Our Team
Parul Agarwala
Country Programme Manager
Parul Agarwala
Country Programme Manager
Ms. Parul Agarwala is the Country Programme Manager, UN-Habitat, India office. In this leadership role, Ms. Agarwala has worked on promoting sustainability, inclusion and resilience in urban planning, management, and financing in over 8 developing and transition countries. She has extensive experience in translating complex urban policies and regulations into actionable community-led projects for local transformations. Her interests are in building robust urban ecosystems that integrates local economic development in urban planning for realizing the potential of cities as economic engines. Prior to UN-Habitat, Ms. Agarwala has worked as a City Planner in the New York City Department of City Planning, with the World Bank’s Global Practices of Urban, Disaster Risk and Social Development, and in boutique consulting firms practicing environmental planning. Ms. Agarwala has a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs in New York, USA, and a Master of Planning degree from University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
Adishree Panda
Project Officer - Urban
Adishree Panda
Project Officer - Urban
Adishree serves as the Project Officer - Urban at UN-Habitat India. Prior to this role, she was the National Project Coordinator for the Mainstreaming Leave No One Behind (LNOB) project. With over three years of experience as a Research Associate in the Sustainable Habitat Program at The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in New Delhi, India, Adishree has developed expertise in sustainable urban development. Her earlier experiences include working as a research intern with the City Prosperity Initiative project at the Research and Capacity Development Branch of UN-Habitat headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. As an urban development practitioner, Adishree has been actively involved in policy research, strategic planning, and the mainstreaming of urban resilience into development frameworks across Indian cities. She has organized several stakeholder engagement workshops and contributed to capacity-building initiatives aimed at inclusive and sustainable urban growth. Adishree holds dual Master's degrees—one from the School of Human Ecology, Ambedkar University Delhi, and another from the Development Planning Unit of University College London (UCL).
Jogesh Arora
Programme Specialist (Admin and Finance Analyst), New Delhi
Jogesh Arora
Programme Specialist (Admin and Finance Analyst), New Delhi
Jogesh brings over 18 years of experience in strategic project design, planning, financial management, and administrative coordination. As a Programme Specialist at UN-Habitat India, he oversees the operational and financial portfolios of various projects across the country, while managing UN partnership agreements, knowledge management, and administrative ICT tools. Prior to this, Jogesh led the Micro-Finance Unit for a rural value-chain agricultural project supported by UN-IFAD. From 2004 to 2015, he worked with the Urban Basic Services Branch at UN-Habitat, where he contributed to more than 50 water and sanitation projects implemented across South Asia. Jogesh holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Business from Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning, Pune, and a Bachelor's degree in Commerce with a focus on Financial Management from the University of Delhi.
Rinky Haldar
Junior Project Officer
Rinky Haldar
Junior Project Officer
Rinky works with UN-Habitat as a Junior Project Officer, where she supports various projects focused on strategizing low-carbon urban development. Rinky has collaborated extensively with local governments on several urban initiatives, building expertise in complex urban systems, the impact of urbanization on climate change, and sustainable technological advancements. Her role involves providing technical expertise in spatial planning and regional governance, coordinating and executing participatory projects, leading workshops, and managing diverse project responsibilities. She has a Master's in Urban Design from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and Bachelor of Architecture from Jadavpur University. She is driven by a passion to continuously learn from her experiences and is committed to supporting cities in building sustainable and resilient urban communities.
Sfeeti Padele
Junior Urban Planner
Sfeeti Padele
Junior Urban Planner
Sfeeti Padele is professional urban planner with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and a Master's in Environmental Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Urban Environmental Management and Law from NLU Delhi, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature-India and the Center of Environmental Law. With a focus on sustainable urban and rural planning, Ms. Padele has contributed to significant projects, including the formulation of Regional Plans 2047 for Coimbatore and The Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, as well as the Gram Panchayat Spatial Development Plan for Bilkisganj in Madhya Pradesh. Her expertise encompasses GIS mapping, data analysis, and stakeholder engagement. She has gained diverse experience through roles at IPE Global, Mission Amrit Sarovar – Jal Dharohar Sanrakshan, Delhi Development Authority, Genesis Planner Hyderabad and various architectural firms, enhancing her skills in various tangents. She is committed to driving positive impact through innovative urban planning, promoting Behavior Change Solutions and Inclusive sustainable Development that prioritizes environmental sustainability and community well-being.