Resume of Dr Nisar Khan

Dr Nisar Khan (b. 1981) is serving as Professor at the Faculty of Architecture & Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has completed his doctoral research on the socio-spatial study of unauthorised colonies of Delhi from JMI. His research and academic interests are Historic Cities, Informal Urbanisation and Traditional Knowledge Systems. 

He has earned M.Arch. from SPA-Delhi with the specialisation in Architectural Conservation. He has two PG Diplomas in Social Housing and Urban Heritage Strategies from IHS-Rotterdam. He is also the recipient of Orange Knowledge Program Fellowship awarded by the Govt of Netherlands in the year 2019 and again in 2022. His B.Arch. is from Aligarh Muslim University in which he was the topper of the Design Thesis.

He has multifaceted experience of 18 years in teaching, research and consultancy. He is presently coordinator of the M.Arch. program in Urban Regeneration. This trans-disciplinary program is uniquely offered in JMI in the entire Asia. 

Besides his academic position, he is also the Start-up Activity Coordinator in the Institutional Innovation Council. He has also served as Deputy Proctor, Warden at his university.

He was also Assistant Hon’y Director of Internal Quality Assessment Cell (IQAC). As part of the IQAC team he was instrumental in the preparations for the NAAC second cycle in which JMI was accredited A++ in 2021 and also in the NIRF ranking of 3 (in the university category). 

At present he is discharging additional responsibility of Start-up Activity Coordinator of Institutional Innovation Council (IIC) at JMI.

Academic contributions

Dr. Nisar Khan conceptualised and initiated two masters programs at JMI, namely M.Arch. in Recreation Architecture in the year 2008 and later M.Arch in Urban Regeneration in the year 2011. He has formulated the course curriculum for these master programs and discharged the responsibility of course coordinator in the formative years. Hundreds of architects have pursued masters degree in these programs and are placed in reputed organisations. 

He has also formulated the course curriculum for the course Research Methodology in Architecture for Ph.D. course work. 

Students mentored by him have been awarded the most competent scholarships like Fulbright, Chevening, Erasmus Mundus, Charles Wallace etc. 

He has supervised one Ph.D. on heritage economics while two on architecture history are submitted. He is further supervising and co-supervising a number of Ph.D.s in the D/o Architecture, D/o Civil Engineering and D/o Art Education.   

Research and Publications

Nisar Khan has published papers and articles on myriad topics of architecture and urbanisation in various journals. With about 50 publications he has 36 citations and an H- index of 3 presently. He has presented about 50 papers in various national and international conferences organised by reputed organisations like UNESCO, Government of Saudi Arabia, Government of Dubai, Government of Turkey, Ministry of Culture GOI, IGNCA, JNU etc. Drawings prepared by him are published in the books published by INTACH and Marg. 

He has also delivered about 50 invited lectures on various topics of architecture and urbanisation by reputed institutions like SPA Delhi, SPA Bhopal, SPA Vijayawada, CPWD-Training Institute, GNDU Amritsar, INTACH, National Museum Institute, Council of Architecture-NIASA, COA-TRC, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), AJK Mass Communication and Research Centre, Dept of Sociology and UGC-HRDC at JMI.

Consultancy and Advisory

Nisar Khan has undertaken and completed various architecture and conservation consultancy projects for Govt. of Delhi, RITES, JMI, INTACH etc. He has also rendered advisory to the Govt of Delhi on Stakeholders Consultation for the Jama Masjid Redevelopment Project. He is also an expert in the renovation of the Parliament Museum undertaken by the Lok Sabha secretariat.  

He has also conducted a number of evaluatory studies for the Smart City Projects in India under the SAAR and SAAR Sameekha initiative of Smart City Mission and MoHUA. He has also acted as the jury member for the Smart City Awards of 2022 awarded by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.  

He has been nominated as the member of Board of Studies for Architecture & Planning at the Panjab University and member of Board of Control at Guru Nanak Dev University. He is also expert member of the DRC at Indira Gandhi Technical University for Women, Delhi and Faculty of Fine Arts at JMI. He is also an Expert Member in the Heritage Cell, Aligarh Muslim University.

Honours & Awards

Nisar Khan has been elected as the Fellow of Indian Institute of Architects. He has been awarded AMP’s 8th NATIONAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION 2024. 

He has been invited by the Govt. of Saudi Arabia to attend First International Conference on Urban Heritage in Islamic Countries in 2010. Also, invited by the Municipality of Dubai (Govt. of UAE) to attend the 4th International Architectural Conservation Conference and Exhibition in 2016. 

He was honoured by the Rashtrapati Bhawan to attend a reception by the President of India as part of international delegation attending CIDOC 2015 New Delhi.