How did you get associated with this proposal?
I was requested to advise on the proposed nomination by Abha Narain Lambah, the consultant preparing the proposal, in my capacity as UNESCO World Heritage Mentor and in consideration of my familiarity with the historic precincts of Mumbai and their conservation.

What were your initial observations of this unique architectural mix?
I have long been an advocate of the nomination to the World Heritage List of both the Victorian and Art Deco precincts of Mumbai. Individually, the architecture of the two precincts is outstanding, each in its own right. However, it is the dialogue of the two architectural ensembles across the Oval Maidan that make them collectively of outstanding universal value -- and hence suitable for nomination to the World Heritage List -- as emblematic of the emergence and development of Mumbai as one of the world’s great modern commercial cities.