IIT Kharagpur and Georgia Tech alumnus Jane Rodrigues on mastering architecture as an international student and obtaining her US licensure on her first try -- a feat accomplished by less than 6 % who took the test in 2022. Any journey from India to the United States that involves a career choice is bound to be filled with varying degrees of adventure—brimming with all the peaks and valleys one can imagine. For Jane Rodrigues, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) and a team member with award-winning architectural firms, pursuing higher education was her reason for making the voyage, which has since served to show the power of determination in the face of challenges.
Best thesis award winner at IIT Kharagpur Jane earned her bachelor’s degree from IIT-KGP, a world-renowned institution known for its rigorous acceptance rate of 2%. In 2023, IIT-KGP was placed in the top 7% by Quacqaurelli Symonds (QS) in its Asia World University Rankings and top 19% in its World University Rankings. “The architectural landscape in India is shifting from a predominantly male dominated arena 2 decades ago, to around 48% of licensed architects in India now being women” says Jane.
Part of a predominantly male class, she graduated with honors in 2002 and was the recipient of the Best Thesis Award. The latter was published in the Student Section of A+D Journal Vol XXII No.2.
After her bachelor’s from IIT-KGP, Jane honed her architectural skills by working for .