The historic building known as 'Viceregal Lodge' in Shimla, where critical negotiations leading to the Simla Conference of 1945 took place, was designed by which British architect?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Viceregal Lodge (now the Rashtrapati Niwas), constructed during the viceroyalty of Lord Dufferin, was designed by the renowned British architect Henry Irwin and completed in 1888 in the Scottish Baronial architectural style. It served as the venue for high-level political summits, including the historic Simla Conference convened by Lord Wavell in 1945 to discuss the Wavell Plan for Indian self-government. The estate currently houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study.