Faculty Seminar | ‘The Indian Metropolis: Deconstructing India’s Urban Spaces’

On 3rd May 2023, the faculty seminar will be by guest speaker, Shri. Feroze Varun Gandhi, who will be delivering a talk on his recently published book, ‘The Indian Metropolis: Deconstructing India’s Urban Spaces’.

About the Speaker: 

Shri. Feroze Varun Gandhi is a third-term Member of Parliament, representing the Pilibhit constituency in Uttar Pradesh. In his last book, ‘A Rural Manifesto: Realising India’s Future through her Villages’ (published in November 2018), Shri Gandhi presented an alternative approach to mainstream ideas of rural development, which despite their many achievements have certain inherent limitations. Shri Gandhi has published two volumes of poetry – ‘The Otherness of Self’ and ‘Stillness’ – that have been well received. He also writes widely in English as well as several regional language newspapers including The Hindu, The Economic Times, Amar Ujala, Lokmat, and Bartaman.

About the Book: 

For most urban Indians, the past few years have been unsettling—we have seen neighbourhoods locked down for months during a pandemic, increasing the daily challenges of earning a living as well as of access to good healthcare and education. Inflation has ravaged the land with spiralling prices of food, rent and transport. Our cities are hard to live in; lacking basic amenities, while being
unaesthetic and discordant with our civilization.

As economic growth takes priority, questions about liveability and meaningful employment arise, along with concerns about the deteriorating law and order. In blindly and poorly aping Western
models, our cities homogenize, losing their character, their identity and their soul. Meanwhile, climate change is no longer a mythical or distant possibility but a distinct and immediate reality. A typical city must now cope with extreme temperatures, both flooding and water shortages and abysmal air quality. These can no longer be treated as threats but as certainties to be planned for.

The Indian Metropolis seeks to begin a national conversation on these issues and suggests ways to turn our cities into enabling, energizing environments geared towards enhancing the daily life of the average city dweller.” (Source: Rupa Publications)