structure from close quarters.” So, the Structural Engineering profession came to him as a choice and not by a chance.

After completing his schooling, Ajay pursued a Diploma. He was the topper and secured admission to the prestigious VJTI in Mumbai. While he had acquired a lot of practical knowledge about the construction industry while growing up, getting an educational degree added to the theoretical aspect of the business.

Once he was a qualified engineer, Ajay went out into the job market. He says, “My first job was with Mukund Iron and Steel. I worked on the wire rod mill expansion project at Kalwa. Though it was a great learning experience, I realised that I was drifting away from my goal of becoming a structural consultant. I earned Rs. 5000 per month at Mukund. However, to get the right experience, I moved to a new job where I barely made Rs. 1800 per month, which was against the wishes of my family members.”

Ajay joined Epicons Consultants, where Mr. Jayant Kulkarni, a renowned structural consultant, was his mentor. He avers, “I did all kinds of work at Epicons. One who is willing to do anything and everything on the job understands the business better. I worked there for a couple of years. Additionally, I worked with Mr. Nitin Randive to be well-versed with the software knowledge required in this business.”

After gaining experience working with different companies, Ajay decided to start his independent practice. He established his setup at home in May 1995, when he was 25. Ajay elucidates, “I am grateful to my family for being supportive. My first project was Rangashree, opposite Lokmanya Society in Thane. I gained a lot of confidence after completing my first project. Slowly and steadily, I was getting more and more projects under my belt. Often a layman is confused between an architect’s and a structural engineer’s roles. In simple words, an architect is responsible for the functional planning, while structural engineering looks after getting the skeleton, including slabs, columns, beams, etc., ready.”

Over the years, Ajay has completed an array of projects in India and overseas. In the last 27 years, he has a whopping sum of nearly 800 buildings to his name. His notable works include Auralis, Giriraj Heights, Srushti Prime, Shahs Avenue, and Bethany Hospital Phase 2. He states, “In addition to the residential and commercial projects in and around Thane, I have worked on a building in South Africa. We used the British code designing for that building. Apart from this, I have also worked on two buildings in Nairobi.”

Ajay is currently working with Yuvan Group, which is coming up with a grand 51-storeyed building “Stellar” in the heart of Thane. He says, “The 180-metre tall, beautiful structure will be designed with utmost finesse and perfection. We have put together great designs which are strong. In view of the rising cases of collapsing buildings, it is important to have a stable foundation and healthy slab construction. For instance, potable water in concrete mixing should be the norm. Just like in Macau, we have used advanced lighting that will give a different look to the building during the day and night. Also, we have added blast resistance to the lower storey columns.”

Ajay concludes, “Just like we have a doctor to maintain the health of our body in which we live, it is essential to have a good structural engineer for a building where we are also going to live. Maintaining the structural health of a building is of paramount significance. One small mistake can result in irreversible damage.”