<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">India&rsquo;s urban planning landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, shifting from a narrow focus on physical infrastructure to a more integrated, people‑centred approach to city development. National initiatives such as the <em>Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act</em>, the <em>Town and Country Planning Acts</em>, and the <em>Integrated Development of Small and Medium Towns programme</em> laid the early foundations for planned urban growth. More recent missions, including the <strong>Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission</strong> (JNNURM), the <strong>Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation</strong> (AMRUT), and the <strong>Smart Cities Mission</strong>, have pushed cities to modernise governance, improve service delivery, and embed sustainability, resilience, and liveability into planning practice. These efforts reflect a growing recognition that India&rsquo;s urban future depends on planners who can integrate land use, mobility, environment, housing, and public space into coherent, equitable, and climate‑responsive strategies.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My academic and professional journey has been shaped by this evolving context. Through my PhD research and experience in teaching, I gained firsthand insight into the persistent gaps in India&rsquo;s planning education. Despite the increasing complexity of urban challenges, from informal settlements and environmental degradation to spatial inequality and climate vulnerability, specialised training in areas such as <em>sustainable mobility</em>, <em>integrated land‑use planning</em>, <em>climate‑responsive design</em>, <em>resilience</em>, and <em>participatory governance</em> remains limited. Much of the existing curriculum is still confined to narrow disciplinary silos, leaving students without the interdisciplinary, practice‑oriented skills needed to address real‑world urban problems. This experience strengthened my resolve to contribute to capacity building in urban planning, particularly in transport planning, by mentoring students, developing context‑sensitive curricula, and fostering research that bridges data science, policy, and practice. My long‑term vision is to nurture professionals who can meaningfully advance India&rsquo;s Sustainable Development Goals, especially <strong>SDG 11</strong> (Sustainable Cities and Communities), <strong>SDG 9</strong> (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and <strong>SDG 13</strong> (Climate Action).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">This vision aligns closely with the mission of NICMAR. The University&rsquo;s commitment to promoting sustainability and producing industry‑ready professionals in the built environment resonates strongly with my focus on sustainable, people‑centred urban development. My expertise in transport planning, integrated urban systems, and interdisciplinary research directly supports the University&rsquo;s goal of preparing graduates who can respond to evolving societal and industry needs. The University&rsquo;s emphasis on enterprise, innovation, and applied learning complements my approach to teaching, which prioritises real‑world problem‑solving, data‑driven analysis, and policy relevance.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">NICMAR&rsquo;s emphasis on cultivating global opportunities for its students is an important point of alignment for me. My experience in working across diverse urban contexts in India and abroad has taught me the value of inclusive, participatory, and context‑sensitive planning, principles that enrich students&rsquo; learning and broaden their global outlook. I am committed to creating a supportive, collaborative learning environment that nurtures critical thinking, creativity, and professional confidence.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Finally, I am particularly drawn to the University&rsquo;s emphasis on excellence, inclusion, and collaboration, as these values mirror the foundations of my academic practice. I approach teaching, research, and mentorship through interdisciplinary engagement, meaningful community participation, and a steadfast commitment to equity, which I believe are essential for meaningful urban transformation.</p>