<p>I seek to be considered for the position of Associate Professor of Urban Planning at <span class="whitespace-normal">NICMAR University</span>, motivated by a strong commitment to strengthening planning education that is analytically rigorous, industry-engaged, and socially grounded. With nearly nineteen years of combined experience across academia, research, and professional consultancy, I bring an integrated perspective that aligns closely with NICMAR&rsquo;s infrastructure-focused and practice-oriented mandate.&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="495" data-end="1031">Currently, I serve as Associate Professor at the School of Architecture, Urban Development &amp; Planning, Symbiosis Skills and Professional University, Pune, where I teach across B.Arch and M.Plan programs. My courses include Transportation Planning, Housing &amp; Community Planning, Climatology, Urban Design Studio, and Advanced Planning Techniques, alongside postgraduate thesis supervision. My pedagogy combines studio-based inquiry, live case engagement, and applied research to prepare students for professional and policy environments.</p>
<p data-start="1033" data-end="2058">I hold a PhD from IIT Kharagpur in Transportation Planning, where my research developed a user-perception-based framework for transit service delivery in developing contexts. My broader research interests include urban mobility, climate resilience, vulnerability assessment, wellness-oriented urbanism, and data-driven planning approaches. My recent research titled <em data-start="1399" data-end="1524">&ldquo;Reframing Festival Crowd Management from Risk Mitigation to Urban Wellbeing: An Exploratory Study of Kolkata&rsquo;s Durga Puja&rdquo;</em> won the Best Poster Award at the SPARC workshop on &ldquo;Data-Driven Climate Change and Resilient Infrastructure,&rdquo; organized by the Department of Civil Engineering at <span class="whitespace-normal">Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee</span> in February 2026. As a WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP), I integrate health-centric and sustainability principles into planning education and research. My publication record, funded research involvement, and interdisciplinary collaborations reflect a sustained commitment to scholarly growth and institutional research culture.</p>
<p data-start="2060" data-end="2614">Beyond teaching and research, I have actively contributed to institutional development, supporting program approval for M.Plan from ITPI, serving on Boards of Studies, coordinating examinations, and facilitating internships and placements. I have also participated as Co-Principal Investigator in funded projects and led consultancy assignments, drawing upon 9.5 years of prior industry experience in urban development, public transport reform, housing schemes, and city planning. This professional exposure enables me to bridge academic theory with implementation realities.</p>
<p data-start="2616" data-end="3014" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">At NICMAR University, I aim to contribute to curriculum enrichment, research expansion, consultancy engagement, and doctoral mentorship, while strengthening the interface between urban planning, infrastructure systems, and real estate development. I look forward to supporting the University&rsquo;s vision of cultivating planners who are analytically sound, ethically grounded, and implementation-ready.</p>