Mona Shridhar Iyer

Dr. Iyer’s work reflects a close integration of research, policy, and practice. She has engaged extensively with urban local bodies, state and national governments, and communities, and serves on several advisory committees, including the Gujarat High Level Committee on Urban Planning, where she contributes to the application of water-sensitive planning approaches in urban development. Her scholarly contributions include publications in leading national and international platforms, including the Global Waste Management Outlook (UNEP), ADB technical assistance for solid waste management in Pacific Island nations, reviewing NIUA – NMCG strategy on mainstreaming river management into master plans and the State of Environment Report for Gujarat.Dr. Iyer has led interdisciplinary research on urban water systems as Principal Investigator of the five-year DST – NWO – supported Indo-Dutch research project ​“Water 4 Change”, anchored at CEPT – CRDF CWAS, focusing on secondary Indian cities. She has also contributed to international academic initiatives such as the Indo-German Workshop on Digital Public Goods for Water-Sensitive Planning and Urban Flood Resilience, supported by IGSTC. Her research interests include the documentation of historic and contemporary water systems in India and abroad — covering Aurangabad, Bhuj, Dholavira, Kapadvanj, and Angkor Wat — as well as water-sensitive planning practices in the Netherlands and Germany, with an ongoing interest in learning from India’s water heritage.Dr. Iyer holds a PhD in urban wastewater reuse policies. She was gold medallist in Post Graduate Diploma in Planning from CEPT University, Ahmedabad, India in 1997 and B.E. in Civil Engineering from BVM Engineering College, SP University, Gujarat, India in 1996. Her academic excellence has been recognized through prestigious international fellowships, including the British Chevening Fellowship in Environment Management, the Netherlands Fellowship Programme at IHE Delft, and the UKNA Fellowship.Through sustained engagement with government institutions, urban practitioners, and communities, Dr. Iyer contributes to evidence-based policymaking, programme design, and project structuring in the fields of urban planning and infrastructure. At CEPT, other than teaching she has been team leader/​ team member for water and sanitation related projects and committees.