End of an Era: Ford Foundation Vacates Iconic Lodhi Estate Office After Six Decades
Public Lokpal
September 11, 2026
End of an Era: Ford Foundation Vacates Iconic Lodhi Estate Office After Six Decades
The Ford Foundation has officially vacated its historic New Delhi office at 55, Lodhi Estate, concluding a continuous six-decade chapter at the landmark property.
The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs directed the departure after the foundation's land lease expired, bringing an end to an occupancy that began in the 1960s.
Designed by celebrated American architect Joseph Stein, the low-rise compound has long stood as an architectural emblem of post-Independence institutional design.
While the foundation has successfully relocated its operations to a new address at the DLF Centre on Sansad Marg, the Union government has already reallocated the prestigious Lodhi Estate real estate.
The premises now house two India-championed international initiatives: the International Big Cat Alliance and the Global Biofuels Alliance.
Since establishing its presence in India in 1952, the foundation has played a profound developmental role, backing pioneering institutions like the early IIMs and agricultural research frameworks.
This transition closes a defining chapter in India-philanthropy relations.