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I am Dr. Naresh Chhatwani, Head of the Department, Department of Architecture, IDEA, Indus University, Ahmedabad. I completed my Ph.D in Sociology from Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IITRAM, Ahmedabad.  Title of my research is Social Relations and Architecture: Study of Sindhi Neighbourhoods in India.   I have studied socio-cultural aspects of Sindhis living in Ahmedabad, Bairagarh and Ajmer to identify the effects of the Partition on Sindhi community.  My field work extended for more than three years starting from 2017. During the research I have communicated and interviewed the senior members, freedom fighters and the scholars of the community to record the oral history of Partition.

I have completed my B. Arch and M. Arch from CEPT University. Being an architect and having a long association of more than two decades in academics, I have developed interest in observing, critically evaluating the built environment. Along with my academic association I am engaged with research on social aspects of built environment, community studies through the built environment, ethnic communities and their cultural patterns. Apart from this I am interested in reading Sindhi literature, contemporary architecture of India and analyzing the social aspects of architecture and Diaspora studies. During the last few years I have guided undergraduate theses in architecture, which explore the relation of community living, socio-cultural aspects of ethnic communities with the house form and built environment.  I have presented papers on research in architecture, socio-cultural aspects of architecture at national and international conferences.