George Wittet was a Scottish architect who worked mostly in Bombay (now Mumbai

Mumbai

Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...

), India.

Life

George Wittet was born in Blair Atholl

Blair Atholl

Blair Atholl is a small town in Perthshire, Scotland, built about the confluence of the Rivers Tilt and Garry in one of the few areas of flat land in the midst of the Grampian Mountains. The Gaelic place-name Blair, from blàr, 'field, plain', refers to this location...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 in 1878. He studied architecture with a Mr. Heiton of Perth, Scotland

Perth, Scotland

Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...

, and worked in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

  and York

York

York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...

 before moving to India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

.

Wittet arrived in India in 1904 and became an assistant to John Begg

John Begg

John Begg was a Scottish architect, who practised in London, South Africa and India, before returning to Scotland to teach at Edinburgh College of Art from 1922-1933....

, then Consulting Architect to Bombay. The two men were responsible for the evolution and subsequent popularity of the Indo-Saracenic

Indo-Saracenic

The Indo-Saracenic Revival was an architectural style movement by British architects in the late 19th century in British India...

 Style of architecture

Architecture

Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

.

On May 12th, 1917, Wittet, by then Consulting Architect to the Government of Bombay, was unanimously elected as the first President of The Indian Institute of Architects

Indian Institute of Architects

The Indian Institute of Architects is the national body of Architects in India with more than 20,000 members. It was established in the year 1917 with its headquarters in Mumbai...

.

Wittet designed some of Bombay's best known landmarks: the Prince of Wales Museum

Prince of Wales Museum

The Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, officially Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya ), Mumbai, India was founded in the early years of the 20th century by some prominent citizens of Bombay, with the help of the government, to commemorate the visit of the then Prince of Wales. It...

, the Gateway of India

Gateway of India

Its design is a combination of both Hindu and Muslim architectural styles, the arch is in Muslim style while the decorations are in Hindu style. The Gateway is built from yellow basalt and reinforced concrete. The stone was locally obtained, and the perforated screens were brought from Gwalior.The...

, the Institute of Science

Institute of Science

The Institute of Science is an institution of postgraduate education and research located in Mumbai, India. It is managed by the Government of Maharashtra and is currently affiliated to the University of Mumbai.Established in 1920...

, the Small Causes Court

Small Causes Court

In Indian cities, the Small Causes Court is responsible for adjudicating matters related to civil cases. The court is responsible for cases relating to tax, , property disputes and other such cases...

 at Dhobitalao, the Wadia Maternity Hospital, Bombay House

Bombay House

Bombay House is a historic privately owned building in Mumbai that serves as the head office of the Tata Group.Situated near Flora Fountain it was completed in 1924 and has been the Tata Group's headquarters ever since...

, the King Edward Memorial Hospital, and The Grand Hotel at Ballard Estate, by the Bombay Docks.

He died of acute dysentery in Bombay in 1926, and is buried in the Sewri cemetery.