Biography
Prof. Amita Bhide is currently Professor, Centre for Urban Policy and Governance in the School of Habitat Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She has been deeply involved in issues related to urban poor communities, community organization and housing rights movements and advocacy groups. She has extensively researched urban development, urban local governance and planning, water and sanitation, housing and land issues. She has headed several action research projects that seek to create a model of inclusive development in Indian cities. She attempts to develop a theoretical and action model of urbanisation that is relevant for the global south through an engagement with several transformative groups at the city, provincial and national scales. The geographic focus of her work is Mumbai while more recent engagement is with small and medium towns. She also heads the Transforming M Ward Project, a Field Action Project that seeks to create a model of inclusive urban development in M East Ward, the poorest municipal ward in Mumbai.