Our Team

"One of the world’s leading experts on sustainable urbanization" − Karl Wilson, Sydney (2019)

Prof. Bharat Dahiya is an Extraordinary Professor at the School of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University (dubbed as the ‘Harvard of Africa‘), Stellenbosch, South Africa, and a Distinguished Professor at Urban Youth Academy, Seoul, Republic of Korea. He is also a Founding Board Member of the recently launched World Smart Cities Economic Development Commission under the World Business Angels Investment Forum, Miami, USA.

An award-winning urbanist, Prof. Dahiya combines cutting-edge research, policy analysis and advisory, and development practice aimed at examining and tackling socio-economic, cultural, environmental and governance issues in the global context of sustainable development

Prof. Dahiya holds a PhD in Urban Governance, Planning and Environment from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. He completed his M.A. in Geography from Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Master of Planning from School of Planning and Architecture, both based in New Delhi.

Since early−1990s, his research and professional work has focused on sustainable cities and urbanization, strategic urban planning and development, urban environment and infrastructure, urban resilience, and cultural heritage and landscapes. Working with the World Bank, UN−HABITAT, the Asian Development Bank, United Nations University − Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU−IAS), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), he initiated, led and contributed to international projects on sustainable urban development in a number of countries, and written a number of policy and strategy papers for international organisations.

At the World Bank headquarters (Washington DC), Prof. Dahiya conducted the first−ever systematic review of the Bank‘s investments for improving urban liveability, published as a co−authored book, Urban Environment and Infrastructure: Toward Livable Cities (2004). At UN−HABITAT Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Fukuoka, Japan), he conceptualized and coordinated the preparation of United Nations inaugural report on The State of Asian Cities 2010/11. More recently, he co−authored Partnering for Sustainable Development: Guidelines for Multi−stakeholder Partnerships to Implement the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific (UNU−IAS, Tokyo, and UN−ESCAP, Bangkok, 2018), and co−edited New Urban Agenda for Asia−Pacific: Governance for Sustainable and Inclusive Cities (Springer, Singapore, 2020).

In view of his vast professional experience, Prof. Dahiya has been invited to advise a number of professional, academic, private sector, and non-profit organisations around the world. To highlight a couple of institutions: He is a Member of the International Advisory Board for the UN-HABITAT‘s World Cities Report (Nairobi, Kenya), and a Member of the Advisory Group for Future Earth Urban Knowledge−Action Network (Montreal, Canada).

Since early−2014, Prof. Dahiya has been the Series Editor for the Springer book series, Advances in 21st Century Human Settlements, which has published 30 books under this theme, and the collection is growing. Given its academic merit, the book series was indexed by SCOPUS in December 2018.

He serves on the editorial boards of the Italy-based Geographies of the Anthropocene book series, and a number of journals: Environment and Urbanization ASIA; Chinese Journal of Population, Resources and Environment; Journal of Urban Culture Research; ICON: Journal of Archaeology and Culture; National Geographical Journal of India; and Jindal Journal of Public Policy.

During his doctorate research at the University of Cambridge, he was elected in 1997 as a Fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society−−Cambridge‘s oldest scientific society. In the same year, the Cambridge Commonwealth Trust admitted him to the status of Fellow of the Cambridge Commonwealth Society.

In November-December 2017, a full−page profile of Prof. Dahiya‘s professional career was published in the Hong Kong and USA editions of China Daily newspaper. His work has been quoted by Reuters, Inter Press Service, SciDev.Net, Nishi−Nippon, The Korean Economic Daily, China Daily, The Hindu, Deccan Herald, Bangkok Post, The Nation, UB [Ulaanbaatar] Post, The Sunday Times, and United Nation‘s Urban Gateway.

For his professional contributions to sustainable urban development in Mongolia, the Government of Mongolia awarded Prof. Dahiya with a Certificate of Honour, and the Municipal Government of Ulaanbaatar decorated him with a Medal of Honour.

At present, Prof. Dahiya is working on four edited and co−edited books − to be published by Springer, Singapore − for which he is leading and collaborating with scholars from various countries around. He is also the Lead Co-editor of a special issue of Switzerland-based Sustainability Q1 journal.

Online profiles:

University of Cambridge, UK | Bharat Dahiya, Sidney Sussex, 1996-2001
https://www.geog.cam.ac.uk/alumni/landmark/4/settlements.html

The city planner
https://www.chinadailyasia.com/articles/132/96/83/1511767345455.html

Urban specialist devotes his life to sustainable development
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/us/2017-12/03/content_35175429.htm

Dr. Subhan Khan is a Retired Chief-Scientist from CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), at New Delhi and a pioneer name in field of Geospatial Sciences in India. He was part of various initiatives in the field of Geo Spatial technologies at national level and worked jointly with Natural Resource Data Management Solutions (NRDMS) division currently known as National Geospatial Programme (NGP) of Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. Dr. Khan was born on 11th February 1954 in a Mewati village, namely Chharora in Haryana. He attained his school education till 1970 from different villages of his area, earlier came in Gurgaon district and college education, viz. pre-university from Kurukshetra University in 1971 and B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture in 1976, M.Sc. & Ph.D. (Rural Sociology) in 1978 & 1984, respectively from Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, all degrees with first divisions and fellowships. Dr Khan was the non official member of the first time constituted Mewat Development Board (MDB).

Dr. Khan‘s major research areas of interests in NISTADS were including rural & regional development studies; science, technology & society (STS) studies; resources assessment, planning, management & policies studies; decentralized planning and application studies related to geo-spatial technologies. Dr Khan‘s expertise is in examining natural resources and their interaction with human activity to generate information systems required in various decision - making processes using tools and techniques such as GIS, GPS, Internet and Remote Sensing. Dr Khan has received about 30 national & international trainings, as well.

For his work, during past two and half decades, he is conferred by more than 32 honors and awards by different agencies, besides publication of his bibliographic notes in biographical books. Recently he is conferred, ’Sir Syed Award 2012‘ at Aligarh.

Dr. Bondwal served as Former Head & Coordinator, Forest Informatics Division, Forest Research Institute (FRI), Dehradun. He also designated on central deputation in the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (Ministry of Environment and Forests (Government of India) on a DIGF/ Conservator level post. Currently, he is consultant on Forest Plus Project, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun and Consultant Climate Resilient Participatory Aforestation and Reforestation Project, IUCN Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Dr. Rajbir Singh Bondwal has completed his Ph.D from FRI Dehradun and have done specialized Diploma in Application of Remote Sensing & GIS in Forestry from Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun. He is a graduate in botany and zoology from Punjab University and completed his Diploma in Forestry (Equivalent to M.Sc. in Forestry) from State Forest Service College Dehradun. He got fellowship in Natural Resource Economics and Biodiversity from University of Wales, Bangor, UK and also did Graduate Course in Soil & Water Conservation and Agro forestry (ICAR).

His Special interest are harnessing maximum potential of the treasure of Remote Sensing data available to monitor ground realities and presenting various spatio-temporal scenarios in GIS domain, efficient management of spatial and tabular data in systematically designed MIS and GIS databases and analysis of the data to derive useful/actionable information and scientific knowledge.

Mr. Dahiya is a GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing Application Specialist with over 19 years of professional experience and serving Geo Solutions from last 16 years. He has postgraduate level education form GIS Institute, NOIDA and M.Sc. in Geography from Kurukshetra University, Haryana and currently pursuing Ph.D. His professional experience includes handling projects on Village Information System, Landuse/Landcover Mapping, Change Detection Analysis, Forest Areas Mapping, WebGIS, Municipal Service Applications, Surveying (DGPS/GPS/Total Station), Digital Image Processing, Revenue Land Demarcation & Digital Sajra Preparation, Base Map/ Key Plan Preparation, Solid Waste Management, Block Information System, Electric Utilities Projects etc.

Mr. Dahiya has worked on projects funded by national and international organizations including DST, Govt. of India, Media Lab Asia (USA) and World Health Organization (WHO). He has also worked as Project Leader (RS&GIS) with National Institute of Science Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS), New Delhi.

Mr. Dahiya has conducted various training programmes in field of Geospatial Technology as Principal Investigator (PI) sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, NRDMS Division, Govt. of India and has also organised various national and international conferences in the field of geo-spatial Technologies.

With more than 15 years of experience Mr. Kumar has expertise in Geospatial Technology, Capacity Building Programs, Demonstration, Project Management, Pre Sales, & Business Development. Mr. Kumar has served both Defense and Civil sectors, and played various roles in multiple organizations. Most of the projects on infrastructure and development have been handled by him. The leading nature and capacity of Mr. Kumar contribute well in organic growth of the organization.

Dr. Mamta is currently working on spatial data retrieval & related security- A new way to search and analyse the output from the growing numbers of digital spatial data. Building her research in Pattern Recognition, Data Science and Information Security focusing on multiple aspects. She has completed her Doctorate in Computer Science and Engineering from Deenbandhu Chotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal. She has done Masters in Technology in Computer Science & Engineering with Gold Medal. She has almost 18 years of experience including industry and academics. Her achievements include blending courses like Introduction to GIS Mapping from University of Toronto, AI for Everyone: Master the Basics from IBM, Teaching Character & Creating Positive Classrooms, form Relay Graduate School of Education, USA with distinction, Ignite Your Everyday Creativity, from the State University of New York, USA with distinction, Cluster Analysis in Data Mining, from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IIRS outreach program on Remote Sensing, GIS & GNSS offered by IIRS, NRSA, Govt. Of India, Process Mining: Data Science in Action from Eindhoven University of Technology, Switzerland etc.

She holds professional memberships of societies like IEEE, LMCSI, IJHEPS and LMSGSD. She has almost 60 research publications in various international, national journals of repute & conferences. She has four Indian & international patents. She chaired technical sessions in multiple conferences under the umbrella of Elsevier, IEEE, and TQP etc.