Addressing Equity through Planning and Placemaking: Age-Friendly Communities

International Day of Older Persons | The State of Cities – #CityConversations with Prof Ajith Kaliyath on Addressing Equity through Planning and Placemaking: Age-Friendly Communities.

On the occasion of the International Day for Older Persons, #IMPRI Center for Habitat, Urban and Regional Studies (CHURS), IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi invites you to a #WebPolicyTalk series:

The State of Cities – #CityConversations

Addressing Equity through Planning and Placemaking:
Age-Friendly Communities

Details of the #WebPolicyTalk:

Date: October 1, 2021
Time: 6:00 p.m. IST
Platform: Zoom and Facebook Live

Speaker:

Dr Ajith Kaliyath
Urban Chair Professor, Centre for Urban Governance, Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Thrissur

Prof. Dr. Ajith Kaliyath is the Urban Chair Professor at Kerala Institute of Local Administration, Kerala, India. He is an urban and regional planner by training. He holds a PhD from the School of Natural and Built Environment, Queen’s University Belfast, United Kingdom. 

Dr. Kaliyath is a recipient of the British Chevening Scholarship and Overseas Research Scholarship from the Government of UK. He has 22 years of professional experience which include technical, research and academic positions. In the past, he had served the State and Central Pollution Control Boards, Ministry of Environment and Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, German International Cooperation (GIZ), National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Government of India, School of Planning and Development, Sushant University and a few private sector organisations. 

Dr. Kaliyath had provided intellectual leaderships in the preparation of a Multi-dimensional Prosperity Index for the first 20 smart cities of India and Draft Social Infrastructure Strategy for Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority. Among his various professional roles, Dr. Kaliyath was also the Principal Investigator (India) UK-India ‘Smart Cities Network for Sustainable Urban Futures’ funded by Research Councils UK, Team Leader for Child Friendly Smart Cities and CapaCITIES Programme funded by Bernard van Leer Foundation and SDC India respectively. He was one of the Co-Investigator (India) of a joint research project with University of Glasgow on “Skills for Smart Cities: Role of Universities in India and Kyrgyzstan” funded by Scottish Funding Council. 

Dr. Kaliyath had formerly served the elected executive boards of the Young Academic of Association of European Schools of Planning and Oikos International based in St.Gallen, Switzerland. He is a founder member of the ‘Sustainable Chennai Forum’ established by Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chennai, India. Since 2015, Dr. Kaliyath had been the Regional Studies Association’s Ambassadors for India and led the process of launching the RSA India Division. In January 2020, RSA elected him as a ‘Fellow’ of the Society. 

Chair:

Dr Rumi Aijaz
Senior Fellow and Head, Urban Policy Research Initiative, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), New Delhi

Rumi Aijaz is Senior Fellow at ORF, where he is responsible for the conduct of the Urban Policy Research Initiative. He conceived and designed the programme in 2007. Since then, the programme has grown and gained recognition both in India and abroad.

Rumi’s effort has been to build a better understanding of urban issues and produce new and correct knowledge for managing urban growth. Collaborative studies on multifaceted challenges are being conducted and roundtable discussions on cross-cutting themes organised.

Leading publishers and the media have accepted his writings and views. The titles of his authored/edited books are: (1) India’s Urbanisation Experiences (2015); (2) Promoting Democracy for a Better and Peaceful World: Regional, National and Local Perspectives (ed., 2015); (3) Transportation Sector in India and EU: Problems, Prospects and Opportunities for Development (ed., 2014); (4) Global Urbanisation Experiences (ed., 2013); (5) Public Health Concerns and Reforms: Perceptions of the Civil Society (ed., 2013); and (6) Democracy and Urban Governance in India (2012).

His research articles published in Indian and foreign journals cover a wide range of topics. His recent publications include: (1) “India’s Smart Cities Mission: An Assessment” (2015); (2) “Social Marginalisation in Urban India and the Role of the State” (2015); (3) “Water for Indian Cities: Government Practices and Policy Concerns” (2010); (4) “Capacity Building of Municipal Functionaries for Good Governance in Uttarakhand, India” (2010); and (5) “Form of Urban Local Government in India” (2008).

Discussants:

Dr Anagha Tendulkar
Head & Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Sophia College for Women, Mumbai

Dr Anagha Tendulkar is Head of and an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Sophia College, Mumbai, where she is also Vice-Principal (Administration). She is a social researcher and social gerontologist.

Prof Ryan Woolrych
Professor, Ageing and Urban Studies; Director, The Urban Institute (TUI), Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

Ryan Woolrych is Professor in Ageing and Urban Studies and Director of The Urban Institute (TUI) at Heriot-Watt University. He has a track record of leading on large cross-national funding proposals in the area of age-friendly cities and communities, including PLACE-AGE exploring the place-based experiences of older adults across India, Brazil and the UK. Ryan is an expert in the delivery of participatory research, working alongside older adults as co-researchers, and in methods of coproduction. He has developed strong partnerships with international organisations, city councils, NGOs and older people’s advocacy groups aimed at delivering impact and interventions to support older people to age in the ‘right’ place. Ryan has published widely in the field of gerontology and has been a keynote speaker at a number of international conferences.