Uniting the realms of practice and academia promises innovative collaborations and deeper insights into real world challenges. However, the trick often lies in transitioning from ‘why’ and ‘how’ to the vital ‘who’ that propels this convergence.
In India, more people are moving towards urban areas, especially the youth, who dream of better prospects as compared to their rural native lands.
This mass migration and quick urban influx raises a pertinent question: How do academic institutions play their role effectively? How should our young architects, urban planners, urban designers, civil engineers, and economists prepare to handle this urbanization boom? Are our students, the future planners, aware of the urban practices, good or bad, across the country?
It is here that government initiatives can stand to play a major role. For example, we have a visionary initiative spearheaded by the ministry of housing and urban affairs in hand with the National Institute of Urban Affairs. The trailblazing program – Smart Cities and Academia towards Action and Research (SAAR) – aims to address the pressing question of translating theory into practice.
The SAAR program, conceived during the pandemic, united fifteen prestigious architecture and planning institutes nationwide. Students and professors from these institutions visited project sites, engaged with stakeholders, and authored case studies. Their shared objective was to document seventy-five exemplary practices in the evolving smart cities discourse in India. Guided by their faculties and supported by various partners, these premier institutions enlisted young scholars on a mission to meticulously chronicle seventy-five innovative, multi-sectoral projects across the country.
This ambitious venture had three primary goals: Immersing students in urban challenges as a practical learning experience, igniting their passion to contribute to India’s urban development, and creating a repository of India-centric urban solutions.
The Smart Cities Mission enabled cities to experiment and address longstanding urban challenges. This led to innovative solutions such as Davanagere’s flood control, Tumakuru’s slum rehabilitation, Surat’s heritage fort restoration, and Indore’s value capture finance initiative. These case studies, authored by students, represent valuable knowledge that sets benchmarks for Indian cities and future urbanisation, underpinned by the prolific use of technology in urban management.
This initiative documented 75 projects across 47 cities nationwide, covering diverse areas like urban management, climate resilience, and infrastructure improvement. From Jammu’s vertical gardens to Nashik’s smart streetlights, Indore’s sustainable BIO-CNG fueling, and Gangtok’s pedestrian pathways, each innovation seen through the eyes of youth provides a fresh perspective and valuable insights. It has prompted the minister of housing and urban affairs, Mr Hardeep S Puri, to say “This compendium is a stellar example of the potential of the ‘demographic dividend’ that lies within India. It is imperative that we provide opportunities for our youth to engage with development processes and conceptualize solutions to India’s emergent problems.”
This collaboration between academia and practice produced ingenious interventions and is reshaping how we approach urban challenges. By deeply engaging the next generation with real world issues, it’s cultivating a new generation of urban leaders who can bridge visionary ideas with practical execution.
Under the SAAR initiative, over 75 case studies were compiled into three volumes, widely accessible in Indian college libraries and online. This initiative highlights that the synergy between academia and practice isn’t just an intersection; it’s a fertile ground for innovation. It underscores the importance of addressing the ‘who’ in the equation, forging a powerful alliance to drive comprehensive urban solutions. Ultimately, the journey from theory to action is what truly transforms our cities and the lives of their inhabitants.
So, as we reflect on our accomplishments, the path forward is clear. In the next step, all 100 smart cities have been tasked with collaborating with academic institutions to prepare three to 10 case studies each. With this, we hope city governments and academic institutions will further strengthen their partnership, working together in a more proactive and complementary manner. This evolution promises to bring more innovative solutions and sustainable progress in our urban landscapes, which is something every Indian aspires for.
Hitesh Vaidya is the director of the National Institute of Urban Affairs; Vikash Chandra is the team leader at the Smart Cities Mission; and Himani Verma is the coordinator of the youth unit at the National Institute of Urban Affairs. The views expressed are personal
