Projects per year
Personal profile
Particulars
Urmi has an interdisciplinary background and scholarship in architecture, planning and housing studies, combining qualitative, quantitative and ethnographic methodologies. Her research focuses on urban development, poverty and inequality, contestations over access to land and housing in cities of global south. In particular, she is interested in how citizens articulate their rights to the city and the prospects for its implementation. Her recent research includes design and politics of public space and related spatial and social consequences, user perceptions of built environments in post-disaster contexts, aesthetics, equity and social justice in cities and designing for walkable communities. Urmi is currently working on a manuscript ‘Decoding Kathmandu’, and has edited several books, including “Trends and issues in housing in Asia: Coming of an age, Routledge City Series (2018) with A Shaw, ‘Housing India: Programmes, Policies and Governance’, London: Routledge (2024) with A Shaw and D Kundu, ‘The Politics of Urban land in South Asia: Current Challenges and New Direction’, Routledge (2025) with Kenneth B Neilson. She has published in a wide range of journals and co-edited Special issues. She sits on the International Editorial Board of the International Journal of Housing Policy and Urban India (National Institute of Urban Affairs, Ministry of Urban Development, India).
Urmi holds a PhD (Newcastle University), a MSc in Urban Planning (University of Hong Kong as an Asian Development Bank Fellow) and BArch (School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India). Urmi is a Reader and the Director of Education (Postgraduate Taught programmes) in the School of Natural and Built Environment (SNBE) since 2019. Previously, she also served as the Programme Director for MSc Urban and Rural Design.
Research Statement
Teaching
Module co-ordinator for:
EVP 2007 Site Layout and Design; EVP 7043 Planning for Sustainable communties; Supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate and PhD Students.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 7 Finished
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R3979NBE: Climate Change and Hidden Heritage: Lessons from Majuli
Kumar, M. S. (PI), Ell, P. S. (CoI), Lilley, K. (CoI), Megarry, W. (CoI), Morrow, R. (CoI), Mullan, D. (CoI), Padmanabhan, D. (CoI) & Sengupta, U. (CoI)
27/09/2017 → 31/03/2018
Project: Research
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R3874NBE: Transforming Heritage - An International Workshop for Enhancing UK-South Asia Networks
Kumar, M. S. (PI), Lilley, K. (CoI) & Sengupta, U. (CoI)
02/02/2017 → 31/07/2017
Project: Research
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R1655NBE: Post-Disaster Space: The Altered Architecture of Durbar Square, Kathmandu
Sengupta, U. (PI)
21/09/2016 → 31/01/2019
Project: Research
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R1593EVP: Healthy Urban Living and Ageing in Place: Physical Activity, Built Environment and Knowledge Exchange in Brazilian Cities
Ellis, G. (PI), Adlakha, D. (CoI), Hunter, R. (CoI), Kee, F. (CoI), Melo, S. (CoI), Murtagh, B. (CoI), Sengupta, U. (CoI) & Tully, M. (CoI)
05/01/2016 → 30/04/2019
Project: Research
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R2215EVP: Language of Disaster: Exploring The Altered Architectural Fabric of Durbar Square, Kathmandu
Sengupta, U. (PI)
21/08/2015 → 30/04/2019
Project: Research
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The New Frontier: A critical reflection on Land Pooling Policy (LPP) in Delhi
Sengupta, U. & Kumar, A., 18 Mar 2025, The Politics of Urban Land in South Asia: current Challenges and New directions. Routledge, p. 220-241 16 p.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
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The politics of urban land in South Asia: current challenges and new directions
Sengupta, U. (Editor) & Nielsen, K. B. (Editor), 18 Mar 2025, Routledge. 266 p.Research output: Book/Report › Edited book › peer-review
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Housing India: programmes, policies and governance
Sengupta, U. (Editor), Shaw, A. (Editor) & Kundu, D. (Editor), 15 Feb 2024, India: Routledge. 122 p.Research output: Book/Report › Edited book › peer-review
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Housing quality, affordability and the middle class in urban India: an international perspective
Sengupta, U., 04 Jan 2024, Urban dynamics, environment and health: an international perspective. Sinha, B. R. K. (ed.). Springer Singapore, p. 377-390Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
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Affordable Housing in India: Towards a Journey of Urban Transformation ( India Infrastructure Report)
Sengupta, U. & Kundu, D., 15 Nov 2023Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report
Prizes
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Awarded 'Best Dissertation Award-2000' By Hong Kong Institute of Town Planners (HKIP)
Sengupta, U. (Recipient), 2000
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Awarded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) Fellowship
Sengupta, U. (Recipient), 1998
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Awarded by Schumacher College for "Community, Sustainability and Globalisation"
Sengupta, U. (Recipient), Sept 2000
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Foundation of Urban and Regional Studies ( FURS PhD studentship) (2002-2005)
Sengupta, U. (Recipient), Sept 2002
Prize: Fellowship awarded competitively
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Activities
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International Journal of Urban and Regional Research (Journal)
Sengupta, U. (Peer reviewer)
30 Jun 2024Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Publication peer-review
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22nd NAERUS Conference: Thinking Urbanization from the Ground: Innovations in governance, policy, and placemaking in the Global South
Sengupta, U. (Presenter)
21 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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22nd NAERUS Conference: Thinking Urbanization from the Ground: Innovations in governance, policy, and placemaking in the Global South
Sengupta, U. (Member of the organising committee) & Silva, C. (Member of the organising committee)
20 Jun 2024 → 22 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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PhD Examination
Sengupta, U. (Examiner)
06 Jun 2024 → 07 Aug 2024Activity: Examination types › PhD external examination
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PhD External examination, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
Sengupta, U. (Examiner)
02 Jun 2024 → 07 Aug 2024Activity: Examination types › PhD external examination
Press/Media
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Opinion: How will COVID-19 impact Nepal’s earthquake-reconstruction efforts?
Sengupta, U. & Sharma, S.
22/05/2020
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Post-disaster rebuilding: Why Nepal is still rebuilding, half a decade after the earthquake
08/03/2020
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment
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Kathmandu locals are fighting ‘injustice’ to save their city’s heritage, years after deadly earthquake ( New Spotlight Magazine)
10/05/2019
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Other
Impacts
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The hindered self-help: Housing policies, politics and poverty in Kolkata, India
Sengupta, U. (Participant)
Impact: Public Policy Impact
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Transformation of urban space in post-conflict Kathmandu: A case of Tudikhel
Sengupta, U. (Participant)
Impact: Public Policy Impact