Kavita Wankhade

Associate Dean – School of Systems and Infrastructure
Head - Governance and Services | kavita dot wankhade at iihs dot co dot in
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EDUCATION:
2005    MSc, City Design and Social Sciences, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE),

             London, United Kingdom

2003    BArch, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi, Delhi NCR, India

Countries: India, United Kingdom
States: Bihar, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Cities: Bangalore, Gujarat, Katihar, Kanpur, Karur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, multiple villages in Orissa
Languages: English, Hindi, Marathi

Kavita Wankhade has worked as a researcher, educator, and practitioner in urban India for over 15 years, with training in the social sciences, urban design and architecture. The primary focus of her work has been enabling large-scale systemic transformations, by managing and working with diverse stakeholders, including state and city governments in India, private sector organisations, civil society actors, communities and development partners.

 

Kavita is the Project Director for the IIHS-led Tamil Nadu Urban Sanitation Support Programme (TNUSSP), one of the largest public SDG6 (clean water and sanitation) interventions in the world. TNUSSP delivers decentralised sanitation services to over 10 million people across multiple towns and cities in the state of Tamil Nadu. It will scale over the next three years to impact over 35 million people, across 600 towns. She is also the Project Director for the City Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) project in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, which is scaling inclusive sanitation, with a focus on urban poor, sanitation workers and gender integration.

 

As Associate Dean, she is building out the IIHS School of Systems and Infrastructure. As Head of the Practice Programme at IIHS, her role includes expanding and strengthening the Programme to fulfil IIHS’ commitment to the equitable, sustainable and efficient transformation of Indian settlements.

Teaching

  • Capacity Building Programmes on Urban Development (DoPT), Water and sanitation, Project-related training, IIHS
  • Capacity Building Sessions on Urbanisation in India (LBSNAA), Water and sanitation, Project-related training, IIHS
  • Project-based training, Water and sanitation, Project-related training, IIHS

 

Training

  • Infrastructure and Services, Water and sanitation, Urban Fellows Programme (UFP), IIHS
  • Exposure visits to Tamil Nadu, Water and sanitation, Urban Fellows Programme (UFP), IIHS
  • Other, Urban design and planning, Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD), IIHS

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Journal Articles

  • Devaraj, R., Raman, R. K., Wankhade, K., Narayan, D., Ramasamy, N., & Malladi, T. (2021). Planning fecal sludge management systems: Challenges observed in a small town in southern India. Journal of Environmental Management, 281, 111811.
  • Gautam, M., Wankhade, K., Sarangan, G., & Sudhakar, S. (2021). Framework for addressing occupational safety of de-sludging operators: A study in two Indian cities. Journal of Environmental Management, 289. 112243
  • Wankhade, K. (2015). Urban sanitation in India: Key Shifts in the National Policy Frame. Environment and Urbanization, 27(2), 1-18.
  • Anand, S., & Wankhade, K. (2014). Understanding Drivers of Urban Expansion: Exploratory Case Studies of Three Indian Cities. UGEC Viewpoints, 10, 26-30.
  • Wankhade, K., & Sudhira, H. (2012). Confronting the Challenges and Opportunities of Indian Urbanization: Insights from the 2011 India Uurban Conference. UGEC Viewpoints, 7, 28-30.

 

Books/Book Chapters

  • Anand, G., Wankhade, K., Raman, R. K., Deb, A., & Vishnu, M. J. (2016). Tracing Exclusions in Urban Water Supply and Sanitation. In India Exclusion Report 2015 (pp. 67-106). New Delhi: Yoda Press.
  • Wankhade, K. (2016). Operationalising SDG 6 in Urban India. In Urban policy dialogues: Operationalising SDGs. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. doi.org/10.24943/updsdg2016_6
  • Jana, A., Malladi, T., Anand, G., Wankhade, K., Vishnu, M.J., Raju, M. J. S., & Rao, P. (2015). Urban water supply and sanitation. In A. Revi (Ed.), Urban India 2015: Evidence. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Revi, A., Idicheria, C., Jain, G., Anand, G., Sudhira, H., Seddon, J., . . . Srinivasan, S. (2011). Urban India 2011: Evidence. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Wankhade, K., & Balakrishnan, K. (2010). Sustainable settlements design: innovation in curriculum. In F. Ceschin, C. Vezzoli, & J. Zhang (Eds.), Sustainability in Design: Now! Challenges and Opportunities for Design Research, Education and Practice in the XXI century (pp. 832-839). Sheffield, U.K.: Greenleaf Publishing.

 

Other Writing

  • Wankhade, K., Raghavan, S., Vjiendra, V., Abhilaasha, N., Sundar, S., Rodrigues, D. M., Mahji, A., Edwin, E., Athira, S., Roy, A.S., Lakshmi, K., & Mani, A. (2023). Water and sanitation glossary. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/WSG08.2023
  • Wankhade, K. (2023, May 28). Systemic shame surrounding menstruation is alive and thriving, everywhere. The News Minute. https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/systemic-shame-surrounding-menstruation-alive-and-thriving-everywhere-177751
  • Grafton, Q., Gupta, J., Revi, A., Mazzucato, M., Okonjo-Iewala, N., Rockström, J., Shanmugaratnam, T., Aki-Sawyerr, Y., Bárcena Ibarra, A., Cantrell, L., Espinosa, M. F., Ghosh, A., Ishii, N., Jintiach, J. C., Qui, B., Ramphele, M., Urrego, M. R., Serageldin, I., Damania, R., … Réalé, I. (2023). The what, why and how of the world water crisis: Global Commission on the Economics of Water phase 1 review and findings. https://doi.org/10.25911/GC7J-QM22
  • Wankhade, K., Nagarajan, A., & Sudhakar, S. (2023, February). The Women in Sanitation campaign: Celebrating women sanitation professionals. International Water Association. https://iwa-network.org/iusstory-tamil-nadu-3/
  • Eswaramurthy, S., Pai, R., Sethuraman, S., Balasubramani, S., Loyal, J., Nagarajan, A., Sinha, S., Ragavan, S., & Wankhade, K. (2022). Detailed commissioning and operation & maintenance (O&M) manual for fecal sludge treatment plants in Tamil Nadu. TNUSSP.
  • Wankhade, K. (2021, June 28). Occupational safety of sanitation workers is not just a technical problem. The Wire. https://thewire.in/rights/sanitation-workers-occupational-safety-ppe-kid-gumboot
  • Wankhade, K. (2021, March 08). Invisible sanitation, invisible women. The Wire.
  • Gautam, M., Wankhade, K., Mantri, M., Narayan, V., Naveen, G., Verma, U., Sudhakar, S., & Sarangan, G. (2019). Needs assessment study of occupational and health hazards faced by desludging workers in a city in India. TNUSSP. https://muzhusugadharam.co.in/needs-assessment-study-of-occupational-and-health-hazards-faced-by-desludging-workers/
  • Ravishankar, C., Kalyani, D., Anand, G., Wankhade, K., Raman, R., Shivaram, K. N. V., Sen, S., & Vishnu, M. J. (2016). Scoping exercise to support sustainable urban sanitation in Tamil Nadu: Exposure visit report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Ravishankar, C., Kalyani, D., Anand, G., Wankhade, K., Krishnagopal, Raman, R., Shivaram, K. N. V., Sen, S., & Vishnu, M. J. (2016). Scoping exercise to support sustainable urban sanitation in Tamil Nadu: Primary study report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Raman, R., Kalyani, D.,. Anand, G., Shivaram, K. N. V., Ravishankar, C., Wankhade, K., & Sen, S. (2015). Scoping exercise to support sustainable urban sanitation in Tamil Nadu: Secondary review report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • 2014 Urban Food Security (UKNA, work in progress)
  • 2014 Environmental Sustainability and Infrastructure (RF Paper)
  • 2014 Tankers in Bangalore: Regulation of Urban Water Supply in India (RF Case)
  • 2014 Ooty: Sustainable Urbanisation in Eco-sensitive Areas (RF Case)
  • Revi, A., Sen, S., Jain, G., Wankhade, K., & Anand, S. (2014). United Nations Development Programme: India urban poverty strategy (2013-17). Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/undpiups2013.2017
  • 2014 CDKN: Action Plan for Bangalore
  • Atkins. (2014). Future Proofing Indian Cities: Final Urban Diagnostic for Bangalore, January 2014. Surrey, U.K.: Atkins.
  • Wankhade, K., Balakrishnan, K., & Vishnu, M. J. (2014). Sustaining policy momentum: Urban water supply and sanitation in India (IIHS-RF paper on urban water and sanitation in India). Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/iihsrfpps6.2014
  • Wankhade, K., Anand, G., Vishnu, M. J., & Deb, A. (2013). MHT Katihar Karmika Project: Baseline report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Wankhade, K., Anand, G., Vishnu, M. J., & Deb, A. (2013). MHT Katihar Sanitation Project: Baseline report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • 2013 Draft Report: Policy Brief for Urban Sanitation in Bihar
  • Balakrishnan, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Goswami, A., Sundaresan, J., Sudhira, H. S., … Wankhade, K. (2013). The masters of urban practice: Curriculum framework version 5.0. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/mupv5.2013
  • 2012 Urban Shapes: Determinants of Urban Forms
  • Wankhade, K., & Anand G. (2012). JNNURM: An opportunity for sustainable urbanisation: secondary review analysis (IIHS working paper). Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https:// doi.org/10.24943/iihswps03.2012
  • Wankhade, K., Anand G., & Vishnu, M. J. (2012). JNNURM: An opportunity for sustainable urbanisation: Field study report (IIHS working paper). Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/iihswps02.2012
  • Wankhade, K. (2012). JNNURM: An Opportunity for Sustainable Urbanisation (IGC Working Paper C-35040-INC-1). London: International Growth Centre.
  • Wankhade, K., & Balakrishnan, K. (2011, November). Land, infrastructure and ecological sustainability in Indian cities. Paper presented at the India Urban Conference 2011: Evidence and experience, Infosys Training Centre, Mysore. https://doi.org/10.24943/9789351568377
  • 2011 Kengeri Site Analysis
  • Balakrishnan, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Goswami, A., Sundaresan, J., Revi, A., & Wankhade, K. (2010). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework version 4.0. New Delhi: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Balakrishnan, K., Goswami, A., & Revi, A. (2010). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework version 3.0. New Delhi: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/mupv3.2010
  • Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Goswami, A., & Revi, A. (2010). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework version 2.0. New Delhi: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., & Revi, A. (2009). Curriculum development: Mapping of Indian graduate degrees. New Delhi: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., & Revi, A. (2009). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework New Delhi: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/mup.curriframe.2009

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  • Wankhade, K., Abhilaasha, N., Roy, A. S., Arora, K., Najib, H., & Patil, N. (2023, 10-14 December). We speak too: Foregrounding the voices of sanitation workers in India (Poster presentation). IWA: Water and Development Congress & Exhibition: Water, sanitation, and climate resilience Keys to a water-wise future. University of Rwanda, Kigali.
  • Priscilla, S. L., Clara, D. M., Rani, A. J. C., Rajeswari, R., Chakraborti, N., Ambalavanan, L., Kannan, M., Sinha, A., & Wankhade, K. (2023). Wellbeing and occupational health and safety of sanitation workers in Trichy. Paper presented at the 7th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM7.
  • Yaseen, S. M., Vijendra, M., Sudhakar, S., Eswaramurthy, S., Govindaraj, S., K., Sakthi, B., Mohan, P., Raj, S., Ahmed, F., Jeevanraj, S., Athira, S., Ragavan, S., & Wankhade, K. (2023). Governance mechanisms for shared FSM services: Intricacies of implementation across local bodies in Tamil Nadu, India. Paper presented at the 7th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM7.
  • Sudhakar, S., Vijendra, M., & Wankhade, K. (2021, May 31 -June 4). Roles and responsibilities of public and private sector actors in FSM: Case study of Tamil Nadu. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Krishnamurthy, R., Wankhade, K., Sarangan, G., & Abhilaasha N. (2021, May 31 -June 4). Gender and social inclusion issues across sanitation chain in Tamil Nadu: Assessment and strategy development. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Priscilla, S., Wankhade, K., Rani, A. C., & Rajeswari. (2021, May 31 -June 4). Women managed community toilets–sustained service, combating COVID-19. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Vijendra, M., Sudhakar, S., Ramamoorthy, R., Wankhade, K., & Ganesan, O. L. V. (2021, May 31 -June 4). Governance mechanisms for a cluster-approach to FSM service delivery in Tamil Nadu, India. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Gautam, M., Mantri, M., Wankhade, K., & Sudhakar, S. (2021, May 31 -June 4). Feasibility of solutions to improve occupational safety of desludging workers. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Nagarajan, A., Eswaramurthy, S., Wankhade, K., Vignesh, M., & Rehel, S. (2021, May 31 -June 4). Positioning FSTPs as resource centres. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Wankhade, K., Raman, R., Ramesh, G., Ramasamy, N., Sudhakar, S., Vijendra, M., & Majhi, A. (2021, May 31 -June 4). A systematic approach to securing capital and O&M funds for scaling FSM. Paper presented at the 6th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, FSM6.
  • Kumar, S. G., Narayan, D., Ragavan, S., & Wankhade, K. (2021). Approach to scale-up co-treatment of fecal sludge in STPs- case study from Tamil Nadu, India. In 42nd WEDC international conference: Equitable and sustainable WASH services: Future challenges in a rapidly changing world. WEDC.
  • Wankhade, K., Nagarajan, A., Chakraborti, N., & Priscilla, S. (2021). Behaviour change communication approaches for FSM. In 42nd WEDC international conference: Equitable and sustainable WASH services: Future challenges in a rapidly changing world. WEDC.
  • Vijendra, M., Wankhade, K., Ramamoorthy, R., Sudhakar, S., & Majhi, A. (2021). Sustainable and equitable de-sludging services: A Tamil Nadu case study. In 42nd WEDC international conference: Equitable and sustainable WASH services: Future challenges in a rapidly changing world. WEDC.
  • Wankhade, K., Ragavan, S., & Vijendra, M. (2021). Sanitation programme design and set-up to scale FSM in Tamil Nadu. In 42nd WEDC international conference: Equitable and sustainable WASH services: Future challenges in a rapidly changing world. WEDC.
  • Gautam, M., Wankhade, K., Chakraborti, N., & Sudhakar, S. (2021). Ensuring occupational safety of de-sludging operators/sanitation workers using hierarchy of controls. In 42nd WEDC international conference: Equitable and sustainable WASH services: Future challenges in a rapidly changing world. WEDC.
  • Gautam, M., Mantri, M., Na, A., Wankhade, K., Ramamoorthy, R., Raman, R., & Sudhakar, S. (2019, February). Emptying and de-sludging practices: An occupational safety needs assessment study. Paper presented at the 5th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, AfricaSan5, FSM5, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • GaneshKumar, M., Wankhade, K., Raman, R., Devaraj, R., Rajkumar, S. D., & Sudhakar, S. (2019, February). Management information system for septage management for the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Paper presented at the 5th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, AfricaSan5, FSM5, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Ramesh, A., Wankhade, K., Ramasamy, N., Raman, R., Devraj, R., Somasundaram, L., & Malladi, T. (2019). GIS-linked MIS for effective FSM in two Town Panchayats in Tamil Nadu, India. Poster session presented at the 5th International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, AfricaSan5, FSM5, Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Raman, R., Wankhade, K., Rao, N., Raghunathan, N., & Kaul, V. (2017, February). Promoting safe on-site sanitation in urban Tamil Nadu: Case Study of Tiruchirappalli and Periyanaickenpalayam, India. Paper presented at the Fourth International Faecal Sludge Management Conference, Chennai.
  • Wankhade, K., & Anand, G. (2014, September). Sustainable Urban Water and Sanitation in India: Review of a National Programme. Paper presented at the 37th WEDC International Conference on the sustainable water and sanitation services for all in a fast changing world, WEDC- Water, Engineering and Development Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam.
  • 2014 Panel Discussion at NIAS
  • 2014 Seminar at DPU, UCL
  • Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS)
  • Ground Water Sanitation (GW-SAN) Nexus Programme
  • Research Support for MHT Sanitation Intervention in Katihar
  • India Urban Policy Support Partnership
  • New Localism and Community Spaces, Commission for Architecture and Built Environment, UK, UK
  • It’s our space: a guide for community groups working to improve public space, Commission for Architecture and Built Environment, UK, UK
  • Spaceshaper, Commission for Architecture and Built Environment, UK,UK
  • Training modules on various development and urban issues, Australian Habitat Studies, India,
  • Joint Monitoring Review of the Orissa Post Cyclone Reconstruction of Primary Schools Project., TARU Leading Edge, Orissa
  • Review of Cyclone Shelters, TARU Leading Edge, Orissa
  • Dual Purpose Cyclone Shelters-cum- Schools,TARU Leading Edge