Draft:Sanjeev Vidyarthi

Sanjeev Vidyarthi is a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA.

Career
Vidyarthi studied at the Sir J.J. College of Architecture, KU Leuven, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

In 1993-1994, Vidyarthi was a lecturer in the Department of Architecture at Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India, and began contributing to architectural education. Subsequently, from 1998 to 2002, Vidyarthi served as the Founding Director at the Aayojan School of Architecture in Jaipur. The academic trajectory continued with the appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) from 2008, where Vidyarthi is head of the college thus playing a crucial role in shaping urban planning education. Professor Vidyarthi assumed multiple roles at UIC, including Senior Fellow at the Great Cities Institute and Program Associate in the Global Asian Studies Program. Notably, the leadership role of Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Urban Planning and Policy at UIC was held from 2017 to 2018, followed by the current position as Director of the Master of City Design Program since 2019.

This rich chronology showcases Vidyarthi's dedication to architectural and urban planning education over the years, emphasizing leadership, academic excellence, and a global perspective. He is widely known as a premier scholar of urban planning and city design in India. He remains involved with many institutions and organizations in Jaipur and India such as Institute of Town Planners India, and the Indian Institute of Interior Designers.

Writings
Vidyarthi's scholarly contributions span various formats, including books, journal articles, and book chapters, reflecting a multifaceted engagement with urban planning and architecture. In 2007, Vidyarthi contributed to "What happened to the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India," published in the Journal of the Indian Town Planning Institute, examining constitutional aspects. The collaborative effort with K. Al-Kodmany and J. Betancur in 2012 resulted in "E-Civic engagement and the Youth: New Frontiers and Challenges for Urban Planning" in the International Journal of E-Planning Research, exploring civic engagement in the digital age. Additionally, the 2015 book "One Idea, Many Plans: An American City Design Concept in Independent India" showcases Vidyarthi's depth of insight into urban planning history.

Vidyarthi's engagement with spatial planning in India is evident in the 2018 article "Spatial Plans in Post-liberalization India: Who's Making the Plans for Fast-growing Urban Regions?" published in the Journal of Urban Affairs. This work delves into the complexities of planning in a rapidly urbanizing context. Further, in 2018, Vidyarthi served as the guest editor for Planning Theory's colloquium on Charles Hoch, reflecting a commitment to critical discourse within the academic community.

In book chapters, Vidyarthi explores topics such as "Building A 'World class Heritage city': Jaipur’s Emergent Elites and New Approach to Spatial Planning" (2014) and "Reimagining American neighborhood unit for India" (2010), providing unique perspectives on the intersections of culture, history, and planning. The book "Hathigaon: A Settlement for Elephants and Caretakers" and "City Planning in India: 1947-2017" underline Vidyarthi's recent service to producing impactful literature in the field.

Intellectual impact
Professor Vidyarthi's intellectual impact is evident through an extensive series of invited talks, lectures, and presentations that showcase his expertise in urban planning and development. In 2007, he presented "American Neighborhood Unit in India" at the Emerging Asian City Symposium at Woodbury University, Los Angeles. This early contribution highlights his early engagement in shaping discussions on urban planning.

In subsequent years, Professor Vidyarthi continued to actively contribute to academic discourse. Notable talks include "Fetishizing ‘World city’ status" presented at the workshop Contesting the Indian City in 2010 and "Secondary Indian cities and the World city debate" in the Emerging Voices Lecture Series at the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, in 2010. These engagements illustrate his evolving perspectives on urbanization and his growing influence in academic circles.

His impact further solidified with talks like "Informalizing the Formal and Localizing the Global" at the Centre for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, in 2010, and "From Prosaic to Profound: Modern Neighborhoods of Nehru’s India" at the Csillag Seminar Series in Geography at the University of Toronto in 2010. These presentations showcase his multidimensional understanding of urban dynamics and his ability to address varied audiences.

As Professor Vidyarthi's career progressed, he continued to share his insights globally. In 2012, he delivered "Spectacular Subversion or Unique Urbanism" at Parsons, The New School for Design, New York, and in 2017, he explored "Intermediate-level Urban Design in Asia" at the 19th ArcAsia forum in Jaipur. These talks demonstrate his enduring commitment to advancing urban planning discussions, emphasizing both local and international perspectives.

The chronological progression of Professor Vidyarthi's impact culminated in recent engagements, including a book talk at the University of Michigan in 2018 and an invited presentation on "Taking Stock at Sixty-five" at the International Conference on Future of Cities in New Delhi in 2017. These events showcase his ongoing dedication to knowledge dissemination and his prominent role in shaping the discourse on the future of urban planning.

Honors
Professor Vidyarthi's impressive journey in academia is punctuated by numerous awards and honors, underscoring a commitment to research and scholarly contributions. The chronicle begins with the 2004 Block Grant that he received from the University of Michigan, providing a substantial foundation for his research endeavors. In 2005, another accolade follows with the Discretionary Award from the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan, recognizing academic excellence. The year 2006 sees Professor Vidyarthi as a Co-investigator for the Environmental Protection Agency P3 Award, emphasizing dedication to environmental research. Subsequently, the year 2007 brings recognition in the form of the American Institute for Indian Studies/National Endowment for the Humanities Junior Research Fellowship, a testament to scholarly pursuits in India. Notably, 2008 marks the Honorable Mention for the Gill-Chin Lim Award for Best Dissertation in International Planning from the American Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP).

The accolades continue in 2009 with Honorable Mention for the Distinguished Dissertation Award from the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan and a Faculty Scholarship from the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The academic journey proceeds with the Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement grants in 2010 and 2011, showcasing a commitment to civic research. In 2012, a Research Support Fellowship from the Shanti Education Society in Jaipur, India, highlights continued dedication to international research. The year 2013 brings Faculty Scholarship recognition from the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The timeline concludes with keynotes at the 11th National Convention of the Indian Institute of Interior Designers in 2016 and the 65th National Town and Country Planners Congress in 2017, solidifying Professor Vidyarthi's standing as a distinguished academic with global impact.