Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar Press Communique
September 9, 2026
IIT Gandhinagar Translates Earthquake Safety Knowledge for Buildings into Indian Languages
Hindi and Urdu translations of ‘Earthquake-safe Buildings’, an internationally acclaimed guide, aim to bring earthquake-safety information to house owners and other stakeholders
Gandhinagar: The recent devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela, Columbia, Indonesia and Japan are a stark reminder that while earthquakes cannot be prevented, much of the resulting loss of life and property can be avoided through safer buildings. Recognising the importance of making earthquake safety knowledge accessible to everyone, particularly future homeowners, IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN) faculty members Prof Manish Kumar and Prof Mohd. Mubashshir Ahsan have translated the internationally acclaimed publication ‘Earthquake-safe Buildings’ into Hindi and Urdu, respectively.
Originally authored by Andrew Charleson and published by the World Housing Encyclopedia (WHE), an initiative supported by the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) and the International Association for Earthquake Engineering (IAEE), the book is a collection of 25 concise, illustrated articles that explain, in simple and easy-to-understand language, how earthquakes affect buildings and how safer construction practices can help save lives and property. It is designed to make earthquake-safety knowledge comprehensible beyond the engineering community, recognising that people should not need specialised structural engineering knowledge to make informed decisions about their homes. With this approach, the publication is intended for homeowners, builders, contractors, architects, engineers, students, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding how buildings can be made safer during earthquakes.
“Earthquake safety is not something only engineers need to understand. Many of the decisions that determine how a house performs are made long before construction begins,” said Prof Manish Kumar, Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Professor in IITGN’s Department of Civil Engineering, and Co-chair of the World Housing Encyclopaedia Executive Committee. “If homeowners and builders understand a few basic principles, such as keeping building layouts simple and regular, avoiding changes that can weaken the structure, using appropriate materials, and paying attention to construction quality, they can make much safer choices without necessarily spending much more. Making this knowledge available in languages people are comfortable with is an important part of that effort.”
The need for such a resource is particularly significant in India, where large parts of the country are exposed to seismic risk, including the Himalayan region, the Northeast, and several parts of northern and western India. At the same time, access to qualified structural engineers remains limited in many regions. Consequently, there are significant gaps in design compliance, construction practices, material quality control, and enforcement. Rather than being a literal translation, the Hindi edition has also been contextualised for India. Its opening chapter introduces readers to the country’s seismic zones, historical earthquakes, and locally relevant examples while preserving the educational intent of the original publication.
Highlighting the hurdles of making scientific knowledge available in multiple languages, Prof Mohd. Mubashshir Ahsan, Lecturer in IITGN’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, explains, “My biggest challenge was to balance simplicity with scientific accuracy. At the same time, I wanted to use simple, natural Urdu without compromising the technical meaning of the original text. Since there is very little scientific material on earthquakes available in Urdu, I hope this translation helps make essential earthquake-safety knowledge accessible to readers who may otherwise be excluded because such information is not available in a language they are comfortable reading.”
The book introduces readers to topics such as why buildings collapse during earthquakes, earthquake-resistant structural systems, strong foundations, retrofitting existing buildings, common construction mistakes, and the role of building regulations. Through diagrams, photographs, and everyday examples, it makes these concepts accessible even to readers without an engineering background.
This translation initiative builds on IITGN’s broader work in earthquake engineering, which spans research on earthquake-resistant construction, seismic risk, masonry structures, and technologies such as seismic isolation. By making this internationally recognised educational resource available in Hindi and Urdu, the institute hopes to encourage informed decision-making by potential homeowners, promote safer construction practices, and contribute to building more resilient communities across the country.
For further information,
please contact: Ms Corena Pereira, Media & Communication. Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar
Email: corena.pereira@iitgn.ac.in
Phone: +91 79 2395 2106 / +91 77750 95189
