THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF MUMBAI
The Mumbai Research Centre of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai
and the Art Deco Mumbai Trust
invite you to the panel discussion
“Mumbai Matters – A Conversation on Reimagining the City’s Future”

The Mumbai Research Centre of The Asiatic Society of Mumbai and the Art Deco Mumbai Trust are pleased to invite you to the panel discussion “Mumbai Matters – A Conversation on Reimagining the City’s Future”, with Vikas Dilawari, Dr. Jehangir Sorabjee, Mustansir Dalvi and Atul Kumar.

Date and Time: Friday, 9 May, 2025 at 5:30 PM IST (Join us for tea at 5 PM)
Venue: Durbar Hall, Asiatic Society of Mumbai
Registration is Mandatory
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/ebUxR95ANhFVUKJh9

Mumbai is in the throes of transformation and is increasingly difficult to navigate – with rapid redevelopment, multiple infrastructure projects, and roads being relaid across the city. Yet, we carry on living here, with more people moving to the city everyday.

What keeps this city going, and is there a way to reimagine its future? With this discussion, we unpack what is shaping Mumbai today, and what we expect from city planners. Change is built into Mumbai’s DNA, but how do we adapt when it's too rapid to keep up? How is the new determination of Floor Space Index impacting the city? And are there learnings to be considered from other cities around the world? Steering away from nostalgia or despair, join us for a free-flowing conversation about Mumbai’s past, where we are today, and how we can manage our expectations for the future.

About the Panelists

Vikas Dilawari
Vikas is an award-winning conservation architect. His practice has successfully executed over 55 projects, 19 of which have won the UNESCO ASIA PACIFIC Awards for Cultural Preservation in South East Asia. He was also instrumental in nominating the erstwhile Victoria Terminus station (CSMT) as a World Heritage Site (WHS) in 2004.

Dr. Jehangir Sorabjee
Jehangir is currently a Honorary Prof. of Medicine and heads the Department of Medicine at the Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences. His book of rare aerial pictures of Mumbai, “Above Bombay” (2006), is widely acclaimed. A keen urban historian, he is frequently invited to speak on the hidden spaces embedded in Mumbai's urban fabric.

Mustansir Dalvi
Mustansir is an architect, author, editor, and academic. A core committee member envisioning the Sir JJ School of Art Architecture and Design (de-novo, deemed to be university), he is also Chairperson of the Board of Studies in Architecture, University of Mumbai. He received his PhD from IIT Bombay.

Atul Kumar
Atul is Founder Trustee, Art Deco Mumbai Trust. He has worked actively for the protection of open spaces, heritage conservation of south Mumbai’s Art Deco precinct, and its nomination to UNESCO as a World Heritage site. He is on the Board of Directors of the International Coalition of Art Deco Societies (ICADS), and Chairs their Preservation Committee.

- Prof. Mangala Sirdeshpande, Hon. Secretary Asiatic Society of Mumbai
- Dr. Shehernaz Nalwalla, Vice President of the Society & Chairperson – MRC