Thesis Competition on Re-Imagining Urban Rivers, Season 2
2021
This concept note presents a comprehensive overview of the National Thesis Competition organized jointly by the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Conceptualized as an annual initiative, the competition serves as a strategic platform to engage, inspire, and sensitize emerging professionals—particularly students, researchers, and young practitioners—towards the importance of sustainable urban river management and its integration into broader urban development agendas.
Urban rivers across India are under increasing stress due to rapid urbanization, encroachment, pollution, and the impacts of climate change. Addressing these challenges requires innovative, research-backed, and interdisciplinary approaches. The competition encourages participants to develop thesis projects that propose creative, practical, and context-sensitive solutions for river rejuvenation, water-sensitive urban planning, and environmental sustainability. The aim is to foster a generation of professionals who understand the value of rivers as dynamic ecological and cultural assets within urban settings.
Thematic areas for the competition include but are not limited to:
- Integrated urban riverfront development
- Nature-based solutions for flood management
- Sustainable wastewater management
- Groundwater recharge and urban hydrology
- Community-based river conservation models
- Blue-green infrastructure and climate resilience
Through this platform, participants are not only invited to showcase their academic work but are also encouraged to contribute meaningfully to national discourse on urban water management. The competition bridges academic research with practical urban governance challenges, helping to generate actionable insights that may inform city-level strategies and national policy directions.
In addition to recognizing academic excellence, the competition promotes capacity building by providing mentorship, exposure to policymakers and practitioners, and opportunities for participants to present their work at national forums. Selected theses may also be published or integrated into knowledge platforms such as the River Cities Alliance (RCA) or the National Urban Learning Platform (NULP).
By fostering innovation, cross-sectoral learning, and collaboration among academic institutions, civil society, and urban authorities, this initiative aligns with larger national missions such as Namami Gange, AMRUT 2.0, and the Smart Cities Mission. Ultimately, the thesis competition aims to cultivate a new generation of urban professionals who are not only skilled but also deeply committed to building resilient, inclusive, and water-sensitive cities that coexist harmoniously with their natural river ecosystems.
