Navrachana University’s Prof. Pratyush Shankar appointed to Niti Aayog’s Expert Committee

Prof. Pratyush Shankar, Dean, School of Environmental Design and Architecture (SEDA), Navrachana University, Vadodara, has been invited to join as a member of the expert committee of NITI Aayog on "Architectural Framework for Hill Regions". The mandate of this committee is to frame policies, and guidelines for urban planning, design and architecture in Hill Regions of India.

Prof. Shankar has done significant research regarding the complexities and challenges posed to the practice of architecture in the hilly regions of the Himalayan Terai, southern Nepal, and Rajasthan. He has written a book titled "Himalayan Cities: Settlement Pattern, Public Places and Architecture" and is an internationally recognized expert on the subject matter. He has also taught a course on Himalayan Urbanism in University of Bonn, Germany.

Owing to their unique geographical setting, the hill regions of India (like Himalayas and Arravalis) are often in ecological sensitive zones, also prone to seismic activity. Such regions therefore need to have a very different criteria for town-planning, development of existing urban cities and their architecture. The methods that work in flat plains and sprawling cities cannot be applied in hilly regions. This expert committee of NITI Aayog will guide the government in framing unique policies and frameworks for the same.