- This event is over. However, time travel possible through our Audio & Video! See upcoming events
Urban Legends
The Myths and Realities of City Governance
Speakers
As Indian cities rapidly expand, the challenges of governing urban spaces become ever more complex. This session will explore key aspects of India’s urbanisation—land management, infrastructure development, environmental sustainability, and the balance between policy and practice. It will delve into questions around power-sharing in urban governance, the role of cities in shaping societal and economic futures, and the pathways to creating livable, sustainable urban spaces for the next generation.
Dr. A Ravindra, former bureaucrat and author of Governing Urban India, will share insights from his decades of experience in managing urban growth, particularly in Karnataka. He will highlight the historical and present-day challenges in urban governance, drawing from his extensive work on urban land, infrastructure, finance, and environmental concerns. V Ravichandar, urban expert and self-proclaimed patron of lost causes, will bring his perspective on reforming governance structures and re-imagining Bengaluru’s governance model. The session will be moderated by Meera K from Citizen Matters. A Q&A with the audience will follow.
Speakers
A Ravindra
A Ravindra served as an IAS officer in various capacities in government before retiring as Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka at the end of 2002. Holds a PhD in Development Studies and has specialised in the urban sector including water management.
He was responsible for introducing several governance reforms such as rationalising property tax system through the Self Assessment Scheme and mobilising resources for urban infrastructure through municipal bonds. He was instrumental in initiating the Cauvery Water Supply Project (Stage IV) and the Metro Rail Project for Bangalore.
After retirement, Dr. Ravindra has served as Deputy Chairman, Karnataka State Planning Board and Sr. Visiting Fellow at IIM, Bangalore. Currently, he heads the Centre for Sustainable Development, a non-profit organization and The Institute for Social and Economic Change, a research organization in social sciences, Bangalore.
Dr Ravindra has published several papers and articles on urban and public policy issues. His books include Urban Land Policy, Dance of Democracy, a monograph on the Cauvery Water Dispute and more recently, Governing Urban India: Policy and Practice.
V Ravichandar
Ravichandar was former Hon. Director Bangalore International Centre and part of the core team that organises the Bangalore Literature Festival and the BLR Hubba annually. He is also the Hon. Consul Republic of Slovenia in Bangalore. He was co-chair of the Karnataka Tourism Vision Group during 2013-2016. Since 2000, he has been involved with pro bono initiatives with State and Central Governments on urban issues. Ravichandar assists multiple social and cultural initiatives in Bangalore and other cities, including evangelizing the idea of setting up new public spaces.
Meera K
Meera K is the co-founder of Citizen Matters, the award-winning civic media platform. She is passionate about cities, community media, urban issues, local governance, and civic tech.She also helped initiate Open City, an urban data platform. She is an Ashoka Fellow, recognised for her work building open knowledge platforms that allow citizens to collaborate and improve their cities. She is active in community improvement initiatives and volunteers with projects related to transport, lake rejuvenation, organic kitchen gardening and solid waste management. Meera is also the Managing Trustee of Oorvani Foundation.
