About Us

The Urban Collective Action Network brings together people, communities, policymakers, and state agencies in
Tier II and Tier III Indian cities, creating a safe space to discuss and solve challenges—leading to stronger urban
governance and a more livable, inclusive city experience.

Vision

Indian cities should be livable, equitable, and inclusive—places where all citizens are empowered to partner with government agencies to improve last-mile service delivery.

Mission

We are a network of organizations working to strengthen urban problem-solving in Tier II and Tier III Indian cities.

By creating safe spaces for people, communities, policymakers, and state agencies to come together, we foster collaborative solutions that lead to more inclusive governance and a richer, more livable urban experience.

Our approach is grounded in collective action, a multisectoral systems lens, and a strong commitment to citizen participation in policymaking.

Governing
Principles

The Collective operates according to the following core principles:

Steering Committee

U-CAN’s steering committee brings deep, hands-on experience in implementing both programmatic and systemic interventions, collaborating with partners across multiple levels of governance.

Akshay Agarwal

Anhad Hundal

Aveek De

Bijal Brahmbhatt

Dhanashree Gurav

Dr. Inder Gopal

Gautham Ravichander

Jaya Dhindaw

Kanupriya Kaikeya

Krishnan Subbaraman

Kuldeep Dantewadia

Madhav Pai

Mayura Gadkari

Milind Mhaske

Namita Aggarwal

Pavan Kundapura

Pratima Joshi

Pritika Hingorani

Prof Anjula Gurtoo

Sarah Misra

Shilpa Kumar

Shreyansh Chandak

Shruti Narayan

Shubhagato Dasgupta

Siddharth Pandit

Siraz Hirani

Srikanth Viswanathan

Vivek Vaidyanathan

Timeline

March, 2022
March, 2022
May, 2022
October, 2022
December, 2022
May, 2024
May, 2024
July, 2024
October, 2024
November, 2024
February, 2025

March, 2022

Urban Governance Collective: 1st Possibility Circle

The first U-CAN meeting aimed to discover common grounds for creating an urban collective, articulating the purpose and gaining clarity on the next steps.

March, 2022

Urban Governance Collective: 2nd Possibility Circle

The 2nd U-CAN possibility circle focused on aligning the working definitions of U-CAN, identifying preferred areas of engagement and agreeing on the next steps such as the frequency of subsequent meetings.

May, 2022

Urban Governance Collective: 3rd Possibility Circle

The 3rd U-CAN Possibility Circle brought together members to refine the collective’s principles, discuss effective ways of working, and align on ambitious goals, setting the foundation for meaningful collaboration across the urban ecosystem.

October, 2022

Meeting Zero

This meeting focused on shaping the collective’s emerging charter, outlining a concrete action plan, and establishing a robust governance framework to guide its efforts and ensure accountability within the collective.

December, 2022

U-CAN Charter

The charter defines U-CAN’s purpose, principles, goals, themes, and approach. The collective envisions building a community of diverse yet complementary experts from industry, civil society, academia, and government to foster a unified ecosystem for impactful, scalable collective action.

May, 2024

In-person Steering Committee Meeting

U-CAN members gathered in person for the Steering Committee Meeting to reaffirm the collective’s purpose, goals, and working modalities. The session offered a platform to reflect on past progress and shape U-CAN’s program priorities for 2024 through collaborative input.

May, 2024

Network Dialogue and Kick-off

The Network Dialogue brought together diverse voices from the urban ecosystem, including donors, multilaterals, think tanks, and philanthropies. The session featured a Q&A, inviting participants to explore the collective’s vision and approach, followed by a collaborative exercise highlighting the value of joint problem-solving.

July, 2024

Launch of the U-CAN Fellowship Program

The launch of the U-CAN Fellowship marked the first program under the U-CAN umbrella, setting the stage for empowering individuals passionate about sustainable urban development. This milestone reflected U-CAN’s commitment to nurturing talent and driving systemic change in urban spaces across India.

October, 2024

In-person Steering Committee Meeting

At the second in-person Steering Committee Meeting, U-CAN members review progress over the preceding six months, ideated and discussed program and operational priorities for 2025.

November, 2024

U-CAN Fellowship Begins for Mid-Career Professionals and Social Entrepreneurs

The U-CAN Fellowship officially commenced, welcoming six mid-career professionals working with U-CAN member organisations, and two social entrepreneur fellows.

February, 2025

Launch of the U-CAN Small Grants Initiative

The U-CAN Small Grants Initiative was launched, providing member organizations with the opportunity to collaborate on innovative projects aimed at addressing urban challenges. This initiative encourages experimentation and learning through collective action, paving the way for sustainable, scalable solutions within the urban ecosystem.

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