IMUCP 2024-25 India Blog

Team and project background

Walking in Colaba, the spirit of the city became even more palpable. Very close to our hotel, the iconic Taj Mahal Palace stood majestically, its grand dome and intricate architecture a reminder of Mumbai’s storied past and cosmopolitan present. It felt surreal to be within arm’s reach of a landmark so deeply woven into the city’s identity. Stray dogs and cats wandered freely alongside office-goers and tourists, all equally at home. Every corner revealed more contrasts: crumbling colonial facades shadowed by sleek high-rises, luxury boutiques across from bustling street markets.

Seeing the Gateway of India—a monument towering with history—felt surreal. Standing before it, we marveled at how many cultures had passed through this very spot. But it was at Marine Drive, watching the Arabian Sea crash against the seawall, that we felt Mumbai’s pull most deeply. Amid the crowds and rush, there was something grounding—a connection between the city’s relentless pace and moments of quiet reflection. This city, we realized, doesn’t just move; it moves you.

Upon arriving at the UTIF office, we had some time to network with each other, the UTIF team, the Social Alpha team, and the social entrepreneurs. After a long travel day (most of us arrived at our hotel around 4:00 am that same morning), this was a great opportunity to catch up with one another and learn more about the important work that UTIF and Social Alpha do.

After some introductions from the UTIF and Social Alpha teams, the Techtonic start-up presentations began. First, we heard from Kunjpreet Arora, the Co-Founder and CEO of Angirus. Kunjpreet and her team developed Wricks: damp-proof and lightweight bricks made from 100% recycled plastic waste and industrial waste.

The bricks industry in India is highly unsustainable, and is the second-largest source of air pollution. Angirus’ innovative solution provides not only a higher quality building material in comparison to traditional bricks, but also offers a net-positive for the environment.

We also heard from Shriti Pandey, the Co-Founder of Strawcture Eco. This start-up takes agricultural waste and manufactures it into strong, durable, and resilient AgriBioPanels, which can be used in a variety of construction applications, including ceilings, doors, furniture, and drywall.

The panels are light, carpenter friendly, and require zero water for manufacturing. 1 million square feet of this sustainable product has already been installed across India, with expansion imminent thanks to this program.

Hearing from Social Alpha and the 10 sustainable innovators was a truly meaningful experience. These presentations got us thinking about how our project can re-imagine public spaces in ways which have net-positives for the environment and which support local start-ups and innovations such as the ones we learned about.

The potential to integrate these kinds of solutions and products into an urban planning intervention would have pivotal and positive environmental, social, and economic impacts on the surrounding community, and fostering these relationships will be key to achieving well-rounded outcomes.

In the afternoon we embarked on a walking tour of the historic parts of Mumbai. Guided by a local expert Alisha Sadikot, who is trained in art history, we were able to learn about Mumbai’s relatively short but eventful history because it left behind numerous urban footprints on the city!

We were impressed to learn about how this ensemble of buildings perfectly encapsulates the different phases of Mumbai’s history. Alisha explained that the Indian Neo-Gothic architecture, on the eastern side of the Oval Maidan, were built first, to flaunt Mumbai as the centre of British power in India in the 19th century. This was notwithstanding the fact that they were not just built by local labour, but also mostly funded by the local businessmen. Meanwhile, the bubonic plague epidemic in the late 19th century, followed by the independence movement, produced the Art Deco urban landscape that seeks to embrace the modern world as an independent nation but yet adhering to colonial-imposed post-plague building codes and regulations.

The latter part of the tour brought us through the Fort precinct, the oldest part of colonial Mumbai. We traversed through the oldest neighbourhoods, where the residents have been living for generations, and which are still bustling with activity today. These neighbourhoods were also cramped because they were built before the building codes and regulations were imposed. We learnt from Alisha that this was part of the reason why the bubonic plague outbreak was deadly in Mumbai.

In conclusion, what struck us from the tour was the can-do attitude that Mumbaikars (residents of Mumbai) showed throughout history. The mosaic of urban landscapes that we saw was solely through the locals’ labour, trade and commerce, and wealth. This, we eventually realized, sets the tone for our India trip as we get to see ongoing manifestations of the can-do attitudes of Mumbaikars and Punekars (residents of Pune) in delivering strong community responses to improve their lives.

Welcome to our blog day!

First, meet the team: Hazim, Aditi, Shrishti, Sam, Harsh, and Hari — three students from Ashoka University and three at the University of Toronto, respectively. We’re excited to share our journey for our field visit in India as we dive into a hands-on project focused on a unique waste management model in Pune, led by SWaCH, a cooperative of waste pickers. Our mission is to create a guidebook that tells the story of these waste pickers and highlights the essential role they play in keeping Pune clean.

Waste pickers are oftentimes the invisible backbone of urban waste management, working to collect, sort, and recycle waste, contributing to a more sustainable and cleaner city. Despite their vital role, waste pickers face many challenges, from social stigma to lack of recognition. Through our guidebook and interactive map, we intend to shed light on their efforts and highlight SWaCH’s decentralised, community-driven model that empowers waste pickers to work with dignity and independence.

After a long day on October 25, we started the morning of the 26th with some free time to explore. We decided to take a lovely and leisurely walk through the vibrant streets of Mumbai’s Colaba district. Our first stop was the iconic Gateway of India, where we took in the view and indulged in a classic street snack: sour mango slices sprinkled with salt and chilli — tangy and spicy!

After the arrival of Ashoka Students from Delhi at noon, all teams met with their counterparts before heading for lunch. We then made our way to a restaurant by the name of Golden Star Thali where we were served regional dishes of India in a “thali”. In that Bombay weather, the restaurant did not only satiate our hunger, but was also the only place throughout the trip that provided an experience for us to encounter traditional dining. We were welcomed by the staff in a tightly managed space and joined seats to form shared tables.

A ton of banter later, our thalis arrived with a swarm of starters and mains coming in. It was an endless service of an experience afresh not only to UofT students. but also Ashoka Students as we indulged in food from Gujarat, Rajasthan, and other parts of India. It’s safe to say, a lot of us ate like philosophers at an all-you-can-eat buffet of wisdom. We questioned the meaning of life, debated the ethics of second servings, and discussed the true nature of spice. By the end, it wasn’t just our minds that were expanding but our circles and waistlines.

After lunch, we headed over to The Integral Space in Lower Parel, where we had an amazing bonding experience conducted by Prof. Aditi Mehta. We tried to chart out the story of how each of us ended up in that very moment – on a field visit to Mumbai, on this specific research project, with this specific group of people. We chatted & exchanged differently coloured sketch pens as we tried to put our lives into little cartoons drawn on chart paper. Everybody spoke of such interesting journeys of discovering their passion for urban studies through the places they were from, the hobbies they nurtured, and the cities they’d lived in. We were grouped into pairs with one student from Ashoka University & one from the University of Toronto, in which we explained our story to our partners, after which the partner presented our story to the class (and vice-versa)! It was wonderful to learn so much about each other, and after six weeks of online interactions, we left the afternoon a closely-knit group.

Later that day, some of us decided to explore the famous “Mumbai Local” train which fortunately was not filled up to the brim that evening due to it being a weekend. After a lot of research and Googling, we found ourselves at the famous Mumbai Central station. We took longer to find the ticket vending machine than we spent in that local train. But nevertheless, the experience was phenomenal and a core memory for some of us. We boarded the evening service of the Mumbai Local only to get off at the Churchgate station, which was the very next station. Soon we found ourselves at Churchgate, an endless building full of tracks that makes Mumbai feel like a giant puzzle, where the pieces are constantly moving and never quite fit. We wandered through the chaos, dodging commuters, avoiding pigeons, and pretending to look like we knew exactly what we were doing. An uber later, we spent some time by the Arabian sea, by the place called Marine Drive before heading back to the hotel.

From the view outside of our hotel to a group walk by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, the sights Mumbai offered us were engaging and enthralling, and the trip only grew in teaching us from here.

Our walk to the next stop at R&R housing was longer, and we passed through darker alleys between high rise residential buildings and ground-level convenience stores. The walk also enlightened us on daily life in the compound, with children playing, laundry hung, motorbikes and trolleys parked on the side, and residents gathering in front of convenience stores and purchasing home goods. Stray cats and dogs welcomed us on our walk, and we stopped next to a Chai store and a vacant bench. The older gentleman sat on the bench with his newspaper while our third speaker educated us on the housing conditions inside the highrise building we saw. Multiple families would reside within one apartment, with unsecured water and sanitary provisions. We also learned about the history of resettlement, which began in 2003. During our brief stop, locals joined our circle and listened.

As we took a break opposite a quieter spot near a hospital, the usual buzz of Mumbai slowed down a little. Some Mumbai local buses were parked nearby, and beneath a shady tree, locals were gathered, so we joined in for a bit of rest. Our next activity involved observing the nearby railway track, but before that, we split into groups of five, each group taking turns to visit the site and share what we observed.

While waiting, Kaitlyn and I struck up a friendly chat with two kids, Anushka and Raj, who were playing nearby. Anushka was shy about speaking English but surprised herself (and us!) by slipping in words like “school” and “Maggi” when we asked about her studies and favorite food. Raj, on the other hand, was confident in English and proudly told us he could count all the way up to a thousand—a skill he demonstrated with impressive accuracy!

When it was our turn to visit the track, we found ourselves walking along a narrow, barely single-person-wide path. On the left was a small sewage channel, while the right was lined with makeshift settlements and a wall. The railway track itself, unsupervised and open, serves as a shortcut for many locals, offering a risky but necessary way to save both time and money. Yet, the danger was evident; countless accidents have happened here, with people taking the risk to cross.

After our trackside observations, we wrapped up the day at a special spot: a nature-based community space created by BASS. This space, thoughtfully designed to address local issues like catcalling and harassment, includes a small mandir, turning it into a shared, safe area for the neighborhood. Here, we gathered to reflect on our experiences and share insights from the day’s walk, gaining a deeper understanding of YUVA’s community-driven structure and its impact.

As we concluded our visit, we ended with an all-smiling group photo—a fitting end to a day of eye-opening experiences, new friendships, and meaningful conversations.

Back onto the bus we got, beginning the several-hour drive to Pune. On the way, we stopped at McDonald’s for lunch—trying various menu options such as the McVeggie burger and Pizza McPuff. The journey took us through Lonavala-Khandala, which acted as a hill station during British colonial rule. As we passed trucks struggling to make it up the hill, villas could be seen dotting the lush mountaintops, with steep cliffs and waterfalls lying below the climbing road. Many of us curled up on the bus for a much-needed nap before we arrived at our hotel in Pune. Three busy days of exploring the three projects students are working on awaited, and we were happy to have got some shut-eye. New roommates at the hotel provided a wonderful opportunity for students from both universities to connect with one another, before enjoying the hotel dinner and heading to bed.

The next day we visited YUTAK, an organization dedicated to supporting marginalized communities. During our visit to the NGO, we had the opportunity to speak with Anil, the founder, and renowned transgender rights activist Sonali Dalvi, along with other proud members of the LGBTQ+ community. This visit proved to be an eye-opening experience, shedding light on critical issues affecting the transgender and queer communities in India.

One of the key takeaways from our discussions was the understanding that criminalizing homosexuality and transgender identities was a legacy of colonial laws. Before British rule, transgender individuals and same-sex relationships were an integral part of Indian society, acknowledged and accepted in various cultural contexts. The imposition of colonial laws not only criminalized these identities but also created a deep-seated stigma that trickled down the social and legal systems. This institutionalized discrimination continues to affect the community, even after landmark judgments such as the decriminalization of Section 377 and the recognition of transgender rights.

However, as activists emphasized, legal victories alone are not enough. Societal change is essential for real acceptance and equality. The stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ individuals and the rigid gender binary still persists, despite legal strides. Activists also pointed out how some people often seek historical proof of queerness or transgender existence, trying to find validation in history. While understanding the history of these communities is important, it doesn’t change the fundamental truth that every human being deserves love, respect, and dignity—regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation.

The transgender and queer communities have long been deprived of these basic human rights simply because they don’t conform to stereotypical ideas of masculinity and femininity. This raises an important question: Why are we so threatened by individuals who do not fit these rigid roles? Why does society feel the need to exclude or stigmatize those who don’t conform? The visit underscored the need for introspection. As a society, we must ask ourselves what right we have to deny anyone the fundamental rights to love, dignity, and respect. The fight for true equality is not just legal—it is cultural and deeply human.

Some other pressing issues highlighted during the visit included the lack of support for young transgender individuals who do not have access to NGOs or other support services, particularly those under the age of 18. This age barrier limits their access to critical resources and guidance. Additionally, many individuals, especially those in rural areas, lack access to social media or awareness platforms that could offer vital information on transgender rights and services. Another challenge is the digital literacy required to avail essential documents like the transgender certificate— a process that remains inaccessible to many who are not well-versed in navigating online systems. These gaps highlight the urgent need for more inclusive, accessible support systems and greater digital outreach.

After our interaction with YUTAK, we had lunch at a local Indo-Chinese restaurant—Uncle’s Chinese—in Koregaon Park, where we enjoyed a savory spicy meal before boarding our bus to the vicinity of Shaniwar Wada. From there, we walked a bit to reach the historical landmark. Soon, we were joined by our tour guide and his team, who shared fascinating insights into the history of Shaniwar Wada and its significance in Maratha heritage.

Our guide explained that the Maratha Empire, started by Shivaji Maharaj in the 1600s, grew into one of the most powerful forces in India, especially with the Peshwas—equivalent to the empire’s prime ministers—leading the way. The Peshwas weren’t just advisors; they became the ones really running the show, expanding Maratha influence across the country and even taking on the Mughal Empire.

He told us that Shaniwar Wada, built by Bajirao I in 1732, was where the Peshwas lived and worked, making it the center of their power. Even though a huge fire in 1828 destroyed a lot of the original fort, the big gates and old stone walls that remain still give a glimpse of how grand it must have been back then. Hearing all this, it was easy to picture how alive and bustling this place must have once been.

As we continued, the guide shared Shaniwar Wada’s darker tales, especially its reputation as one of India’s haunted sites. Locals say that on full moon nights, people hear the eerie cry, “Kaka Mala Vachava” (“Uncle, save me”), which is thought to be the spirit of young Narayanrao Peshwa, who was tragically assassinated here due to family intrigue. This chilling story added an unexpected, haunting depth to our visit.

Overall, Shaniwar Wada felt like more than just a historical site—it was an experience, a place where history, legend, and even a bit of Bollywood magic come together. Standing there, it was easy to imagine the vibrant past of the Marathas alive within its walls.

After our tour at Shaniwar Wada, our group decided to pay a visit to the MIST LGBTQ+ Foundation in Pune. We took an Uber to Stories Cafe which is run by the Foundation, and had the opportunity to speak with the Founding Director of MIST, Shyam Konnur. We had a lovely conversation about the work they are doing to support the LGBTQ+ community in Pune in light of mass housing, employment, and political discrimination.

The MIST LGBTQ+ Foundation currently receives U.S. funding, however, they had started before that, to address the lack of safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in Pune. While they are not a registered NGO, they have been active since 2009. They run Stories Cafe and organize safe and accessible events for the queer community, while also running a business called QueerBazaar, selling merchandise like stickers, t-shirts, bags, and more, in order to generate revenue to fund free services they provide the LGBTQ+ community in Pune. One example of this is free mental health counseling, which they started during the COVID-19 as a result of the isolation many queer people, especially those in unsafe home environments, were experiencing. They also started a trans health insurance policy helping trans people access gender affirming care and general healthcare as well. In light of housing discrimination, the organization even helps arrange temporary housing for people who need it, seeing if friends and community members have a spare bed.

While we were here, we had a chance to look around Stories Cafe and even the QueerBazaar office and manufacturing space. The cafe was a welcoming place, with pop music playing on a TV behind us and the smell of delicious food just over the counter. We talked for over an hour about the organization, the queer community and experience in Pune, and everything in between. Though we were foreigners, we were accepted almost instantly. Surrounded by South Asian culture, from the Maggi on their menu to the friendly faces of the staff, it was the best way to wrap up our day in Pune.

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Reflections

Aanya

A major takeaway for my team and I from this visit was that people are living and breathing multiple different realities, emotions and experiences. And one may never be able to fully understand the other and that’s okay. Socially beneficial behavior doesn’t require full agreement with someone else’s ideologies  or way of living, it comes down to the very basics of just coexisting together with love and respect irrespective of all else.While it is important to understand situations from a historical, academic and legal lens, the crux of solving today’s societal issues today lies in just being empathetic and realizing there’s enough space for everyone and we’re better together. 

Something for each of us to reflect on is how much privilege or lack thereof comes to you immediately based on just the body parts and genitals you’re born with.

Afsaar

Overall, days 4 and 5 were inspiring. Each story had a voice that revealed something deeper about the people and their experiences. They left me with memories of friendship, resilience, and shared purpose.

Finn

A memorable moment from day five happened at the end of the YUTAK talk, when the folks we had been asking questions had the opportunity to ask in return. Although only for a few short minutes, speaking ‘queer-to-queer’ was a gift. On both sides, emotions surged and people were giddy with the opportunity to connect, learn, and exchange thoughts—The work we did on day five irrevocably altered our approach to the project. It feels like there is just so much more to share. 

Gayathri

The fourth and fifth days of our field visit really shaped my understanding and perspective of the South Asian queer experience. The bulk of my prior knowledge on the LGBTQ+ community was acquired through exposure to narratives and knowledge originating from the Global North. Listening to first-hand accounts from queer representatives from organizations like YUTAK and MIST, as well as my overall experience during the India field visit opened my eyes to the lived experiences of queer people living in India, exposing me to a form of knowledge that we seldom see or talk about in academic settings. These narratives are so valuable not just to this project, but my overall education about the LGBTQ+ community and their experiences.

Kaitlyn

27th and 28th marks us evolving from tourists to researchers. It goes beyond words to describe my gratitude for speakers and experiences made by YUVA and YUTAK. My highlight was chatting with Anushka in the Lallubhai Compound, viewing the colony from a schoolchild perspective, and answering questions raised by speakers in the YUTAK discussions about Canada, and Hong Kong’s queer realities.

Shrradaa

Overall, days 4 and 5 left a deep impact on me. Meeting resilient people and listening to their stories made me appreciate the importance of community and solidarity, a privilege I don’t take for granted. It reminded me how I can contribute by fostering respect and empathy.

We met Vidya Tai, a proud and committed waste picker, as she was busy wheeling her cart over to start the morning waste collection from houses in the locality. Vidya Tai explained how she starts as early as 8:30 in the morning on this particular route and walked us through her process: segregating the waste as she calls for the community to bring their waste for her to collect.

After the walking tour, the Ashoka University and the University of Toronto students stopped for lunch at Yumma Swami. There, the group cooled down and rested a bit as everyone shared plates and drinks of authentic Indian cuisine, a cool glass of fresh mint drinks being a fan-favourite. Once we finished our meal, our bus headed off as we were invited to the SWaCH office. There, we watched a documentary that outlined the path of India’s largest wholly-owned waste picker cooperative. Additionally, the short spoke about the struggles and its successes, mainly the stories of real waste pickers and their role as not only waste handlers, but also green energy providers. Watching the video inside the office offered us a discussion about respect, despite the stigma, waste-picking and waste pickers deserve. As waste collection and waste segregation are crucial to keep cities clean.

Once the group discussion was done, the SWaCH team students sat down alongside Prof. Aditi and Prof. David with Amogh and Mukta, another Outreach and Communication Executive. We had a conversation about our roles and responsibilities going forward. Namely, we will work together to create a guidebook that will be accessible for those who are curious about the SWaCH waste picking route, whether that be a policymaker or a waste picker themself, if not another waste management service. As a result, we planned to have a PDF and site ready to present to SWaCH to map out the waste trail which SWaCH will release to the public. Find below some photographs I took in the field that will be used for the cooperative, guidebook and map or beyond:

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Final reflections:

I am eternally grateful to SWaCH, UTIF, Ashoka University, and University of Toronto for this trip and this team. The international multidisciplinary urban capstone project was insightful and incredible to say the least. To witness the work that goes into SWaCH and to hear the stories the community shared was impactful.  It was to witness a successful, self-sustainable social enterprise of waste pickers aiming to improve their living conditions, along with focusing on sustainable waste management. Beyond that, it was to witness a grassroots society that is socially just and environmentally sustainable. 

– Samantha “Sam” Guevara, UofT

My first day in Mumbai was a whirlwind! Exploring Mumbai on the 26th – the Marine Drive & Colaba  – was amazing, but meeting my UofT teammates over a thali meal was the true highlight. We even survived the Mumbai Local! After travelling to Pune on 27th, we travelled to learn about SWaCH on the 29th. Walking with waste picker Vidya Tai was eye-opening; her resilience and dedication were inspiring. SWaCH’s community model is truly empowering. Seeing their innovative biogas setup first-hand solidified my understanding of their sustainable practices. I’m thrilled to be creating a guidebook showcasing SWaCH’s work and sharing these unsung heroes’ stories. I’m glad to have met these people, and to travel across with them and to contribute to such a project.

Hazim – Ashoka 

This trip has been absolutely fantastic! I met an extraordinary group of people and had the chance to immerse myself in an environment very different from what we have here in Toronto. Exploring the cities of Mumbai and Pune through heritage walks was a true highlight – learning about the rich history of these incredible places was an absolute privilege. The field visits were very insightful and many of my expectations were not only met but exceeded. The community involvement we saw, particularly in the waste management process was something I had never seen before. It warms my heart to see the waste-pickers being empowered and dignified through SWaCH. I’m very proud and grateful to be able to work with this organisation and I look forward to making an impact with our work! 

– Harsh, UofT

We started with a general question: as India is rapidly urbanizing, how can we work around the scarcity of space and make use of what already exists? The panelists brought up Patrick Geddes’s work, emphasizing the importance of working with communities to plan their spaces, with a goal of town planning being to improve the health of local communities.

It was an insightful discussion that allowed us to have a better understanding of the necessary first steps that we should do for our project. They include studying the local zoning maps and development control codes to understand the context and land use of the areas we’re focusing on. We were also exposed to other resources and ideas by the CDSA faculty, such as iNagrik, an in-house smartphone application that allows for citizen participation in urban mapping. 

The discussion also elucidated for us a major obstacle behind why the spaces under flyover became the focus of our project: there is a lack of a systemic approach in understanding the needs of the community when reimagining neglected spaces in general. Instead, revitalisation efforts in Pune have been limited to single isolated projects, which do not gain traction within the community, and thus fall back again into neglect. We were also made aware of other geospatial challenges such as flyovers being placed in the middle of busy streets, thus potentially limiting accessibility to the spaces underneath it.

After breaking for a classic Maharashtrian lunch consisting of misal pav and mango ice cream we set out on a field visit to the site that we have selected for our project – Paud Road Flyover. At the site, we conducted a visual observation of the area, the types of shops surrounding the flyover, as well as briefly interviewing some of the shopkeepers.

On the south side is a temple and a few flower shops beside it, several shoesmiths’ as well as a fishmonger’s, SDSupekar. We learnt from one of the local architects that SDSupekar is the oldest fishmonger’s in the area, and the growth of this area as a fish market for the neighbourhood is due to its initial presence there.

On the other hand, a vegetable seller shared that he used the Paud Road flyover area as an unloading spot for their vegetables. He sits on the sidewalk to sell vegetables while his mother sells fish, and this has been his daily routine for 30 years. He claimed that a few homeless people lived under the flyover, however it was mostly useless land which felt like a waste. 

Equipped with the knowledge from CDSA faculty as well as in-situ observations and insights from our site visit, we regrouped to create a proposal for repurposing the Paud Road flyover. Currently, our primary solution is to relocate the current market, which occupies the sidewalks on the north and south sides, to the area beneath the flyover. This market, we envision, would operate throughout the day, with vegetable vendors in the morning and fish vendors in the evening. 

SDSupekar would anchor the market, drawing customers who frequent smaller shops nearby. This solution hopes to not just revitalize the neglected space under the Paud Road flyover, but to also improve the safety of the food sold in the market as well as to reclaim the sidewalks for pedestrians to use. Having said that, we are cognisant that our idea would evolve, especially as we expand our consultations to more stakeholders such as customers, commuters and the municipal corporation.

Pune’s landscape revealed itself as a blend of modern spaces and underutilized land, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities of urban design. At the end of the day, our team reflected on the conversations we had in class before our field visit – particularly, on the purposeful informality of urban design in Indian cities. This area surrounding the Paud Road flyover which we surveyed is a good example of an informally planned, but well-used and economically important, urban space. While we do not intend to disrupt India’s system of urban governance, this day provided with necessary insights on how to propose a design intervention for underutilized areas under flyovers which is centered on these informal processes playing out in this urban context.