Parag Tandel is a Mumbai-based artist whose practice delves into the changing ecologies and oral traditions of the city’s coastal communities. With training in sculpture, he extends his work into installations, public art, and community-led archives, often centering the experiences of fisherfolk and the fragile marine ecosystems they depend on. From the Tandel Fund of Archives, a living museum of coastal memory, to works like How to Cook ‘Bombay’ Duck in Various Ways?, his projects trace how urbanisation, overfishing, and climate change erode both environments and cultural practices. By transforming local rituals, food, and materials into contemporary art forms, Tandel creates spaces of remembrance and resistance, situating art as a vital force in reimagining resilience and ecological futures

Arthur Mamou-Mani does not see architecture as fixed form, but as a future in motion, fluid, parametric, grown from bio-based matter and shaped by digital craft. His Fab.Pub in London doubles as both laboratory and commons, where participation replaces prescription and making becomes collective. Named among the disruptors of architecture, awarded by academies and journals alike, he has carried his vision across continents, always speaking of possibility, never finality. For him, architecture is a dialogue, where ecology, technology, and community fold into a single evolving form.

Ayaz Basrai moves at the intersection of design, culture, and imagination. As Co-founder of The Busride Design Studio, he has shaped some of India’s most compelling architectural and interior experiences, always with a spirit of play and provocation. At The Busride Lab in Goa, his gaze turns experimental, blending heritage with future thinking, technology with speculative fiction, to reimagine how design can question, conserve, and create. His practice is rooted in curiosity and cultural inquiry, making connections across disciplines to map the shifting contours of contemporary India. In his teaching and workshops, Ayaz extends this philosophy outward, inviting new ways of seeing, thinking, and building for the world to come.

Bandana Jain is a celebrated contemporary artist and sustainability advocate, acclaimed for transforming recycled corrugated cardboard into striking works of art. With a practice that blends luxury, elegance, and environmental consciousness, she has carved a distinctive niche in the worlds of art and design.

Her signature medium elevates the discarded into the extraordinary, creating collectible pieces admired for both their aesthetic brilliance and their ecological ethos. An award-winning artist with over a decade of experience, Bandana’s works are part of prestigious collections and have been commissioned by leading architects and cultural institutions across India and beyond.

Through her art, Bandana champions a vision of creativity as renewal, where materials are not simply used, but reimagined with care, depth, and purpose.

Debasmita Ghosh works at the intersection of architecture, ecology, and community. Her practice is rooted in a belief that buildings are not just shelters, but extensions of the land and the people who shape them. As a Sustaina India Fellow, she explored the changing landscape of Kondh architecture in Odisha, where mud walls and communal courtyards are slowly giving way to concrete. Across projects, whether it is reinterpreting vernacular forms or creating resilient prototypes, Ghosh’s approach is consistent: to design with empathy, and to listen to what the land and its people already know. Her work is less about imposing change and more about reweaving connections, between past and present, tradition and innovation, community and environment.

Diana Kellogg is an award-winning architect and founder of Diana Kellogg Architects, established in 1992 with a commitment to sustainability, advocacy, and supporting marginalized communities. A graduate of Williams College and Columbia University, she began her career working on major cultural projects in New York, including David Zwirner’s first gallery and the Dia Art Foundation, and went on to design private spaces for leading artists and cultural figures.

Through her practice and nonprofit initiative, TARA for Change, Kellogg champions architecture as a force for social impact, working with NGOs and global institutions to support education, culture, and equity. In India, her design for the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls’ School in Rajasthan has received international recognition, including honors from the Aga Khan Architecture Award and Architectural Digest’s Building of the Year, celebrated as a model of sustainable design and community empowerment.

Michael Pawlyn is an architect, writer and speaker whose work bridges design and ecology. Through his practice, Exploration Architecture, he pioneers regenerative solutions, from zero-waste factories to green cities, drawing inspiration from nature’s intelligence. He was a key force behind the Eden Project and co-initiated the Sahara Forest Project, redefining what architecture can restore. His books and talks have sparked a global movement, including Architects Declare, now embraced by thousands of firms worldwide. Today, Pawlyn continues to advise industries and governments on shifting from sustainability to true regeneration.

With a background in horticulture and a postgraduate degree in landscape architecture from the University of Melbourne, Kunal Maniar brings a nuanced understanding of nature into every space he designs.

Guided by a belief in sustainable and context-responsive design, his work celebrates the richness of tropical wilderness, creating landscapes that feel alive, organic, and deeply connected to their surroundings. Over the past two decades, Kunal has redefined luxury through landscapes that balance ecology with elegance, crafting verdant experiences for homes, boutique hotels, and hospitality destinations across India.

Dr Harish Hande is the CEO of SELCO Foundation. Harish is a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and a Masters and PhD from University of Massachusetts, US. Harish got the idea of bringing solar lighting systems to rural India when he was doing his PhD on sustainable energy at the University of Massachusetts. During a field visit to the Dominican Republic, he was surprised to find poor villagers using solar lighting and reasoned that if it was possible for the poor in the Dominican Republic to use solar lights, he should be able to bring solar lights to the rural poor in India too. And thus SELCO started as a social enterprise in 1995. In 2011, Harish was conferred the Ramon Magsaysay Award in recognition of his vision to catalyse development outcomes via sustainable energy. Harish serves on the boards of many organizations, both national and international.

Lake Heckaman is a Brooklyn-based new media artist whose practice explores how technology reshapes human perception and connection. Through immersive, interactive installations, his work transforms viewers from passive observers into active participants.

Drawing inspiration from the abstract beauty of the natural world, Lake employs advanced computer graphics and machine learning to reveal the dynamic relationship between humans, technology, and the environment.

Nuru Karim’s practice is where art, architecture, and technology converge into living, breathing ideas. Through NUDES, his award-winning studio, he translates computational precision into forms that respond to culture, community, and climate. His journey, from Mumbai to London to Montreal, from Zaha Hadid’s atelier to global stages like TEDx, shapes a design voice both rooted and futuristic. Each project carries the rigor of research and the lightness of imagination, rethinking how we inhabit and interact with space. Visionary yet grounded, Karim continues to expand the possibilities of architecture as a social, cultural, and environmental catalyst.

Poludas Nagendra Satish brings together architecture, craft, and cultural memory in ways that feel both grounded and experimental. As a Sustaina India Fellow, Satish explored the fragile ecosystem of brick kilns in Telangana, where the act of making a single brick speaks of migration, labour, and environmental cost. His documentation turns these overlooked sites into archives of resilience and struggle, asking how design can respond to systems that are at once essential and exploitative. Satish’s work insists on slowing down, looking closer, and recognising the human and ecological narratives embedded in every layer of construction.

Rajan Rawal is a Professor at CEPT University and Senior Advisor at the Centre for Advanced Research in Building Science and Energy (CARBSE). A leading voice in energy-conscious design, he brings decades of expertise to the study and teaching of energy-efficient built environments, policy, and simulations. His work today is centered on Passive Design Strategies, Urban Climates, Human Thermoregulation, and Adaptive Thermal Comfort, fields that bridge science with lived experience, and research with real-world resilience. Through both teaching and practice, he continues to shape how India imagines and builds for a future that is not just sustainable, but humanly attuned.

Rajeev Kathpalia is the designated partner at Vastu Shilpa Sangath LLP, the celebrated practice founded by Pritzker Laureate Balkrishna Doshi. His work integrates frugal, environmentally responsible strategies with a deep commitment to social inclusion, creating campuses and habitats that set new benchmarks in sustainability and innovation. Four of his institutional campuses are cited in India’s National Education Policy as examples of design, reflecting his ability to combine ecological thinking with people-centered spaces.

A trustee of the Vastu Shilpa Foundation and a long-time educator at CEPT University and SPA, Kathpalia has shaped both practice and pedagogy in equal measure. Honored with awards including the Prime Minister’s Award for Urban Design and Washington University’s Award for Distinction in Architecture, he continues to influence architecture at multiple scales, reimagining not only how we build but how we live together sustainably.

Sameep Padora is an architect, author, and the founder of his Mumbai-based practice, established in 2007 after graduating from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. His studio’s projects have been widely acclaimed, receiving honors such as the Wallpaper Design Award, the Beazley Architecture Prize, the Wienerberger Brick Award, ArchDaily’s Building of the Year, and commendations from the Architectural Review. Their research and built works have been showcased at major forums including the Seoul, Buenos Aires, and Venice Biennales.

Alongside practice, Padora runs sPare, a not-for-profit research initiative focused on urbanization and housing in India. Its publications, including In the Name of Housing, How to Build an Indian House, and (de)Coding Mumbai, have contributed significantly to discourse on affordable housing. A regular lecturer at institutions such as Harvard, Cooper Union, Cornell, and TU Delft, he is currently Dean of the Faculty of Architecture at CEPT University, shaping both architectural practice and pedagogy in India.

Sonali Rastogi is the Co-Founding Partner of Morphogenesis, one of India’s most influential design practices working across architecture, interiors, and landscape urbanism. With a portfolio that spans over 250 million sq. m., her work combines research-driven innovation with a sensitivity to context, delivering projects recognized with over 120 national and international awards, including multiple World Architecture Festival wins and the SIA Getz Award. Educated at the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and the Architectural Association, London, Rastogi approaches design as a synthesis of art, technology, and theory. From large-scale urban visions to finely crafted homes, her practice reflects a belief in equity, sustainability, and cultural integration. Beyond the studio, she contributes to the global discourse as a speaker, juror, author, and member of the Delhi Urban Art Commission, situating architecture as both a local responsibility and a global conversation.

With over two decades in media, Pramiti has shaped the design and décor conversation in India. As Editor-in-Chief of ELLE DECOR India for 18 years and a founding member of India Design ID, she helped define the country’s modern design voice. Her subsequent role as Editorial Advisor at STIRworld.com further deepened her engagement with global design discourse. In 2018, she founded The Blue Pencil Design Company, an independent brand strategy and design consultancy that brings together creative storytelling and tactical expertise. Through Blue Pencil, Pramiti collaborates with brands to craft impactful product launches, build distinctive IPs, and conceptualize one-of-a-kind events. With an instinct for originality and a deep understanding of the design ecosystem, she continues to influence and inspire the world of interiors, design, and creative strategy in India.

Sonia Bajaj is the Founder of Ten Palm Court, a boutique advisory that helps brands navigate the fast-evolving landscape of design in India. Through strategic counsel, curated opportunities, and a nuanced understanding of the industry, she partners with clients to strengthen their positioning, incubate new ventures, and build design-led properties that resonate with influence and impact. Her expertise is anchored in over two decades of shaping India’s design narrative from within. As Publishing Director of ELLE and ELLE DECOR India, and a Founding Member of India Design ID, Sonia played a pivotal role in steering the country’s most influential design platforms, driving brand growth, pioneering new initiatives, and creating India’s definitive forum for design dialogue. Today, she brings this rare confluence of media insight, brand strategy, market creation, and community building to help companies in the design and décor sectors not just find their voice, but define their place in an increasingly competitive and creative world.

Anupama Kundoo is an architect whose work bridges research, material innovation, and social impact, grounded in the belief that architecture is an instrument for positive change. Over three decades of practice, her work has explored how affordability, sustainability, and beauty can coexist through the intelligent use of local materials, human labor, and contextual design.

Her studio’s approach combines hands-on experimentation with systemic thinking, creating spaces that are as resource-conscious as they are humane. From experimental prototypes in Auroville to global exhibitions and teaching engagements, Kundoo’s work advocates for an architecture of less resource, more imagination, one that responds to the climate crisis with empathy, ingenuity, and purpose.

Douglas Voigt is a seasoned urban design and planning professional based in the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.. With over two decades of global experience, he leads the City Design practice and advances projects that integrate environmental thinking, community connectivity, and context‑driven design.

Voigt’s work is grounded in a deep appreciation for each project’s unique setting, he steers planning efforts that explore the interplay of social and natural systems, infrastructure and public realm, ambition and practicality. His approach emphasises long‑term partnerships, collaborative visioning, and urban strategies that are both imaginative and environmentally responsive.

With over two decades of experience across craft, textiles, and social design, Juhi Pandey has built a career rooted in connecting traditional knowledge systems with contemporary design thinking. After eight years in the industrial sector, Juhi shifted her focus toward education and crafts. In 2011, she co-founded TARA Trust in Goa, a non-profit that uses art and design for the holistic development of women and children from migrant communities. Her subsequent roles reflect a continued commitment to systemic and sustainable craft revival, from leading Khamir in Kutch and reviving traditional wool value chains, to working with Barefoot College’s Hatheli Sansthan and establishing the Nila House in Jaipur as a Centre of Excellence for craft and design.

Her practice is rooted in a human-centric and process-based approach to design, studying and collaborating with traditional communities to adapt their knowledge systems to today’s contexts through craft, research, and art. Based in Jaipur, Juhi is now setting up a collective dedicated to research, service, and facilitation for craft-based practitioners and organizations.

Lubaina Rangwala leads the Urban Development and Resilience portfolio within the Sustainable Cities and Transport team at WRI India, where she has been associated for over nine years. Her work focuses on advancing green infrastructure and nature-based solutions to help Indian cities adapt to climate risks, while strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities.

She has played a key role in developing climate action plans, disaster management frameworks, and flood mitigation strategies across several Indian cities. An architect and urban planner from Mumbai with over 14 years of experience in India and the United States, Rangwala began her career as a researcher and visiting lecturer at architecture schools in Mumbai, contributing to projects with the KRVIA Design Cell, the Mumbai Transformation Support Unit, and the World Bank. She has also worked with the cities of Emeryville and Berkeley in California on initiatives ranging from digital governance to local economic development.

Madhav Pai is a respected thinker–practitioner whose work spans urbanization, climate change, transportation, and environmental systems across several countries. As part of the founding team at WRI India since 2008, Pai has played a pivotal leadership role in shaping the institute’s vision and growth. He has been instrumental in nurturing talent and building high-performance teams capable of designing, implementing, and scaling pioneering solutions to India’s most complex urban challenges..

Under his leadership, WRI India has supported transformative projects including the Indore Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, the Mumbai Climate Action Plan (MCAP), the Raahgiri movement for democratizing public streets, and the National Electric Bus Program (NEBP). His team has also contributed to national and city-level policy frameworks on sustainable mobility, urban planning, road safety, and clean air. A published author, Pai has written extensively on urban transport, resilience, and climate-responsive planning, with his work featured in leading journals, books, and policy platforms.

Morningstar Khongthaw is a 29-year-old environmental activist from Rangthylliang village, Meghalaya, dedicated to preserving the region’s remarkable living root bridges, extraordinary bioengineering structures crafted by the Khasi tribe from the roots of Ficus elastica trees. These living bridges have sustained local communities for generations, standing as powerful symbols of harmony between nature and human ingenuity.

As Chairman of the Heritage Committee, Khun Kur Longtrai Lai Kynthei, Morningstar leads efforts to restore, maintain, and construct new living root bridges while promoting sustainable tourism that benefits local communities. His work is rooted in creating awareness about these natural wonders and ensuring their preservation for future generations. His dedication has since earned him national recognition, including the 11th Balipara Foundation Award, for his commitment to safeguarding Meghalaya’s living root heritage and fostering sustainable livelihoods.

Born in Amritsar and based in New Delhi, Pritish Bali is a visual artist working across drawing, sculpture, and lens based media. He completed his Master’s in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts, MSU Baroda. His works often revisit personal and collective memory through recontextualised images, text, and sound, exploring how identity is shaped by intimacy, labour, and everyday gestures. Through tactile and process-driven experimentation, Bali reflects on transformation, repetition, and the boundaries between body and environment.

As Principal at Studio PKA, Puran Kumar believes in creating spaces that embody a strong sense of place and identity. With over three decades of practice, he continues to explore innovative and dynamic ways of bringing architecture to life across a diverse range of projects.

From corporate interiors and residences to explorations in adaptive reuse, Puran’s work balances functionality with simplicity, always rooted in context and craft. Studio PKA is continually evolving, expanding its design language, exploring new typologies, and redefining how spaces can respond to people, place, and purpose.

Sarang Naik is a wildlife photographer dedicated to capturing the beauty and fragility of India’s natural world. Through his lens, he brings attention to the interconnectedness of species, habitats, and human impact, using photography as a tool for awareness and conservation.

Naik’s work spans remote forests, wetlands, and urban wildlife corridors, documenting stories that inspire empathy and action. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to authenticity, he creates images that are both visually striking and environmentally resonant, inviting viewers to experience the wonder of the natural world and the urgency of protecting it.

Dr. Radhika Khosla is an Associate Professor at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, and Research Director at the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development. A leading urban climatologist, she works at the intersection of science and policy on extreme heat, energy transitions, and the future of cooling in the Global South. She leads Oxford’s Future of Cooling programme, is Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Research Letters, and a lead author for UNEP’s Global Cooling Watch Reports. Her research shapes national and international climate policy, and her expertise is widely recognised across global scientific, policy, and media platforms.

Sheila Sri Prakash is an award-winning architect, urban designer, and founder of Shilpa Architects, known for pioneering environmentally responsive and socio-culturally rooted design in India. Born in Bhopal in 1955 and trained at Anna University and Harvard GSD, she has shaped national and global conversations on sustainability through leadership roles with the World Economic Forum, UN-Habitat III, the Global Environment Facility, and Smart City initiatives. A recipient of multiple lifetime achievement honours, she created the Reciprocity Foundation to advance holistic sustainability and knowledge exchange. A trained classical dancer and patron of the arts, her work bridges architecture, culture, and community resilience.

Rahul Bhushan is an eco-architect and founder of North, a creative and cultural organisation reimagining Himalayan resilience through Kathkuni and Dhajji Dewari building traditions. Winner of the 2024 GDL Fellowship, he joins Henry Skupniewicz, Head of Godrej Design Lab at Conscious Collective 2025 to discuss his upcoming book Where We Belong and the future of climate-conscious development in the mountains.

Asad Lalljee is Senior Vice President at the Essar Group, CEO of Avid Learning, and Curator of the Royal Opera House, Mumbai. A former New York advertising professional, he has transformed Avid into one of India’s leading cultural platforms through global collaborations and innovative programming. Asad also serves on key national arts committees, championing the creative economy and the future of cultural engagement.

Pranav Gajjar is an architect and the founder of Industhan, a material innovation studio redefining climate-responsive design in India. A CEPT graduate shaped by B.V. Doshi’s humanistic ethos, he bridges craft, engineering, and ecology to create next-generation ceramic thermal façade systems. His work positions ceramics as high-performance, low-energy, future-ready building technology, offering scalable cooling solutions at a time when the world urgently needs carbon-light ways to adapt and thrive.

Gautam Vaishnav is a nature enthusiast, hiker, and one of India’s leading rock-balance artists. With over 18,000 students trained across 300+ workshops, from schools and colleges to corporates and private groups, he has introduced thousands to the meditative art of balance. Charismatic and deeply grounded in the outdoors, Gautam blends creativity, mindfulness, and adventure in every experience he leads.