Balaji Rajkumar Email & Phone Number

Afghanistan

As program manager and shelter advisor, I am an Integral part of the technical advisory and senior management team. I manage multiple programs focussing on emergency support programs for displaced Afghans, spatial and social profiling, shelter repair, incremental housing, and incremental settlement improvements through emergency assistance through community action and development plans. At the moment we are implementing shelter repair assistance for over 4500 shelters in Kabul funded by AHF, UNOCHA. These roles are critical given the fluid political situation in Afghanistan since August 2021 and the deteriorating security situation and working arrangements.In this role, my duties also include strategic planning, program management, support activities of the UN-Habitat, coordination between partner agencies like UNHCR, UNOCHA, and UNDP, resource mobilization, supervision and quality monitoring of ongoing projects, conducting periodical field missions, reporting and knowledge dissemination. I also represent UN-Habitat for shelter cluster and WASH cluster activities of the UN-Habitat, Afghanistan country program.

Afghanistan

In my capacity as Technical advisor for Sustainable Human Settlements in Urban Areas to Support Reintegration in Afghanistan (SHURA) programme, I oversaw the design and implementation of several large shelter/housing settlement plans. The program provides a platform for returnees and protracted IDPs to reintegrate and become productive citizens of Afghanistan. The responsibilities included strategic technical advisory, project management, coordination between program activities/outputs/outcomes, and related local, regional, and international development efforts.

Gurgaon, India

To guide students (Graduate & under Graduate) as an industry expert on subjects including housing, urban transformation, urban regeneration, and urban architecture. Knowledge generated during the semester are further shared with local stakeholders in public meetings enabling residents and city officials to reimagine an alternate development agenda.

New Delhi Area, India

To guide students as an industry expert on the issues of affordable & incremental housing. Facilitate Urban lab on the "futures of cities". Duties through the semester includes, guidance in preparation of course material, conducting periodic seminars and lectures on issues prominent in the global south.

New Delhi Area, India

http://orproject.com/As consultant Urban Designer and Architect, my duties are to independently envision and develop designs for group and incremental housing proposals of different scales. Leading a team of architects, currently designing co-working and living spaces while exploring hybrid typologies via computational design.

New Delhi Area, India

https://nilaa-urban.org/https://nilaa.org/StudioDetailed project report, design development, project management and coordination with public agencies and other stakeholders and on-site supervision. As studio head, worked with team of architects on competitions and comprehensive urban development proposals.Ganga Riverfront Revitalisation: Project in-charge for a pilot urban revitalization scheme on Ganga Riverfront. The pilot, that began construction in 2014, is a project of the Indian Government and is funded by the World Bank. I was involved in this project for over 5 years, from conception to completion. Primary duties included preparation of detailed project report, design development, project management & coordination with public agencies and other stakeholders, and on-site supervision. The World Bank funded riverfront project in Patna provides a platform for a continuous public realm, that previously existed as disconnected spots along the river, and combines social functions with ecological conservation measures along the River Ganga. The audio visual theatre, part of the project, facilitates public awareness towards River Ganga and its ecology. The learning from this effort enabled the designing of similar public spaces in Varanasi and small towns (as part of Namami Gange)in Bihar.Anandvana: Designer in riverfront development project along ghats of Varanasi. The proposal involved restorative landscape and plantation of greens along the river edge. The proposal submitted to the state government of Uttar Pradesh is currently under approval.Conservation of President’s Estate: Team member of INTACH & IUDI’s urban design and conservation project for the Presidential Estate in New Delhi. The assessment, condition mapping and guidelines for future development was incorporated into the Conservation Management Plan submitted to the President’s Office.

Lead architect, and project in-charge for numerous architectural, housing and tourism projects. Duties involved from preliminary design, design development, on-site supervision and construction management.

Colombo, Srilanka

Architect, and supporting project in-charge for numerous architectural, housing and tourism projects. Duties involved from preliminary design, design development, on-site supervision and construction management.

Master Of Human Settlements, Urban Design

Bachelor Of Architecture, Architecture

Education record

Architecture Exchange Program

Master'S Degree, Human Settlements