Ketham Santosh Kumar a practicing Architect, educator, researcher and philanthropist is native of Hyderabad, India. He is the founder and principal of studio Ketham’s Atelier Architects and Thinking Hand non-profit organization.

Since childhood he had considerable dexterity in sketching, painting and sculpting and this artistic disposition motivated him to pursue architecture and design. Natural inclination towards architecture accrued him many awards and rewards, he was thesis topper, secured distinction in Dipl.Arch, B.Arch (Landscape) and also in MSc (Urban Strategies) from Institute of Architecture (IOA) Universitat fur Angewandte Kunst Wien, Austria.

His contemplation for new innovative ideas was appreciated and has resulted in A.T Kearney scholarship, Falling Lab 2015, for his research project “Breaking the Wall of Blind Mute Deaf” watch and was selected as world’s top 100 innovations of the year in the category of science and technology. He won various international awards such as ICARCH, CA2, IIA (The Indian Institute of Architects) AP India, Holcim, Azure and his works were published and exhibited in MAK Museum, Kunstal haus Vienna, Hinterland gallery, Architecture Festival U.A.U.I.M Romania and Vortex Architecture biennale Austria, Times of India, The Hindu, Eenadu, Siasat Newspapers and more.

His endeavor is to affiliate theories with real world challenges has led him to establish an NGO Thinking Hand, where the effort is to bring innovation for social welfare and empower people through architecture and design such as building housing for neglected communities and involving professionals, students by conducting workshops, lectures and competitions. Thinking Hand NGO and Ketham’s Atelier empowered more than 3000 people with a team of 49.

His passion and interest in History, Heritage, Philosophy, Theory of Urban design, Landscape and Architecture pursued him to write a book called (3H) Hyderabad History Heritage, Which is in process of documenting more than 500 building in Hyderabad, which are forgotten, and unknown.

He had an opportunity to teach in various National and International Design and Architecture Schools and Universities. He is guest critic and visiting faculty at various design schools in JNFAU (Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University) affiliated schools, SPAV (School of Planning and Architecture Vijayawada), NIFT Hyderabad and faculty, expert consultant, design critic at University of Innsbruck for the studio project E1 and E2- Energy efficient low cost construction India and he was previously invited to deliver a lecture and design critic at Institute for Experimental Architecture, Hochbau, University of Innsbruck. And also he was invited as juror for ICARCH International competition Austria 2017, Invited speaker at JOSH Talks 2018, lecture at IIT-Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad in Department of Design.

Interviewed on Climate change – living on the water in ORF TV, 3sat, DW Documentary. He was speaker at Approaching Research Practice in Architecture, event hosted by TUM, TUD, KTH, BauHow5, PhD Workshop at University of Oulu, School of Architecture and also Speaker at RWTH Aachen University 25th Corp Conference Shaping Urban Change liveable city regions for 21st Century.

In 2019 and 2020 he worked as researcher on BEQ’s – Buoyant Energy Quarters Project at University of Innsbruck, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and FFG exploration. No. 853662 “Prepare BE.”

Currently, he is a researcher at 1669 old European University, Institute of Experimental Architecture, Hochbau, from 2019. Awarded research Grant for Promotion of Young Talent from Vice Rector for Research Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ulrike Tanzer, University of Innsbruck.