Gautam Bhan

Associate Professor

School of Human Development

gautam dot bhan at iihs dot co dot in

Gautam Bhan is an urbanist whose work focuses on urban inequality, social protection, housing, and urban and planning theory. At IIHS, he also leads work on urban welfare regimes, community mobilisation, social inequalities, and decent work.

His research began with work on evictions, inequality, and citizenship in New Delhi, and he is a part of the IIHS’ work on affordable housing policy and practice, having worked with housing rights movements across the country as well as state governments in Karnataka, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Odisha. He anchors the institution’s role as a National Resource Centre with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.

His newer work engages with regimes of urban welfare and social security, including work on urban health. At the School of Human Development, he is building research and practice on questions of the design and delivery of social protection entitlements within urban India with a focus on urban employment programmes and childcare. He has a deep and abiding interest in new urban and planning theory from the South.

He is the author of In the Public’s Interest: Evictions, Citizenship and Inequality in Contemporary Delhi (University of Georgia Press, 2017; Orient BlackSwan, 2017), co-author of Cities Rethought: A New Urban Disposition (Polity 2025; Westland 2025); co-editor of the Routledge Companion to Planning in the Global South (Routledge, 2018; Orient BlackSwan, 2019), co-author of Swept off the Map: Surviving Eviction and Resettlement in Delhi (Yoda Press, 2008), and co-editor of Because I have a Voice: Queer Politics in India (Yoda Press, 2006), in addition to numerous academic articles. He also writes frequently in public

Thematic areas

Economic Development, Health, Housing, Planning, Social Identity, Social Protection, Urban Inequality, Urban Theory

Education

2012 – PhD, City and Regional Planning, University of California, Berkeley, USA
2006 – MA, Urban Sociology, University of Chicago, USA
2002 – BA, Political Economy and Development, Amherst College, USA

Omkar Nadh, P., & Bhan, G. (2025). Leaving it to fate: Biopolitics in a low-income settlement in Bengaluru, India. In A. Bailey & K. Otsuki (Eds.), Inclusive cities and global urban transformation (pp. 165–170). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-7521-7_15
Bhan, G. (2022). The vulnerable foundations of India’s urbanism. In J. S. Thomas & Z. Caitlin (Eds.), The long year: A 2020 reader (pp. 399–408). Columbia University Press.
Bhan, G. (2020). Informality, housing and work: The view from Indian cities. In M. Chen, & F. Carré (Eds.), The informal economy revisited: Examining the past, envisioning the future (pp. 136–139). Routledge.
Sassen, S., Pieterse, E., Bhan, G., Hirsh, M., Falu, A., Ichikawa, H …, Tarchopulos, D. (2018). Cities and social progress. In the International Panel on Social Progress (Ed.), Rethinking society for the 21st century: Report of the International Panel on Social Progress (Vol. 1. Socio-economic Transformations) (pp. 187–224). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Bhan, G., Goswami, A., & Revi, A. (2018). The intent to reside: Residence in the auto-constructed city. In G. Bhan., S. Srinivas & V. Watson (Eds.), The Routledge companion to planning in the Global South (pp. 255–263). Oxon, UK: Routledge.
Bhan, G., Srinivas, S., & Watson, V. (2018). Introduction. In G. Bhan., S. Srinivas & V. Watson (Eds.), The Routledge companion to planning in the Global South (pp. 1–22). Oxon, UK: Routledge.
Bhan, G. (2018). Housing, common sense and urban policy in India. In A. Bhide & H. Burte (Eds.), Urban parallax policy and the city in contemporary India (pp.114–124). Yoda Press, New Delhi.
Bhan, G. (2017). The (in)dignity of our sexualities. In N. Razdhan. (Ed.), Left, right and centre: The idea of India (pp. 59–76). Gurgaon, Haryana: Penguin Viking.
Bhan, G., & Deb, A. (2017). Indispensable yet inaccessible: The paradoxes of adequate housing in urban India. In K. Kannabiran & A. Hans (Eds.), India social development report 2016: Disability rights perspectives (pp. 229–238). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Bhan, G., Deb, A., & Harish, S. (2016). Understanding inadequacy: The view from urban India. In Urban Policy Dialogues: Operationalising SDGs. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. doi.org/10.24943/updsdg2016_3
Jana, A., Malladi, T., Anand, S., Bhan, G., Koduganti, J., Raju, M. J. S., & Rao, P. (2015). Poverty, inequality and exclusion (pp. 55–78). In A. Revi (Ed.), Urban India 2015: Evidence. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/urbindia.2015_3
Jana, A., Malladi, T., Anand, G., Bhan, G., Harish, S., Raju, M. J. S., & Rao, P. (2015). Housing (pp. 79–91). In A. Revi (Ed.), Urban India 2015: Evidence. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. doi.org/10.24943/urbindia.2015_4
Bhan, G., Goswami, A., & Revi, A. (2014). The intent to reside: Spatial illegality, inclusive planning and urban social security. In O. P. Mathur (Ed.), Inclusive urban planning: State of the urban poor report 2013 (pp. 83–94). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Bhan, G., Anand, G., Arakali, A., Deb, A., & Harish, S. (2014). Urban housing and exclusion. In India Exclusion Report: 2013–14 (pp. 77–107). Bangalore: Books for Change.
Bhan, G. (2013). Urban political mobilization. In B. Stryker, O. Nagati & M. Mostafa (Eds.), Learning from Cairo (pp. 12–15). Cairo, Egypt: CLUSTER/American University of Cairo.
Bhan, G., & Panda, P. (2010). Revisiting India’s population policies. In A. K. S. Kumar, P. Panda & R. R. Ved (Eds.), Handbook of population and development (pp. 57–71). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
Bhan, G. (2005). Challenging the limits of the law, In A. Narrain & G. Bhan (eds.), Because I have a voice: Queer politics in India. Yoda Press: Delhi. 715–724

Bhan, G. (2024). Mapping as a collective and southern practice. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Article e12705. https://doi.org/10.1111/tran.12705
Bhan, G., Anand, S., Nagpal, S. & Khandelwal, V. (2024). Reimagining urban employment programmes. Economical and Political Weekly, 59(22). https://www.epw.in/journal/2024/22/commentary/reimagining-urban-employment-programmes.html
Sohane, N., & Bhan, G. (2023). Thinking spatially about home-based work and workhomes. Built Environment, 49(3), 355–369,
Bhan, G. (2023), Operationalising social protection: Reflections from urban India, Urban Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/00420980231186077
Bhan, G., Chakraborty, H., & Parushya. (2022). Spatialising urban vulnerability perspectives from COVID-19 food relief in Delhi. Economic and Political Weekly, 57(29), 7–8.
Sampat, K., Chowdhury, A. R., & Bhan, G. (2022). Recovery as resilience domestic work and workers in the aftermath of COVID-19. Economic & Political Weekly, 57(5), 34–39.
Chowdhury, A. R., Surie, A., & Bhan, G. (2021). Breastfeeding knowledge and practices of working mothers in the informal economy in New Delhi: A formative study to explore new intervention pathways towards improved maternal and child health outcomes. Social Science & Medicine, 281, Article 114070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114070
Bhan, G., Surie, A., Horwood, C., Dobson, R., Alfers, L., Portela, A., & Rollins, N. (2020). Informal work and maternal and child health: A blind spot in public health and research. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 98(3), 219–221. https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.19.231258
Bhan, G. (2019). Notes on a Southern urban practice. Environment & Urbanization, 31(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247818815792
Goswami A. & Bhan G., (2017). Land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement. Yojana, 61, 15–18.
Bhan, G. (2017). Where is citizenship? Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East, 37(3), 463–469. https://doi.org/10.1215/1089201x-4279176
Bhan, G. (2017). From the basti to the ‘house’: Socio-spatial readings of housing policy in India. Current Sociology, 65(4), 587–602. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392117697465
Bhan, G., & Jana, A. (2015). Reading spatial inequality in urban India. Economic & Political Weekly, 50(22), 49-54.
Bhan, G. (2015). My name is Suzette Jordan. JSTOR, 50(13), 26–27. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24481741
Bhan, G. (2014). Categorizing hierarchies. Seminar, 663, 18–22.
Bhan, G. (2014). Continuity amidst change: Learning from Rajiv Awas Yojana. Yojana, 58, 64–67.
Bhan, G. (2014). Moving from ‘giving back’ to engagement. Journal of Research Practice, 10(2), Article N14. Retrieved from http://jrp.icaap.org/index.php/jrp/article/view/406/370
Bhan, G. (2014). The impoverishment of poverty: Reflections on urban citizenship and inequality in contemporary Delhi. Environment and Urbanization,26(2), 547–560. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956247814542391
Bhan, G. (2014). The real lives of urban fantasies. Environment & Urbanization, 26(1), 232–235.
Bhan, G., & Shivanand, S. (2013). (Un)settling the city: Analysing displacement in Delhi 1990 to 2007. Economic & Political Weekly, 48(13), 54–61.
Bhan, G. (2013). Liberal education: The road not taken. Economic & Political Weekly, 48(21). Retrieved from http://www.epw.in/journal/2013/21/debating-du-web-exclusives/liberal-education-road-not-taken.html
Bhan, G. (2013). Planned illegalities: Housing and the ‘failure’ of planning in Delhi 1947–2010. Economic & Political Weekly, 48(24), 58–70.
Jana, A., & Bhan, G. (2013). Of slums or poverty: Notes of caution from Census 2011. Economic and Political Weekly, 48(18), 13–16.
Bhan, G. (2009). “This is no longer the city I once knew”: Evictions, the urban poor and the right to the city in millennial Delhi. Environment & Urbanization, 21(1), 127–142.
Bhan, G., Bhandari, N., Taneja, S., Mazumder, S., and Bahl, R. (2005). The effect of maternal education on gender bias in care-seeking for common childhood Illnesses. Social Science and Medicine, 60 (4), 715–724.

Bazaz, A., Arakali, A., Revi, A., Bhan, G., Gulabani, H., Balakrishnan, K., Kapoor, N., Sami, N., Bhor, N., Pattela, O. N., Beleyur, P. R., Anand, S., Mitra, S., Bhatikar, T., John, V., Duque, J. C., Keith, M., Parnell, S., Tucker, A., & Govil, S. (2023). Maximising the benefits of India’s urban transformation: Local evidence synthesis report. PEAK Urban. https://www.peak-urban.org/India-Synthesis-Report
Anand, S., Bhan, G., & Fooks, L. (2023). Influencing the social protection agenda in Rajasthan to support urban informal workers. PEAK Urban. https://www.peak-urban.org/publications/influencing-social-protection-agenda-rajasthan-support-urban-informal-workers
Bhan, G., Ravindranath, D., Rai Chouwdhury, A., Mehra, R., Sinha, D., Kiran, A., & Malladi, T. (2022). Reproducing a household: Recognizing and assessing paid and unpaid domestic work in urban India. International Labour Organization. https://doi.org/10.24943/RHRAPUDWUI11.2022
Bhan, G., Ravindranath, D., Rai Chouwdhury, A., Mehra, R., Sinha, D., Kiran, A., & Malladi, T. (2022). Deficits in decent work: Employer perspectives and practices on the quality of employment in domestic work in Urban India. International Labour Organization. https://doi.org/10.24943/DDWEPPQEDWUI11.2022
Bhan, G., Ravindranath, D., Rai Chouwdhury, A., Mehra, R., Sinha, D., Kiran, A., & Malladi, T. (2022). Employer practices and perceptions on paid domestic work: Recruitment, employment relationships, and social protection. International Labour Organization. https://doi.org/10.24943/EPPPDWRERSP11.2022
Bhan, G., D’Souza, P., Gajjar, H., Margosa, N., Mehra, R., Priya, K., & Rashmi, C. S. (2022). Lessons for social protection from the COVID-19 lockdowns (Report 2 of 2): Non-state actors. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/LSPCL07.2022
Bhan, G., Chowdhury, A. R., & Mehra, R. (2021). State of occupational safety and health practices at workplace for domestic workers in COVID-19 and possibilities for action. International Labour Organization. https://www.ilo.org/newdelhi/cwhatwedoc/publications/WCMS_813644/lang–en/index.htm
Chowdhury, A. R., Bhan, G., Sampat, K., & RMKU. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 and lockdowns on domestic workers: First report. Rajasthan Mahila Kamgar Union (RMKU); Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS).
Bhan, G., Chowdhury, A. R., Margosa, N., Sampat, K., & Sohane, N. (2020). Lessons for social protection from the COVID-19 lockdowns (Report 1 of 2): State relief. Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
Bhan, G., Chandola, T., Sampat, K., & Sohane, N. (2019). Building a home. Building a life: Incrementality and investment in resettlement colony. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/bcss.2019
Bhan, G., Surie, A., & Srivatsav, S. (2018). Urbanization and human development. In Karnataka Human Development Report 2015: Accelerating equitable human development. Bangalore: Planning, Programme Monitoring and Statistics Department, Government of Karnataka.
Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., Revi, R., Parikh, A., Goswami, A., Balakrishnan, K., Sundaresan, J. & Sudhira, H. S. (2013). The masters of urban practice: Curriculum framework. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/TMUPCF06.2013
Balakrishnan, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A.,B Goswami, A., Sundaresan, J., Sudhira, H. S., … Wankhade, K. (2013). The masters of urban practice: Curriculum framework, version 5.0. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/mupv5.2013
Balakrishnan, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Goswami, A., Sundaresan, J., Revi, A., & Wankhade, K. (2010). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework, Version 4.0. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Balakrishnan, K., Goswami, A., & Revi, A. (2010). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework version 3.0. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.. https://doi.org/10.24943/mupv3.2010
Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., & Revi, A. (2009). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/mup.curriframe.2009
Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., Parikh, A., Goswami, A., & Revi, A. (2009). The masters of urban practice: Draft curriculum framework, Version 2.0. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
Wankhade, K., Bhan, G., & Revi, A. (2009). Curriculum development: Mapping of Indian graduate degrees. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.

Spatialising climate impacts on health: A focus on vulnerable settlements in megacities of the global South
Delivering social protection to informal workers: Lessons learned from COVID-19 relief measures in India
Deficits in decent work: Examining paid and unpaid domestic work in urban homes
Chief Minister’s Rajasthan Economic Transformation Advisory Council (CMRETAC): Towards a different future of work: A framework for informal work and workers in urban Rajasthan
Livelihood and Nurturing Care (LiNC): Childcare and feeding practices among working women in the informal sector
Advisory support to the Odisha Liveable Habitats Mission
Housing Justice: A View from Indian Cities
Tacit Urban Research Network (TURN)
Programme on inclusive housing: Capacity building and training community organisers
Advisory support to Karnataka Affordable Housing Policy, 2016
Isn’t there enough land?: Spatial Inventories of Informal Settlements in Delhi
Member, Government of Delhi’s Emergency Hunger Committee, COVID-19 taskforce
Children in All Policies (CAP) 2030
Home as workplace: A spatial reading of work–homes
Caste and the urban: An interdisciplinary review
Rental housing for domestic workers
PEAK Urban: Urban health in the Indian metropolis: systems, intersections and emergent concerns
Assessing Urban employment programmes
Effects of social protection for women in informal work on maternal and child health outcomes: A systematic literature review
Planning, ‘violations’ and urban inclusion
Model zoning regulations for home-based work: A comparative analysis of four cities in the global South

Enabling India's urban transformation

Your guide to applying to IIHS (Institution Deemed to be) University

Educating the next generation of interdisciplinary urban practitioners, entrepreneurs and scholars

Urban transformation using interdisciplinary knowledge, learning and problem-solving

Sustainable learning, research, doing and living

Gautam Bhan

Thematic areas

Education

Countries

States and UTs in India

Cities in India

Languages

Quick Links

Schools

Programmes

Campus

© 2025 - Indian Institute for Human Settlements. All rights reserved

Enabling India's urban transformation

Your guide to applying to IIHS (Institution Deemed to be) University

Educating the next generation of interdisciplinary urban practitioners, entrepreneurs and scholars

Urban transformation using interdisciplinary knowledge, learning and problem-solving

Sustainable learning, research, doing and living

Gautam Bhan

Thematic areas

Education

Countries

States and UTs in India

Cities in India

Languages

Quick Links

Schools

Programmes

Campus

© 2025 - Indian Institute for Human Settlements. All rights reserved

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