Over 25 Years of
Building Capacities and Shaping Inclusive Cities
Established in 1997 as the Indian project office for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), UMC has spent the past 25 years transforming the field of urban management in India and beyond. As a women-led non-profit organisation, UMC is dedicated to shaping more inclusive and resilient cities through its expertise and commitment to making cities work for everyone.
One Milestone at a Time
Celebrating Impact,
UMC continues to create meaningful change in urban development.
We won First Prize for Best Development Partner in Women's Economic Empowerment at the SPARK Awards 2023-24 for our work in Odisha. UMC’s Founder Director, Manvita Baradi, was featured in Gates Notes by Bill Gates during his visit to Odisha, showcasing our efforts in women's livelihoods. Our 9-episode film, Misaal, earned the Best Communication in Sanitation award at the 6th ISC-FICCI Sanitation Awards 2022 for its impactful storytelling on sanitation awareness.
Bridging Policy
With Ground Level Insights
We bridge grassroots insights and policy-making across all governance tiers—community, local, state, and national.
By fostering collaboration and fairness, we create inclusive cities where everyone has a voice and access to essential services.
We Truly Believe in
Making Cities Work for Everyone
The Theory of Change diagram communicates our mission to create equitable, livable, and sustainable cities through strategic interventions. By targeting improved urban governance, enhanced access to essential services, and overall quality of life, UMC collaborates with diverse stakeholders, including governments and communities across Asia.
This holistic approach leverages capacity building, policy advocacy, community engagement, strategic partnerships, and data-driven decision-making to address urban challenges. At its core, UMC strives to make cities work for everyone, fostering inclusivity, resilience, and innovation in urban management practices.
The Garima Story
The Chennai
Climate Action Plan
MISAAL
Heritage Management Plan
for Jodhpur
Featured Projects
Realised by All
A Vision Shaped by Women,
Urban Management Centre is a women-led non-profit organisation dedicated to building resilient systems for inclusive and equitable development. We work with governments to strengthen local governance and build lasting institutional structures. We also work directly with vulnerable people to ensure that they have the tools and support they need.
Over the last 25 years, UMC teams have developed fundamental innovations in urban development challenges such as municipal institutional strengthening, urban planning and climate resilience and capacity building.
Upcoming Webinars
Cities Matter
Planning For
Non-Planners
Safe Sanitation For All
If you are reading this, chances are, you live in a city. And if you do, you’ve probably spent a lot of time dealing with the garbage, the noise, the traffic, the pollution, and the lack of parks. You’ve probably also enjoyed having access to restaurants, malls, neighbourhood cafes, and your favourite shops. What makes a city great? And What makes it terrible? What does YOUR city do for you, and what can YOU do to make it better? Urban Management Centre has been working to make cities better for over 25 years. In this time, we have been a part of many ‘firsts’ in India’s urbanization story. Our work across diverse contexts have given us insight into urban challenges, and strategies that have been adopted to solve them. Our Founder and Director, Manvita Baradi first conceived of this course in 2005. It has subsequently been run in many forms and with different pedagogies, including at CEPT university and recently at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) as part of the 96th Foundation Program. This iteration of the course is dedicated to in-service professionals, from both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, as well as students and government officials. The course uses narrative elements and case studies to introduce the various technical, administrative, and governing structures that make Indian cities what they are. They help learners relate to their lived experiences, while also absorbing the bigger picture and contextualizing some significant experiments in urban development.
Have you ever wondered why that empty plot has not been converted into a neighbourhood park? Why are there no public spaces where you and your family can go for a picnic? Or why are there no 30 floor buildings in the city, despite the demand for housing and real estate? Why are there no cycling tracks in our cities? Why is crossing a road a game of life and death? This course shall help you learn how to build more sustainable and inclusive cities. It will also explore the interrelationships between the physical, environmental, economic, and social factors in planning at the micro as well as macro level. The course will introduce the fundamental processes of planning, and help you understand how ideas get translated to action through city governments. The course shall help think about how you can participate and contribute to your city's development planning process.
Why, in 2025, do we still read about sanitation workers deaths and what are we doing as a society to prevent this? Why does the government not ensure these workers of these basic rights? What attempts have been made at national, state or city levels to change this? What needs to be done- stronger enforcement or higher budgets or training and sensitisation of employers? Are women sanitation workers equally vulnerable as men? If any of these questions bother you, then this course is for you. We will dwell deeper into understanding these complex inter-related issues and help you weave these into your work streams.
Our Donor Partners
Contact Us
Thank you for your interest in Urban Management Centre (UMC). We value your feedback, inquiries, and collaboration opportunities. Please feel free to reach out to us using the contact information provided below. Our dedicated team is here to assist you.
Head Office
A-202, GCP Business Center, Opp Navrangpura Fire Station, 120 Feet Ring Rd, Sarvottam Nagar Society, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380009
079-26400306-307