Hello Everyone,
Sharing a roundup of recent updates from Jana Urban Space Foundation, highlighting our work across urban resilience, water systems, climate action, and community engagement to help shape more sustainable and future-ready cities.
Bengaluru Stormwater Drains DataJam 2026
In May 2026, Diksha Jain, Associate Urban Design at Jana Urban Space Foundation, attended the Bengaluru Stormwater Drains DataJam 2026, organised by OpenCity and partners as part of the Building a Resilient Bengaluru initiative.
At the centre of the conversation was one of Bengaluru’s most persistent urban challenges stormwater drainage and urban flooding.
The DataJam brought together urban planners, researchers, data professionals, environmental practitioners, and citizens to collectively explore the city’s drainage network and what its data reveals.
From citizen-generated audit datasets and official drainage maps to lake networks, topography, and land-use patterns, participants worked across multiple layers of information to understand how water moves through the city and where it fails to.
Key discussions surfaced interconnected issues: flooding, water quality, urban heat, infrastructure maintenance gaps, land-use change, and the steady loss of natural drainage systems.
More than just analysis, the session became a space for shared problem-solving where data, lived experience, and technical insight came together.
The conversations reinforced a simple but critical direction for cities like Bengaluru: resilience will depend on how well cities integrate data, ecology, and planning systems not in silos, but together.
Link to the OpenCity Post: Link
DropTalk 2026: Redefining Water Conversations
Pravalika Sarvadevabhatla, Associate Manager – Urban Policy at Jana Urban Space Foundation, participated as a Policy Expert at DropTalk 2026: Redefining Water Conversations, an annual flagship platform that brought together leaders, policymakers, researchers, industry professionals, and practitioners working at the intersection of water, climate, infrastructure, and sustainability.
Held at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, the event focused on this year’s theme, “Designing with Water,” and explored innovative approaches to addressing water-related challenges through collaboration, technology, policy, and community engagement.
Discussions highlighted strategies for enhancing water resilience, stewardship, and sustainable resource management while responding to the growing impacts of climate change, urbanisation, and economic development.
The event provided an opportunity to engage with diverse perspectives on water governance and sustainability through technical discussions, case studies, research exchanges, and collaborative forums. It also underscored the importance of cross-sector partnerships, knowledge sharing, and integrated planning in shaping resilient and sustainable water futures for cities, businesses, and communities.
World Cities Summit 2026: Celebrating a Decade of Urban Leadership and Collaboration
Surjyatapa Ray, Associate Manager – Urban Policy at Jana Urban Space Foundation, attended the 10th edition of the World Cities Summit 2026 in Singapore, a global platform that brought together urban leaders, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss the future of cities and sustainable urban development.
Marking a decade of convening city leaders and experts, the summit focused on translating urban aspirations into action through innovative governance, integrated planning, and cross-sector collaboration.
Discussions explored approaches to enhancing urban liveability, resilience, and sustainability while addressing emerging challenges related to climate change, economic transformation, and rapid urbanisation.
The event provided an opportunity to engage with global perspectives on urban development and learn from international experiences in building inclusive, future-ready cities. It also highlighted the importance of partnerships, knowledge exchange, and long-term strategic planning in shaping sustainable urban futures.
Read the Press release here: Link
World Environment Day Engagement – Kadugodi, Bengaluru
In June 2026, Jana Urban Space Foundation, in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India (MBRDI), conducted a World Environment Day engagement session with students in Kadugodi, Bengaluru.
The initiative focused on building early environmental awareness through interactive learning experiences, activities, and informational videos, encouraging students to reconnect with their local lakes and nallahs.
The session highlighted the importance of understanding urban ecosystems through direct observation and interaction with local water bodies and the biodiversity they support.
Kadugodi’s neighbourhood lakes and nallahs became living classrooms, helping students recognise the ecological richness within their own urban surroundings.
The programme reinforced the value of experiential learning in shaping environmental consciousness from a young age, and encouraging a more eco-centric understanding of cities and nature.