Feb 06 2026 to Feb 06 2026 6:30 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

What if a simple strip of green could catalyse profound transformation?

Our cities bear the scars of a fractured relationship with the natural world: ecosystems dismantled for private gain, communities pushed to the periphery, public space increasingly territorialised. We find ourselves inhabiting environments which, by design, deny the fundamental truth that human life remains inextricably woven into the larger fabric of nature. However, there exists a compelling pathway toward restoration, one that challenges the very hierarchies defining contemporary urbanism.

This talk explores linear parks as a democratic intervention in citymaking: longitudinal green corridors that transcend boundaries of caste, class, religion and geography, weaving through urban fabric to create equitable, accessible commons. Drawing upon a groundbreaking movement in Mumbai, PK Das and Harini Nagendra will examine both the promise and complexities of implementation—the successes, the shortcomings, and the lessons learned—inviting us to reimagine how strategic greening can advance social justice, spatial equity, and environmental regeneration simultaneously.

This evening promises a conversation that sparks new possibilities for building cities which honour our interdependence with each other and with the natural world.

This session is part of the Let’s Talk Climate Change Talk series.

Presented by:

Speakers

P K Das
Architect–Activist
P K Das is an architect-activist dedicated to connecting architecture with people through participatory planning while addressing sustainable urban ecology. His work encompasses organizing slums for better living conditions, developing affordable housing models, reclaiming public spaces and waterfronts, and protecting natural areas across India, with particular focus on Mumbai.

Das has authored several publications and founded Question of Cities: A Forum for Nature, People and Sustainability, a fortnightly e-journal. As Chairperson of the Mumbai Waterfronts Centre, his coastal development and slum rehabilitation projects have earned prestigious recognition including the First Urban Age Award from the London School of Economics and Deutsche Bank, and the First International Jane Jacobs Medal from The Rockefeller Foundation in 2016. Over the past two decades he has lectured at distinguished venues including Columbia University, The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre, and New York University Abu Dhabi.

Harini Nagendra
Director, Research Centre & School of Climate Change & Sustainability, Azim Premji University
Harini Nagendra is Director of Research Centre, and Director, School of Climate Change and Sustainability, at Azim Premji University. Her work focuses on urban ecology, forest conservation and climate change amongst other themes. She is a well-known public speaker and writer on issues of urban sustainability in India Her books include Nature in the City: Bengaluru in the Past, Present and Future; Cities and Canopies: Trees of Indian Cities; So Many Leaves, and Shades of Blue: Connecting the Drops in India’s Cities. She also writes the acclaimed Bangalore Detectives Club series, a set of historical mysteries set in 1920s Bangalore.