Gautam Bhan

Gautam Bhan serves as Senior Lead for Academics and Research and Associate Dean at the IIHS School of Human Development, where he brings extensive expertise in urban poverty, inequality, and housing policy. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley, an MA in Urban Studies from the University of Chicago, and a BA in Political Economy and Development Studies from Amherst College. His research focuses on urban poverty politics, planning theory, and social protection, with particular emphasis on housing rights and displacement in Delhi. As anchor for IIHS's role as National Resource Centre with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, he shapes national housing policy and practice. His influential publications include "In the Public's Interest: Evictions, Citizenship and Inequality in Contemporary Delhi" and co-editorship of "The Routledge Companion to Planning in the Global South." Beyond academia, he actively participates in urban social movements focusing on sexuality and housing rights, while regularly contributing to major Indian publications including Caravan, India Today, and The Times of India. His work combines scholarly research with practical policy advocacy, making him a leading voice in urban development and social justice in India