Alumni Feature | Chaitanya Bhat, Master’s in Public Policy ‘22

Chaitanya was born and raised in Thane, a part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and grew up in a bilingual and bicultural family. He firmly believes that it is this cultural diversity experienced at a young age that got him interested in working with people. Consequently, he applied for a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology, and Applied Nutrition, Mumbai. A lingering feeling of not being able to make a lasting impact in society drove him to pivot towards the public policy sphere right after graduation. Hence, he applied and prepared for the Civil Services Examination, which laid down a robust foundation for understanding the society we live in and the policies that shape it. With this knowledge in hand, Chaitanya chose to apply for the MPP programme at the National Law School of India University, so that he could more effectively explore this stream, particularly regarding urban policy, sustainability, and culture. After being admitted to the seventh cohort of the programme, Chaitanya has realised that learning happens not only in class but in equal parts outside the teaching environment. He firmly believes that working with his classmates has not only sharpened his skills but also drastically broadened his perspectives regarding the world at large. As a part of the course, Chaitanya did his client-led project with the Bengaluru-based eGovernments Foundation. There, he got to assist in research regarding the rollout of technology-based solutions for improving the quality of life in urban areas. Subsequently, he also worked as a research consultant with the Trayas Foundation, where he assisted in the translation and analysis of policy documents regarding school education. He has since also worked with the urban advocacy group, Janaagraha, where he has been engaged in research regarding urban governance and grassroots-level policymaking.

In college, Chaitanya has been actively involved in extracurricular activities, and currently serves as the Vice-Chairperson on the MPP Student Council, which has proved pivotal in shaping his communication and leadership skills. He is also a blog editor for the college’s policy blog, Lokniti, and is an active member of the college’s LGBTQIA+ collective and the NLSIU Nature Club. He has also excelled in competitions such as Cicero, the public policy event conducted by IIM-Indore, where his team was one of the national finalists. He still seeks to broaden his knowledge and perspectives and is keen on exploring further avenues for making our cities sustainable, inclusive, and vibrant. To that effect, he is now pursuing his masters-level dissertation on integrating ‘walkability’ as a focused strategy in improving Indian cities.