Sudeshna Mitra

Associate Dean – Academics | Senior Lead – Academics & Research | smitra at iihs dot ac dot in
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EDUCATION:
2013    PhD, City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States of America
2006    Master’s in City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States of America
1999    MPlan, Urban Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi NCR, India
1997    Bachelor’s in Physical Planning, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi, Delhi NCR, India

Countries: India, United States, United Kingdom, South Africa, France, Singapore, Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia
States: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Kerala
Cities: Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Bhuvaneshwar, Indore, Amravati, Shimla, Mussoorie
Languages: English, Bengali , Hindi

Sudeshna Mitra’s core research interest is in the political economy of land and real estate, in urban and regional economic transformations, infrastructure development and planning/governance. She has advised government bodies and funding agencies on questions of land, infrastructure, urban finance, and public and private negotiations that shape these terrains. Her practice and research projects have included work on sustainable and inclusive urban transitions, state-level land use/land management policies, grid/off-grid infrastructure systems, urban food systems, land-based financing, real estate financing, transit-oriented development, land and property records modernisation, etc.

 

She helped set up the Urban Fellows Programme at IIHS. She has been visiting faculty at Cornell University, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) Delhi, CEPT, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Xavier’s University, ESPI Paris, etc. She has served on the curriculum review boards of programmes at SPA Delhi. She serves as an external course moderator for the University of Western Cape, South Africa. She is on the editorial board of the Institute for African Alternatives’ New Agenda: South African Journal of Social and Economic Policy.

 

Sudeshna has a PhD from Cornell University. Her Bachelor’s in Physical Planning and Master’s in Urban Planning degrees are from SPA Delhi. Before joining academia, she worked in the private sector and advised state- and national-level government agencies on economic infrastructure projects, such as science parks, special economic zones, infrastructure corridors, airports and greenfield and brownfield townships in India and South Asia.

Teaching

  • Built Environment and Planning, Urban design and planning, Urban Fellows Programme (UFP), IIHS
  • Urban Economy, Land and real estate, Urban Fellows Programme (UFP), IIHS
  • Urban and Regional Economic Development, Economic development, Urban Fellows Programme (UFP), IIHS
  • Urban Finance, Land and real estate, Urban Fellows Programme (UFP), IIHS
  • Shaping Urban Futures, Land and real estate, Digital Blended Learning (DBL) course, IIHS

 

Training

  • Capacity Building Programme for Town Planning Officials of Maharashtra (YASHADA), Land, Urban Practitioners’ Programme (UPP), IIHS

Journal Articles

  • Living Off-Grid Food and Infrastructure Collaboration (LOGIC), Battersby, J., Brown-Luthango, M., Fuseini, I., Gulabani, H., Haysom, G., Jackson, B., Khandelwal, V., MacGregor, H., Mitra, S., Nisbett, N., Perera, I., Te Lintelo, D., Thorpe, J., & Toriro, P. (2023). Bringing together urban systems and food systems theory and research is overdue: Understanding the relationships between food and nutrition infrastructures along a continuum of contested and hybrid access. Agriculture and Human Values. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-023-10507-6
  • Mitra, S., (2018). Roads to new urban futures: Flexible territorialisation in peri-urban Kolkata and Hyderabad. Economic & Political Weekly, 53(49), 56-64.
  • Mitra, S., & Jha, D. (2016). Land Records Modernisation in India. The Administrator: Journal of LBSNAA, 57(2), 32-39.

 

Books/Book Chapters

  • Surie, A., Goswami, A., Arakali, A., Revi, A., Ravindranath, D., Bhan, G., Anand, G., Balakrishnan, K., Kapoor, N., Sami, N., Vasanth, P., Anand, S., Smitha, M. B., Viswanath, S., Baberwal, S., Mitra, S., Batikar, T., & John, V. (2023). Towards a new urban practice: The urban fellows programme 2016-2022. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/9788195847303
  • Mitra, S. (2023). Roads to new urban futures: Flexible territorialisation in Peri-urban Kolkata and Hyderabad. In A. Sood & L. Kennedy (Eds.), India’s greenfield urban future: The politics of land, planning and infrastructure (92-121). Orient BlackSwan.
  • Goswami, A., Jha, D., Das, D., Lushington, K., Yadav, M., Moun, R., Mitra, S., Panikar, V., & Bhatt, V., & Saini, V. (2021). Land records modernisation in India – II. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/LRMINDIAII.2021
  • Goswami, A., Mitra, S., Lushington, K., Jha, D., & Wangchuk, T. (2021). Land records modernisation: Karnataka. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/LRMKARNATAKA.2021
  • Mitra, S. (2018). A ‘peripheries’ view of planning failures in Kolkata and Hyderabad in India. In G. Bhan, S. Srinivas & V. Watson (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Planning in the Global South (pp. 79-90). New York: Routledge.
  • Mitra, S. (2017). Spatiality, Governance and Development Imaginations of SEZs in India. In S. Vidyarthi, S. Mathur, & S. Agarwal (Eds.), Understanding India’s New Approach to Spatial Planning and Development: A Salient Shift? (pp. 182-210). New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press.
  • Goswami, A., Jha, D., Lushington, K., Sasidharan, S., & Mitra, S., Sharma, A., & Das, D. (2017). Land records modernisation in India: An institutional, legal & policy review. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Goswami, A., Jha, D., Lushington, K., Sasidharan, S., Mitra, S., Sharma, A., & Das, D. (2017). Land records modernisation: Haryana report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Goswami, A., Jha, D., Lushington, K., Sasidharan, S., Mitra, S., Sharma, A., & Das, D. (2017). Land records modernisation: Himachal Pradesh report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Goswami, A., Jha, D., Lushington, K., Sasidharan, S., Mitra, S., Sharma, A., & Das, D. (2017). Land records modernisation: Gujarat report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Goswami, A., Jha, D., Lushington, K., Sasidharan, S., Mitra, S., Sharma, A., & Das, D. (2017). Land records modernisation: Bihar report: Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Mitra, S. (2015). Anchoring Transnational Flows: Hypermodern Spaces in the Global South. In F. Miraftab, & N. Kudva (Eds.), Cities of the Global South Reader (pp. 106-114). London: Routledge.
  • 2014 Co- author of the IIHS Karnataka Report for the Land Administration Project
  • 2014 Co- Author of Policy Briefs for Land Administration Projects

 

Other Writings

  • Peddibhotla, A., Mitra, S., & Khandelwal, V. (2023, August 30). Prioritising repair in India’s cities. India Development Review. https://idronline.org/article/urban/prioritising-repair-in-indias-cities/
  • Battersby, J., Brown-Luthango, M., Fuseini, I., Gulabani, H., Haysom, G., Jackson, B., Khandelwal, V., MacGregor, H., Mitra, S., Nisbett, N., Perera, I., Te Lintelo, D., Thorpe, J., & Toriro, P. (2023). Living off-grid food and infrastructure collaboration working paper 1: Concepts and assumptions. Institute of Development Studies. https://doi.org/10.19088/LOGIC.2023.001
  • Bazaz, A., Arakali, A., Revi, A., Bhan, G., Gulabani, H., Balakrishnan, K., Kapoor, N., Sami, N., Bhor, N., Pattela, O. N., Beleyur, P. R., Anand, S., Mitra, S., Bhatikar, T., John, V., Duque, J. C., Keith, M., Parnell, S., Tucker, A., & Govil, S. (2023). Maximising the benefits of India’s urban transformation: Local evidence synthesis report. PEAK Urban. https://www.peak-urban.org/India-Synthesis-Report
  • Mitra, S., & Pattela, O. N. (2022). Unpacking impact of real estate policies and regulations on inclusive housing development in India (Policy Brief). PEAK Urban. https://www.peak-urban.org/publications/unpacking-impact-real-estate-policies-and-regulations-inclusive-housing-development
  • Rao, P., Mitra, S., & Gulabani, H. (2022). Governance and timeliness: Leveraging land value capture in Indian metro rail projects (Policy Brief). PEAK Urban. https://www.peak-urban.org/publications/governance-and-timeliness-leveraging-land-value-capture-indian-metro-rail-projects
  • Revi, A., Ray, M., Mitra, S., Anand, S., Sami, N., & Malladi, T. (2020). Report to the XV finance commission on the potential of urbanisation to accelerate Post-COVID economic recovery. Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • 2014 Financial analysis to assess different land assembly options, for the Andhra Pradesh capital report
  • Mitra, S. (2013). Cities of Desire: Remaking Urban India for the Information Technology Sector (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
  • Mitra, S. (2007). Role of Technology Parks in Regional Economic Development: Case Study, India (Unpublished master’s thesis). Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
  • Robinson, K. L., Mitra, S., Elekwachi, E., Enahoro, D., Mutambatsere, E., & Panyatrong, N. (2005). Glory Foods. In Emerging Markets Case Studies Handbook (pp. 111-131). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University.
  • 2002 Note on Draft Information Technology Policy for Chattisgarh- Dept. of IT, Govt. of Chattisgarh
  • Contributing author for chapters on Housing, Retail and Industrial sectors in the CII- CB Richard Ellis South Asia Report, ‘Real Estate in India: Navigating a New Paradigm’ (2001)
  • 1999- 2004 Project reports for government, public sector, joint sector clients while working with CBRE South Asia
  • Mitra, S. (1997). Decision- making processes in public housing: Case study of DDA housing in Vasant Kunj (Unpublished bachelor’s thesis). School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi

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  • Khandelwal, V., Peddibhotla, A., Gulabani, H., & Mitra, S. (2023, 25 June – 1 July). Repair as infrastructure: Case of Bengaluru, India. Paper presented at the XX ISA World Congress of Sociology. Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre; International Sociological Association. https://www.isa-sociology.org/en/conferences/world-congress/melbourne-2023
  • Mitra, S., Khandelwal, V., & Gulabani, H. (2023, 25 June – 1 July). Unpacking adoption and adaptation in infrastructure assemblages: Case of Bengaluru, India. Paper presented at the XX ISA World Congress of Sociology. Melbourne Convention Exhibition Centre; International Sociological Association. https://www.isa-sociology.org/en/conferences/world-congress/melbourne-2023
  • Prakash, P., & Mitra, S. (2022). Shrinking public mandates of social infrastructure in the Delhi master plan: Planning regulations in changing land markets. In T. Maloutas., & P. Koutrolikou (Eds.), RC21 Conference Ordinary Cities in Exceptional Times (p. 106). Harokopeio University, Athens. https://az659834.vo.msecnd.net/eventsairwesteuprod/production-pcoconvin-public/c8fe34fbd5e8430b8a304b35ffb6a5bc
  • Mitra, S. (2017, Sep). Financialisation of Urban Governance and Urban Growth in India. Paper presented at the RC21 International Conference on Rethinking Urban Global Justice, University of Leeds, UK.
  • Mitra, S. (2017, Sep). Roads to New Urban Futures: State Strategies of Periurban Placemaking. Paper presented at the RC21 International Conference on Rethinking Urban Global Justice, University of Leeds, UK.
  • Mitra, S. (2017, Feb). Periurban Narratives of Land and Land Values. Paper presented at the York University workshop on Tracking Transformations in Agrarian- Urban Hinterlands of South Asia, Jawaharlal University, New Delhi, India
  • Mitra, S. (2017, Jan). Cities of Desire: Narratives of Land Transitions and Land Values in Kolkata and Hyderabad, Paper presented at the IGCS- IIT Chennai workshop, Chennai, India
  • Faculty, 3rd Annual Comparative Urban and Regional Research PhD Workshop organised at IIHS, Jan 2017
  • Mitra, S. (2016, July). Instructive instruments: land records modernisation in urban India. Paper presented at the RC21 International Conference on The Transgressive City: Comparative Perspectives on Governance and the Possibilities of  veryday Life in the Emerging Global City, El Colegio De México, Mexico.
  • Mitra, S. (2016, July). Periurban narratives of land value: from investments to compensation. Paper presented at the RC21 International Conference on The Transgressive City: Comparative Perspectives on Governance and the Possibilities of Everyday Life in the Emerging Global City, El Colegio De México, Mexico.
  • Mitra, S. (2016). Cities of Desire: Periurban Narratives of Land and Land Values. PUBLICS lecture at IIHS, Bengaluru
  • Mitra, S. (2015, June). Land Based Financing Approaches in India. Paper presented at the DPU- DFID Land Value Capture Workshop, UCL, London, Faculty, 2nd Annual Comparative Urban and Regional Research PhD Workshop organized at IIHS, July 2014
  • Urban Space and Real Estate in Financing Emergent ‘Worlding’ Practices in India: Annual Conference, American Association of Geographers, April 2013
  • Regional Competitiveness, Urban Land Markets and Speculation in South Asia: Annual Conference Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Nov 2012
  • Contested Desires: “Global City” Projects and Land Grabbing in Peri Urban Areas of India’s Metros: Global Land Grabbing II Conference at Cornell University Oct 2012
  • Ecological Sustainability and Regional Competitiveness: Peri- urban Land Markets in Kolkata, Hyderabad: Annual Conference, American Association of Geographers, Feb 2012
  • 2004 Organised CII- CBRE National Workshop on the Real Estate Sector

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  • (Re)thinking the Off Grid City
  • Bengaluru Metro Rail Project: Consultancy Assignment to Support Integrated and Sustainable Urban Development along Mass Rapid Transit Corridors in Bengaluru City
  • Chief Minister of Rajasthan’s Economic Transformation Advisory Council (CMRETAC) – Urban Transitions
  • KC Sivaramakrishnan Expert Committee for Identification of Capital for Andhra Pradesh (Set Up by Government of India)
  • Land Records Modernisation and e-Governance Initiatives
  • PEAK Urban: Metropolitan Development and Land Based Financing
  • Report to the XV Finance Commission: The Potential of Urbanisation to Accelerate Post-COVID Economic Recovery:
  • Study on the Spatial Distribution of Employment and Income Categories in Chennai Metropolitan Area
  • GiZ- TN State Government: State Land Use Policy for Tamil Nadu
  • BMRCL: Assessment of Co- Branding Potential for Namma Metro (Purple and Green Lines)