The National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), a premier think tank under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, marked 50 years of its work in supporting integrated and sustainable urban development at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The golden jubilee celebrations were organized under the theme 'Resilient Urban India @2047' and brought together over 1,000 participants, both online and offline, including national and international delegates, senior government officials, policymakers, urban practitioners, researchers, and development partners.
Dr P. K. Mishra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, attended as Chief Guest and emphasized that as cities face growing climate-related stresses, future urban development must focus on proactive planning, nature-based solutions, green infrastructure and sustainable systems. Shri Srinivas Katikithala, Secretary of MoHUA, noted that India's journey towards Viksit Bharat @2047 requires cities to be planned for resilience, sustainability and long-term adaptability.
The event featured the launch of several key publications and initiatives including 'Vision for a Resilient Urban India: Building Sustainable and Future-Ready Cities,' which outlines strategies for resilient urban development across planning, housing, construction, water and mobility. Another publication, 'Understanding the New Geography of India's Urbanisation: A Geospatial Approach,' presents a Modified DEGURBA framework to support improved settlement classification and urban governance. A commemorative publication, '50 Years of Shaping India's Urban Transformation,' documenting NIUA's five-decade contribution was also released.
The National Urban Learning Platform was launched as the urban arm of iGOT-Mission Karmayogi, marking a new phase in technical capacity building through an integrated hybrid learning framework and four new technical courses. The celebrations also included the convocation ceremony of the Urban Renaissance Tech Programme, recognizing 127 students who completed the programme aimed at strengthening technology-led urban governance and innovation.
Nine technical sessions covered critical aspects of urban resilience including urban governance and institutional mechanisms, climate-responsive urban planning and development, housing and construction technologies, livelihoods, circularity and resource systems, urban finance including PPPs and municipal bonds, urban mobility systems, industry and technology processes, and capacity building for urban local bodies. These sessions examined specific strategies for operationalizing climate-responsive planning, strengthening institutional capacity, improving coordination across government levels, and advancing integrated regional planning.
The event concluded with appreciation for NIUA's five decades of service to India's urban sector and its sustained contribution to research, policy support, capacity building, and implementation, reaffirming its continued role in supporting resilient, prosperous, inclusive and sustainable cities.