Prof. Dr. P.S.N. Rao , architect-engineer-planner is an eminent personality in the housing, real estate and urban development sector in India, playing a proactive role as an academician, consultant, policy advocate and industry advisor for over 25 years. He is a recipient of several awards including the SPA Gold Medal, Indian Buildings Congress Medal, the AICTE Young Teachers’ Award, Shiksha Rattan Puraskar and Best Citizens Award. Presently, he is Professor of Housing, Department of Housing, School of Planning and Architecture ( SPA ), New Delhi, ( Ministry of HRD, Government of India). He served as Head, Department of Housing, SPA New Delhi from 2008-2011. Earlier, at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi, he was engaged in capacity building of senior public officials of the civil services including IAS and also worked on appraisal of city development plans for several cities under J.N. National Urban Renewal Mission ( JNNURM ) of the Government of India. He has also been associated with projects funded by the World Bank, DFID, UNICEF and the USAID. As a Member of the Mortgage Committee of Indian Banks’ Association and National Housing Bank, Prof.Rao was responsible for bringing out the Handbook on Policy, Procedures and Standards for Real Estate Valuation by Banks and HFIs in India. As a part of the Rajiv Aawas Yojana ( RAY ) programme of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, Prof.Rao was engaged in hand holding various state governments in North India for implementing RAY and Slum Free City Plans under the support programme of DFID. He was also actively associated with Ashoka – Innovators for the Public, a reputable non-profit body, for developing a Rating System for affordable housing projects. He has been a member of the CII National Committees on Urban Infrastructure, Housing and Cement for several years. Currently, he is a Member of the Committee on Housing and Urban Development of the PHD Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi. He is also honorary Chairman, National Association of Realtors-India, a non-profit society. For two terms, he was Secretary, Institute of Town Planners, India. Recently, he has been appointed as Member of the Task Force on Rental Housing, Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India. He is a visiting faculty and examiner to several universities and has a large number of publications, including books, to his credit. His forays into journalism started with the monthly Indian Architect & Builder, way back in the early ‘90s. He regularly interviewed the icons of architecture in India, wrote histo-architectural essays and also brought to light the works of various practicing architects. Later, he held the position of Executive Editor of Architecture - Time Space and People, the magazine of the CoA. As a Columnist, he has also widely published in the Pioneer and The Indian Express. He can be contacted at [email protected] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------