The Centre for Public Policy, Habitat and Human Development has been striving continiously to engage with critical perspectives on the role of State and Democracy, poverty, inequality and human development issues both nationally and globally. The pursuit involved collaborative research, membership in Taskforces and active participation numerous national and international conferences.

Professor Ashwani Kumar, in a career spanning over two and half decades teaching political science, governance, development and public policy. The privilege of engaging with students, academicians, diplomats, parliamentarians, development professionals, multilateral agencies and governments, across countries (UK, Germany, Korea, China, South Africa, USA) and at various levels (as professor, researcher, member of central government committees, global consortiums, multilateral projects), helping build not only rich learning and scholarship, but also a diversity of perspectives with blending of literary traditions; which he believes has helped him to achieve excellence in social sciences and policy action. In recognition of his potential to excel further in academics, the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) has recently awarded him the prestigious ‘Senior Fellowship’ (2016-18).

Abdul Shaban is a Professor and Chairperson of the Centre for Public Policy, Habitat and Human Development, School of Development Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. He has served as chairperson of the International Relation Office (IRO), and Deputy Director of TISS, Tuljapur Campus. He is an urban geographer and economist with research interests on issues related to cities, entrepreneurship, creative industries, and religious minorities. Prof. Shaban has been member of various committees, commissions, and policy think tanks in these areas. He has also been visiting professor/fellow at several leading universities outside India, which include LSE, Muenster University, Erasmus University, and Paris Diderot University (University Paris Cite). He has also been awarded various research grants from corporates, and national, and international agencies. He has been associated with different Journals as editor or as member of the editorial boards.

Sandhya S. Iyer, Associate Professor, Chairperson, Centre for Public Policy, Habitat and Human Development, School of Development Studies, Tata Institute for Social Sciences. She holds M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Mumbai. Also invited by the German Development Institute (DIE) for a Training and Dialogue Programme on 'Managing Global Governance' (MGG), at the Global Governance School in 2007. She was also a visiting fellow at the Institute of Development Studies, Sussex and worked with the team on Global Governance and Asian Drivers. She has been Principal reseacher and consultant for projects funded by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UNDP India, and the State Governments of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Her current empirical work focuses on Sustainable Development Goals both across Indian States and also among the T20 countries.

The unique initiative of the Centre - the M.S. Gore Policy Research Group - entered its fourth this year, which has helped to nurture students and young minds in the school was bolstered by a series of Colloquims, lectures and field visits.

There were two colloquims:

• Jointly with Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan (Mumbai)-Shramik and M.S. Gore PRG (Policy, Research Group) where Prof. Dr. Aladin El-Mafaalani, a Professor of Political Science and Political Sociology at the Münster University of Applied Sciences "Migration and Integration: A look at the situation in Germany and the EU Today" on 7th September 2016. and
• Jointly with Paperwall Media organised colloquium entitled, 'Politics of Poetry”: The Missing Rib” by K. Sachidanandan, & Book release of “Light the Temptation’ by Zingonia Zingone. M.S. Gore Policy Research Group dedicated a series of lecture Prof. Rajni Kothari Memorial Lecture Series involved Amb. Neelam Deo (Director, Gateway House), Prof. Pradeep Chibber (Indo-German Chair for Political Science, University of California, Berkeley); Prof. Ashutosh Varshney (Sol. Goldman Prof for Political Science, Brown University), Prof. Shiv Vishwanathan, Professor and (Director, Centre for Study of Knowledge Systems, Jindal Global Law School), Prof. Suhas Palshikar (Co-Director, Lokniti, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies) and Loraine Kennedy (SciencesPo, Paris School of International Affairs & is a CNRS research director at the Centre for South Asian Studies (Centre d’Etudes de l’Inde et de l’Asie du Sud, CNRS-EHESS, Paris)