<p class="MsoNormal">I believe that planning education should strike a balance between rigorous conceptual understanding of urban and regional dynamics with hands-on, data-driven problem-solving skills. With 6 plus years of academic training in planning with a strong record, nearly three years of industry experience in consulting and program coordination, and four years as a researcher and teaching assistant, I bring a diverse and well-rounded skillset to the role of Assistant Professor in Urban Infrastructure, PPP &amp; Transport in NICMAR University. Currently, I am an Adjunct Faculty in Department of Planning, COEP Tech University Pune and also pursuing PhD in Department of Architecture and Regional Planning in Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. I pursued Bachelor of Planning and Master of Planning (Regional) from School of Planning and Architecture Delhi.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As an Adjunct Faculty in COEP TU, I have taught Metropolitan Planning, Landscape and Resource Management, Geoinformatics, and Participatory Planning for bachelor's and master's students. The subjects are closely aligned with urban infrastructure and public-private partnership frameworks. I also served as Studio Coordinator for M.Planning students and as Faculty Advisor for first-year undergraduates, along with contributing to academic administrative responsibilities. This rigorous experience helped me develop an interactive teaching style incorporating methods such as classroom projects, mind mapping, role-based debates, KBC-style quizzes etc. which received positive student feedback.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">My doctoral research focuses on the Accessibility and Facility Planning during Mega Cultural Events in an urban setting. The research adopts mixed-methods&nbsp;</span>approach, combining qualitative mapping through GIS tools and quantitative data analysis and modelling using statistical tools<span lang="EN-US">. During my tenure,&nbsp;</span>I have presented my work at five national and international conferences including ISOCARP conference in Siena, Italy, won a Best Paper Award in EATSA conference, and had the opportunity to connect and collaborate with professionals from these organizations. In parallel, served as Teaching Assistant in courses such as Regional Analysis and Planning, Design Studio&nbsp;<span lang="EN-US">where mentorship from some of the best professors shaped my dialogue-based pedagogy while facilitating a conducive environment for learning, aligning with the teaching philosophy in NICMAR.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Professionally, I&rsquo;ve worked as a Planning Consultant with JPS Associates, Delhi, and as a Program Coordinator with EQUATIONS, Bengaluru. Here, I worked on various projects, right from conceptualization to implementation including World Bank-funded initiatives, where I directly engaged with stakeholders, led field visits, facilitated focused group discussions, analyzed data, wrote project proposals and reports, and collaborated with partner firms. These experiences helped me understand the nuances of development challenges, stakeholder engagement and project management-&nbsp;</span>skills that are essential for&nbsp;<span lang="EN-US">urban planning students to make them industry-ready.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I bring a dual strength to this role, a solid grounding in development theory, planning principles, alongside practical expertise in surveys, data documentation, literature review, spatial analysis, statistical analysis and modelling using tools such as ArcGIS, SPSS, STATA, R and AMOS etc., and technical writing, while&nbsp;integrating contemporary tools like Overleaf and AI-assisted platforms to enhance academic efficiency and learning outcomes. I see this opportunity not just as a role, but as a natural continuation of my journey in planning education.&nbsp;<span lang="EN-US">I am confident that my extensive training, experience in teahcing and&nbsp;</span>research coupled with my experience in<span lang="EN-US">&nbsp;live planning projects would make me a valuable addition to the team.&nbsp;</span>I&rsquo;m a team player, always eager to learn, and enthusiastic about contributing to the academic environment at NICMAR University.</p>