Nikhil Kumar’s ‘The Architect’s Dream’: Story Of Celebrated Architect Vidhu Mirani

The Architect’s Dream by Nikhil Kumar is a deeply reflective literary novel that follows Vidhu Mirani, a celebrated architect who returns to India after forty years to design a grand new public library in New Delhi. What begins as a prestigious professional commission soon unravels into a journey through memory, politics, and personal reckoning. As Mirani reconnects with his estranged friend Hanif Allana and confronts their shared past with Tanya Sinha, long-buried emotions and unfinished relationships resurface. The story moves gracefully between the personal and the political, exploring themes of ambition, loss, nostalgia, and the weight of choices that linger over time. Set against the backdrop of a changing India and its shifting political landscape, The Architect’s Dream is both an intimate portrait of one man’s search for meaning and a broader reflection on a nation in transition. Nikhil Kumar, an accomplished journalist and writer, has contributed to The Independent, The New York Times, and TIME, where he currently serves as Executive Editor. The Architect’s Dream marks his debut as a novelist.