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Vadodara | September 12, 2026 : The Centre for Heritage Research (CHR), Navrachana University, in collaboration with the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC), will organize a one-day seminar on “Ecology-Based Heritage Conservation” on September 28, 2026, at the Navrachana University campus, Vadodara. The seminar will bring together experts, researchers, urban planners, and young conservation professionals to examine how ecological perspectives can inform the conservation and regeneration of historic urban environments.
The seminar comes at a time when historic cities are negotiating the pressures of urban growth and environmental change while seeking to retain their cultural identity and character. Historic places are shaped not only by buildings and monuments but also by the landscapes, water systems, open spaces and natural environments in which they have evolved. Against this backdrop, the seminar will explore how ecological considerations can be integrated into the conservation, restoration, and rehabilitation of heritage places, and how these approaches can contribute to the sustainable development of historic cities.
The seminar is being organized as part of the Historic Cities Series, a joint initiative of the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the DRONAH Foundation, in collaboration with ICOMOS India, Heritopolis and Altrim Publishers. The seminar will bring together experts from heritage conservation, urban planning, architecture, archaeology and related fields. The speakers will include Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA); Dr. Sonal Mithal, Program Chair, Master’s in Conservation and Regeneration, CEPT University, Ahmedabad; Prof. (Dr.) Ajay Khare, HOD, Conservation Department, School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal; Dr. Varad Sabnis, Assistant Superintending Archaeologist, Directorate of Archives and Archaeology, Goa; and Dr. Shikha Jain, Director, Preservation and Community Design, DRONAH Foundation. The inaugural session will feature Shri Arun Mahesh Babu M. S., IAS, Commissioner, Vadodara Municipal Corporation; Smt. Tejalben Amin, Chairperson, Navrachana Education Society; and Prof. Pratyush Shankar, Provost, Navrachana University.
Speaking ahead of the seminar, Prof. Pratyush Shankar, Provost, Navrachana University, said,
“The challenge before historic cities is not simply how to preserve the past, but how to allow the past to remain meaningful as the city changes. An ecological approach helps us see heritage within its larger landscape – its water, open spaces, natural systems, and communities. This shift in perspective can open up new possibilities for conservation that are both context-sensitive and responsive to the future.”
Prof. Shankar also serves as the Urban Design Expert on the Heritage Conservation Committee constituted by the Government of Gujarat for Vadodara.
The seminar will also engage students, researchers, and young conservation professionals through a Poster Presentation Competition covering themes such as architecture and nature-based conservation, landscape conservation, ecology-based urban heritage planning, urban design and special ecological zones, heritage management plans and ecological restoration, and conservation policy and regulatory frameworks. The seminar will give participants an opportunity to present their research and ideas, with exceptional entries recognized through an award. The abstract submission deadline is September 15, 2026. The seminar also builds on the ongoing collaboration between Navrachana University and the Vadodara Municipal Corporation in heritage conservation, urban planning, and capacity building.
For Vadodara, the theme is particularly relevant as the city continues to evolve while seeking to retain its historic character and cultural identity. The seminar will bring national expertise into this conversation and examine how ecological thinking can inform approaches to conserving and shaping historic urban environments.
For more information, kindly visit https://nuv.ac.in/