GREAT CITIES FOR PEOPLE through participatory and informed urban design and planning

Founded in 1984 in Mumbai, the Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI) is a public charitable trust dedicated to improving the urban environment through research, advocacy, and collaborative action.

UDRI works to shape inclusive, resilient, and humane Indian cities that balance cultural heritage and social fabric with equitable development and efficient infrastructure. Its work spans urban design, urban planning and policy, community planning, and heritage conservation for strengthening the relationship between people, place, and governance.

Through research, publications, exhibitions, public forums, lectures, and digital knowledge platforms, UDRI serves as a bridge between citizens, practitioners, academic institutions, and government agencies to promote informed and participatory urban development.

We exist because
cities are complex

People deserve clarity, access, and a voice

Evaluate
1
Data-backed analysis for informed urban design, planning and governance.
Engage and equip
2
Knowledge-sharing tools and platforms to empower citizens, government officials, and practitioners.
Enable
3
Collective decision making for citizen-centric systemic change.

How We Work

From Research to Real-World Impact

Research and Documentation

Deep-dive studies on land use, climate, mobility, housing, heritage, and governance.

Public Forums and Dialogues

Workshops, discussions, and lectures that bring together experts, officials, and citizens.

Advocacy and policy input

Recommendations to government authorities, comments on Development Plans, and involvement in environmental and planning debates.

Knowledge Platform

Accessible reports, databases, mapping tools, and open-access materials such as Login Mumbai.

Our Trustees

UDRI is a registered charitable trust registered under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950. The current Board of Trustees includes eminent personalities and philanthropists from the fields of architecture, urbanism, economics, business, law, social service, medicine, and journalism.

Cyrus Guzder

Rahul Mehrotra

Shirin Bharucha

Anuj Bhagwati

Nayana Kathpalia

Naresh Fernandes

Gautam Patel

Jehangir Sorabjee

Past Trustees

Charles Correa

1984-2015

Nani Ardeshir Palikiwala

1984- 2002

M A Wadud Khan

1984- 1999

Billkees Latif

1984- 2002

Keshub Mahindra

1984- 2006

Ratan Tata

1984- 2006

Nana Chuadasama

1984- 2018

Deepak Parekh

1999- 2013

Nasser Munjee

2009- 2020

Vrinda Mahadevia

2020- 2024

Our Team

The Urban Design Research Institute is a multidisciplinary team of researchers working across the fields of urban design, spatial planning, architecture, housing, political science, heritage conservation and environmental studies.

Team Members

Anuradha Parmar

Executive Director

Ninad Sansare

Associate Director

Prerna Yadav

Associate Director

Shveta Mathur

Project Lead

Aditya Sawant

Project Lead

Kshitij Misra

Senior Research Associate

Snigdha Gopalkrishnan

Research Associate

Afreen Shaikh

Librarian

Rupali Gaikwad

Finance Officer

Rani Gopal

Administrative Associate

Past Executive Directors

Kamu Iyer

1984-1986

Jal Aria

1986-1994

Rahul Mehrotra

1994- 2004

Shiben Banerji (Interim)

2004-2006

Pankaj Joshi

2006- 2020

Our Partners & Funders

Collaborating for Greater Impact.

We are grateful to our partners and funders - past and present - whose trust and collaboration have strengthened our work and expanded its reach.

Funders

Partnerships

Academic Partnerships

ANNUAL REPORTS

Our Journey, Documented.

Explore our annual reports to see how research, collaboration, and action have shaped more inclusive and sustainable cities over the years.

Annual
Report

2021-25

2021-25
Annual Report (250pgs)
Building resilient cities through research, design, and collaborative action.
Download PDF

Work on Change That Matters.

Join a multidisciplinary team shaping how cities are researched, understood, and improved—through design, policy, and action.

Work with Us

Cyrus Guzder

About

Cyrus Guzder has, over a working career spanning more than five decades, balanced two parallel pursuits — as a successful businessman and as a committed heritage and environmental activist. He introduced India to international express delivery services through DHL, which he owned and managed for 25 years. His company, AFL Private Limited, was also a pioneer in national logistics and corporate travel management.

Throughout his career, he has actively supported several civic and environmental causes, often balancing business interests with public advocacy. He was a founder member of prominent organisations such as the Save Bombay Committee, the Bombay Environmental Action Group, and the INTACH Mumbai Chapter. 

In addition, he has been a member of the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee, a Trustee of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, and served as the Honorary Consul General of Ireland for Western India for 17 years. Currently, he is the Chairman of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and a Trustee of the Marg Foundation and the UDRI.

Rahul Mehrotra

About

Rahul Mehrotra is the founder of RMA Architects and the John T. Dunlop Professor in Housing and Urbanization at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Established in 1990, RMA Architects has designed a wide range of projects including institutional campuses, conservation initiatives, housing, and corporate spaces across India and internationally. Notable works include the restoration of Chowmahalla Palace, conservation planning for the Taj Mahal, social housing for elephants and caretakers in Jaipur, and academic buildings at CEPT and IIM Ahmedabad.

Mehrotra is also a noted author, researcher, and curator whose work focuses on architecture, conservation, and urbanism in India. His publications include Bombay: The Cities Within, Architecture in India – Since 1990, Working in Mumbai, and The Kinetic City and Other Essays. His research and advocacy have significantly shaped contemporary discourse on Indian cities and urban development.

Closely associated with the Urban Design Research Institute since its inception, Mehrotra served as Executive Director from 1994 to 2004. He played a pioneering role in advancing UDRI’s work in urban design and heritage conservation, particularly in Mumbai’s historic Fort area.

Shirin Bharucha

About

Shirin Bharucha joined the Tata Group in 1962 as an assistant in the Legal Department and retired in 2001 as the in-house Legal Advisor to the Tata Group of Companies. Over nearly four decades, she advised around 80 Tata companies on a wide range of corporate and regulatory matters, including company law, SEBI regulations, FEMA, competition law, environmental law, corporate governance, insider trading regulations, and joint venture agreements. She also played a key role in assessing proposed legislation and representing industry concerns before government bodies and chambers of commerce.

Beyond her corporate career, Bharucha has been actively involved in philanthropy and urban conservation. She serves as trustee of several public charitable trusts focused on education, healthcare, and poverty alleviation. She is also a trustee of the O.V.A.L. Trust, which led the restoration and ongoing maintenance of Mumbai’s historic Oval Maidan and Cross Maidan recreation grounds.

Anuj Bhagwati

About

Anuj Bhagwati completed his B.S. in Engineering Physics with distinction in 1991 and his M.S. in Applied Physics in 1994 from Cornell University. He currently heads the A.T.E. Group, where he has strengthened the group’s legacy textile engineering business while advancing sustainable and green technologies. His focus on environmentally responsible innovation reflects his long-standing commitment to sustainability.

Bhagwati is also actively involved with several non-profit and civic organisations. He is Co-founder and Director of the A.T.E. Chandra Foundation, Trustee of the Urban Design Research Institute, Trustee of the Praja Foundation, Trustee of the K. J. Somaiya Trust, and Executive Committee Member of the Kala Ghoda Association. 

Anuj Bhagwati also served on the Advisory Council of Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning from 2012 to 2018. He has also been involved over the last decades with the Textile Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (TMMA), India, and was the Chairman for the years 2009-2011.

Nayana Kathpalia

About

A qualified librarian, Nayana Kathpalia worked for eight years in the field of urban renewal as a volunteer with INTACH in Delhi. After relocating to Mumbai in 1995, she became actively involved in several organisations dedicated to heritage conservation and urban renewal. She serves as a Trustee of the Urban Design Research Institute, the O.V.A.L. Trust, and the Oval Cooperage Residents Association (OCRA), and is associated with NAGAR, the Horniman Circle Garden Trust, and the Federation of Residents Trust (FORT). She is also an Executive Committee Member of INTACH Mumbai.

Kathpalia has co-authored and edited several publications and played a key role in preparing the UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination for the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, which was inscribed in 2018.

Naresh Fernandes

About

Naresh Fernandes is the editor of Scroll.in, a prominent digital news and culture platform known for its in-depth reporting and commentary. A journalist, author, and cultural historian, Fernandes has written extensively on Mumbai’s urban and social history. He is the author of City Adrift: A Short Biography of Bombay, which traces the transformation of Mumbai through its political and cultural shifts, and Taj Mahal Foxtrot: The Story of Bombay's Jazz Age, an acclaimed account of the city’s vibrant jazz scene and cosmopolitan culture in the mid-20th century.

Gautam Patel

About

Retired Justice Gautam Patel began his legal practice at the Bombay High Court in 1987, specialising in civil litigation and environmental public interest matters. Over the years, he contributed actively to the legal profession through the Bar Association, teaching at the Government Law College, and writing for newspapers and journals. He served as a Judge of the Bombay High Court from 2013 to 2024.

Justice Patel has delivered several notable public lectures, including the Charles Correa Memorial Lecture and the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy Annual Lecture. Beyond law, he is deeply interested in books, music, photography, cinema, technology, art, travel, and dogs, reflecting a wide-ranging engagement with culture and public life.

Jehangir Sorabjee

About

Dr. Jehangir Sorabjee is an Honorary Professor of Medicine and heads the Department of Medicine at the Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences. Alongside his medical career, he is an accomplished photographer whose acclaimed book Above Bombay (2006), featuring aerial photographs of Mumbai, has received wide recognition. Photographs from the series have been exhibited at prestigious international venues including the Venice Biennale, Tate Modern, and the Canary Islands Biennale. He also has a strong interest in the history of colonial Bombay and frequently speaks on the city’s history, heritage, and urban culture.

Anuradha Parmar

Executive Director

anuradha.parmar@udri.org

/anuradha-parmar-63a8912

About

Anuradha is an architect and urban planner and has worked for over 20 years on urban development projects in the US, UK and India. Her interest lies in urban regeneration, conservation and regional and environmental planning.

She has worked with local governments, public and private institutions, and the London Olympics Growth Boroughs to implement planning projects. Her work has included the implementation of urban regeneration schemes, stakeholder engagement, capacity building and fundraising.

Prior to the US, she practised as an architect in India. She has a Masters in Community and Regional Planning from UT, Austin and a B. Arch. from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi.

Ninad Sansare

Associate Director

ninad.sansare@udri.org

/ninad-sansare

About

Ninad Sansare is an urban planner and public policy researcher working at the intersection of spatial planning, urban governance, and citizen-centric urban development. His work focuses on translating complex urban policies into actionable strategies for governments, practitioners, and communities. At UDRI, he leads research and capacity-building initiatives on spatial planning and governance, working closely with policymakers, local governments, and citizens to promote informed and participatory urban development.

Ninad has authored reports and journal articles at national and international levels. He holds a Master’s in Urbanism (Spatial Planning) from Delft University of Technology, an MA in Public Administration, and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from University of Mumbai. Before joining UDRI, he worked as an Assistant Professor of Architecture and Planning at the University of Mumbai. With over six years of experience in the research and development sector, he has contributed to urban research, policy implementation, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement across a range of planning and governance initiatives.

Prerna Yadav

Associate Director

prerna.yadav@udri.org

/prernayadav1995

About

Prerna is an architect and urbanist with a keen interest in spatial planning, urban design, and public policy. She holds a Master’s in Urban Design from CEPT University and a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture. Over the years, she has worked with local governments and public and private institutions across architecture and urban development. Her experience includes projects such as the Central Vista redevelopment and the redevelopment of BDD Chawls.

At UDRI, Prerna leads research and engagement initiatives on public open spaces, urban design, and conservation. A goal-oriented professional, she enjoys critically engaging with real-world urban challenges and contributing to practical, people-centric solutions. Outside work, she enjoys reading and planning her next travel adventure.

Shveta Mathur

Project Lead

/shveta-mathur-250ab413

About

An architect and urban planner with over 20 years of experience, she has led a wide range of projects in inner-city and heritage precincts, addressing challenges related to housing, water and sanitation infrastructure, waste management, and ecological sustainability. Her work has involved close collaboration with communities living around protected heritage sites, ecologically sensitive zones, watersheds, urban green spaces, and natural drainage systems across India, Nepal, and Myanmar.

With expertise in participatory planning, community-led design, and policy development, she brings a holistic and inclusive approach to urban development. She is a visiting faculty member at School of Planning and Architecture and has collaborated on several international research programmes with leading universities, contributing to knowledge exchange and practice in sustainable and equitable urban development.

Aditya Sawant

Project Lead

/aditya-sawant-64951711

About

Aditya Sawant is an urban designer and planner whose practice is rooted in research on contemporary urban India and cities across the Global South. His work explores the intersections of urban form, housing, livelihoods, and planning systems, with a particular focus on the challenges faced by low-income communities in rapidly urbanising cities. He is interested in understanding how social, political, and economic forces shape the built environment and influence patterns of urban development.

Aditya’s research critically examines the role and agency of urban design and planning in addressing issues of equity, informality, and access within the current urban landscape. At UDRI, he leads research initiatives on housing and urban livelihoods, contributing to studies and policy discussions that aim to promote inclusive, people-centric, and sustainable urban development. Through his work, he seeks to bridge research, policy, and practice to better respond to the complexities of Indian cities.

Kshitij Misra

Senior Research Associate

kshitij.misra@udri.org

/kshitij-misra-9377b1147

About

Kshitij Misra is an Architect and Geospatial Analyst with a background in urban research and spatial analysis. His work spans environmental planning, urban systems, mapping, and data-driven spatial research. His experience includes projects related to housing redevelopment, historic water systems, settlement geomorphology, blue-green infrastructure, healthcare accessibility, and planetary science. He works at the intersection of geospatial technologies, spatial modelling, and interdisciplinary research to better understand complex urban and ecological systems.

At UDRI, Kshitij leads the GIS and data vertical and contributes to planning and research initiatives focused on housing and spatial planning. Through his work, he combines technical expertise with design thinking to support informed, resilient, and context-sensitive approaches to the built and natural environment. He holds a Master’s in Geoinformatics from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and a Bachelor’s in Architecture from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University.

Snigdha Gopalkrishnan

Research Associate

snigdha.gk@udri.org

/snigdha-gopalkrishnan-63084a1b4

About

Snigdha Gopalkrishnan is an architect and urban researcher with a keen interest in understanding the relationship between people, place, and the built environment. A graduate of the Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute of Architecture and Environmental Studies, her work explores context-sensitive design, urban research, and spatial analysis. At UDRI, she contributes to research initiatives that promote evidence-based and people-centred approaches to urban planning and design.

Afreen Shaikh

Librarian

afreen.shaikh@udri.org

About

Afreen has been associated with UDRI since 2012 and currently works as a Library Assistant, supporting the institute’s knowledge and research resources. She holds a BA in Sociology from University of Mumbai. Prior to joining UDRI, Afreen worked in the field of education with the Vedanta Foundation. With years of experience in academic and institutional support, she contributes to maintaining and facilitating access to UDRI’s research and learning resources.

Rupali Gaikwad

Finance Officer

rupali.gaikwad@udri.org

About

Rupali Gaikwad holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University of Mumbai. She has been associated with UDRI since 2012 and works as an Accountant, managing end-to-end financial operations and accounting functions for the institute. With over a decade of experience at UDRI, she plays a key role in ensuring smooth financial management and administrative coordination across the organisation.

Rani Gopal

Administrative Associate

rani.gopal@udri.org

About

Rani Ramdas Gopal holds an M.Com degree and has been associated with the Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI) since 2016 as an Administrative Associate. She manages a range of administrative and organisational responsibilities that support the institute’s day-to-day operations and ensure the smooth functioning of UDRI.

Vision & Mission

Our Journey

Trustees

Team

Partnerships

Annual Reports

Career at UDRI

Contact Us

All Research

Key Focus Areas

Publications

Library

Events

Login Mumbai

Cities are
systems
Not silos