Rajiv Ranjan Mishra , an officer belonging to the Indian Administrative Service (1987 batch), worked as Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in the rank of Secretary to Government of India and spearheaded Namami Gange programme since 2018 till Dec 2021. He changed the discourse of this program developing it into an integrated multi sectoral initiative evolving a model framework for River Rejuvenation in India. Bringing several policy level changes momentum gained in mission led to completion of several projects. He has made pioneering effort for developing a framework for planning for river cities by main-streaming River & water into Urban Master Plans and developing River City Alliance.

He made valuable contribution in waste water management through introduction of Hybrid annuity mode of PPP, improving governance and promoting reuse. As Additional Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, he steered several policies in housing sector and spearheaded the enactment of the landmark Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016.

The book “Ganga: Reimagining Rejuvenating, Reconnecting” co-authored by him gives an unique account by a change maker, of the enormity of challenge, institutional processes and reforms which led to momentum and impact on river health and how it could be sustained.

He led NMCG to several international and national recognition including Public Agency of the Year Award by Global Water Intelligence, London. He has also been recently given prestigious Annual Research Award of IIT, Roorkee and Lifetime Achievement Award by Water Digest in partnership with UNESCO.
He continues to be a water champion and sustainability warrior even after his superannuation sharing his experience and advising institutions like National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and also associated with several other initiatives such as strengthening River Basin Management & Planning cycle, study of Riverine Islands, deltas, river & water heritage etc. Recently, under his guidance, NIUA came up with a publication ‘Traditional and indigenous Practices for Climate Resilience in India’ and a white paper ‘Ensuring Water security’ in Urban 20 (U20/G20) in July 2023.

He is committed to bring his expertise to the AIWASI Project as the Chair, Delhi Water Forum. His profound understanding of government mechanisms and grassroots-level engagement will catalyze efforts and activities under the Delhi Water Forum.

Utsav Choudhury currently leads the Building Accessible Safe Inclusive Indian Cities programme at the National Institute of Urban Affairs. Utsav is a trained Anthropologist from Delhi University, India with about a decades experience working on development sector initiatives. Mr. Choudhury has demonstrated experience of implementing and managing human centric projects, which includes various multilateral engagements with USAID, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bernard van Leer Foundation, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office of the UK Government and more recently with the United Nations in India. Utsav is skilled in Project management, Program Evaluation and Monitoring, Financial Monitoring, Statistical Data Analysis, Research Design, Management, and Data Collection.

Embarking on her professional journey as a Junior Research Specialist at NIUA, Shilpi is fueled by an insatiable curiosity and a passion for exploration in all her endeavors. Her current focus lies at the intersection of themes such as Water Sensitive Cities, Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM), and Urban Water Budgeting.

Satarupa is an enthusiastic urban development professional with over 5 years of experience driven by a passion for sustainability and planning. Fascinated by the dynamics of cities, their cultures, and complexities, she is committed to enhancing inclusivity and liveability. Beginning her career as an architect with various firms, she later transitioned into planning with Jabalpur Smart City. She made significant contributions in her experiences encompassing urban governance, tourism, water management, community participation, and area-based development. Notably, she has collaborated on urban planning projects with Srinagar Smart City and Municipal Corporation, focusing on pan-city and area-based development initiatives. Moreover, she played a key role in developing the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework-1 with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. She also spearheaded the creation of a WISE framework for the In-WARDs dashboard, facilitating ward-level evaluation of service delivery and SDG contributions, which was piloted in Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in collaboration with Pimpri Chinchwad Smart City. Leveraging her expertise in planning and architecture, Satarupa has effectively managed various responsibilities including research, data analysis, surveys, tool and framework development, strategy planning, implementation, proposal writing, team management, and financial oversight.

Her multidisciplinary experience in Architecture, Landscape Planning & Design, Inclusive Street Design, Public Engagement, Government Handholding & Capacity Building, Tactical Urbanism, Public Space Design, Urban Research, Participatory Practices, and Academia have allowed her to approach urban planning and design challenges with a system-based understanding for actionable outcomes. Over the past 7+ years, she has collaborated with multiple public and private offices, NGOs, and research organisations in Delhi-NCR. She has been an Architect, Program Coordinator at Raahgiri Foundation and Assistant Professor at University School of Architecture & Planning, Indraprastha University. Her post-graduate thesis has been about planning and designing city morphology for inclusive urban microclimates against heat stress, especially for outdoor workers and commuters. Currently, she is aiding the development of a technology-driven participatory approach to local governance for climate resilience in Indian cities, besides building capacities for implementing water-sensitive urban design in informal neighbourhoods and innovating methods of organising public capacity for climate action.

Yashwanth is a seasoned professional with over 7 years of rich experience in diverse areas such as sustainable urban and transportation planning, climate resilience, and community participation. His extensive background includes impactful collaborations with organizations like TERI, judicial bodies, central government, various state and local governments, where he has contributed significantly to the field. An alumnus of the School of Planning & Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, Yashwanth holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Urban Planning, showcasing his dedication to academic excellence in his field. Beyond his professional endeavors, Yashwanth is an avid traveler with a passion for exploring new places. In addition to his love for travel, he is an enthusiastic follower of cricket and stays abreast of the latest advancements in technology. His multifaceted interests and experiences contribute to a well-rounded and dynamic professional profile.

Ishleen Kaur is a Senior Environment Specialist with the Water and Environment Vertical, Climate Centre for Cities at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), currently working on Integrated Water Resource Management with a focus on urban rivers as well as shallow aquifer management in Indian cities. Her professional experience encompasses a range of policy domains, including water management in nearly 12 Indian cities, enhancing regional connections for Delhi, and contributing to flagship missions such as Housing For All and Smart Cities Mission. Over 9 years she has worked at the intersection of urban planning, environmental protection and social inclusion with projects like Master Plan for Delhi 2041, Child-friendly Smart Cities mainstreaming the needs of the most vulnerable into city planning and participatory policy implementation in the Himalayan region. She has earlier worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) and Delhi Development Authority. Her area of expertise includes urban river management, shallow aquifer management in cities, designing and formulating urban policies and programs, city master planning, city-level policy implementation to building strategic partnerships, capacity building and participatory approaches to planning.

Victor R. Shinde is the Head of the Climate Centre for Cities at the the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). He is a water management expert and has worked as a scientist and technical expert in nine countries in Asia and Africa: Bhutan, India, Japan, Mauritius, Philippines, Seychelles, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Over the last 17 years, he has worked in diverse domains of climate change and urban water management that includes flood risk assessment, urban river management; integrated water resources management; water security assessment; and climate change adaptation in water sector. He has carried out joint research and development projects with several international organizations such as APN, CTCN, DAAD, GIZ, GWP (Thai Chapter), IWMI, UNDP, UN Environment, USAID, US Army Corps of Engineers. At NIUA, he has led the development of several national level frameworks, tools, and advisories for climate change adaptation and urban water management in Indian cities. He also led the Water and Environment Chapters for the draft Master Plan for Delhi-2041. He has 50+ publications as journal articles, books chapters, conference papers, and knowledge products. Victor has a PhD in Urban Water Management from Kyoto University Japan, Masters in Water Engineering and Management from the Asian Institute of Technology Thailand, and Bachelors in Civil Engineering from Karnatak University India.