Architect and senior teacher and mentor, Prof. Solomon Devanand Vedamuthu, aged 71, a long-time resident of R. A. Puram, passed away on June 25.
Born on February 10, 1954, to George Chelliah Vedamuthu and Margaret Vedamuthu, Solomon spent his early years in Chennai. His father worked as a private contractor, while his mother ran Veda Kalvi Nilayam, a school in Royapettah that was active until the early 1980s.
His formative years were deeply shaped by his paternal aunts, Ida and Jemima Vedamuthu, both educators, musicians, and former principals of CSI Monahan Girls Higher Secondary School, Royaoettah.
“Their influence sparked my father’s lifelong love for music, dance, and the fine arts.” says his only daughter, Ishita Vedamuthu.
Solomon completed his schooling at M.C.C. School, Chetpet, followed by Pre-University studies at Madras Christian College. He then pursued architecture at the School of Architecture and Planning in Chennai, where he met Ranee Menezes and married her in 1982.
Solomon began his career with architect Jasper Dawson in Hyderabad before co-founding Peter Rajappa Solomon, a well-regarded architecture firm, with his college friends.
In 1984, he established his own practice, Solomon Vedamuthu Associates (SVA). Some of his ‘most beloved’ projects include residences, a four-star hotel in Pondicherry, and a church in Chittoor.
A defining moment in his life came when he coached a young student, Vijayaram, to prepare for the entrance exam to CEPT, Ahmedabad. This experience, his family said, revealed his deep calling as a teacher and mentor. In 1989, he founded DVS’ (D. V. Solomon’s) Centre for Design and Delineation, a training academy for aspiring designers.
“DVS Centre quickly became known as Saulie’s class. I used to sit in his classes from the time I could sit up. I grew up watching him build that community from scratch. It wasn’t like any other class, and kids loved coming there.” says his daughter.
“My dad was never a conventional teacher. In fact, he actively resisted traditional methods. There were no notes, no fixed syllabus. Everything came from his intuition and years of learning, and unlearning, which he passed on with incredible generosity. Saulie’s class was a space where you could be yourself, and I know many people found themselves there.,” she adds.
“He was the foundation course you couldn’t find anywhere else. In a culture where pursuing the arts often wasn’t considered a real choice, he made it one. I truly believe that hundreds, maybe even thousands, of architects and designers in this city and across the world would say their love for design, for architecture, began with him. He didn’t believe in rules for the sake of rules, and he built a world where you were allowed, expected even, to question everything<‘ she adds.
Ishita Vedamuthu says her father was a one-man brand. And for many, the reason they found their path. “He’ll be remembered for his curiosity, his imagination, and the way he made learning feel like an adventure,” she says.
The family can be reached at 9962996392.
