Posted on July 23rd, 2025 by Anoushka Puri

Over the past few weeks, I had the opportunity to share my journey and the mission behind the International Shelter Foundation with Beyond India and The Day Magazine. Speaking with both platforms was not just an honour, but also a moment to pause and reflect on how far this work has come, from something deeply personal to a growing initiative that now stands on the shoulders of community voices, collaboration, and a lot of gritty optimism.

In my interview with Beyond India, we spoke at length about what housing justice really means in the context of India’s urban landscape. I’ve always believed that housing is never just about the physical structure. It is about identity, dignity, safety, and a sense of belonging. When people ask me what inspired ISF, I often go back to those long drives across Indian cities where slums stood shoulder to shoulder with glass towers. That sharp contrast planted a quiet question in my mind, one that grew louder over the years: Why does this disparity feel so permanent, and what can we do to change it?

Design has always been the language through which I process the world, and eventually it became the tool through which I hoped to offer solutions. But design alone is not enough. My conversations with The Day and Beyond India explored how participatory approaches, policy engagement, and interdisciplinary thinking are essential if we’re serious about transforming informal settlements. In our work at ISF, we don’t just draw floor plans. We listen, we research, we work with partners on the ground, and we co-create possibilities with residents who are experts in their own lived experiences.

I spoke about how my background in architecture and airport planning helped sharpen my systems thinking. It might sound like an odd mix at first, but both fields require a keen sense of how people move, how they interact with built environments, and how infrastructure either supports or fails them. That kind of thinking translates surprisingly well into the world of slum redevelopment, where every square metre carries the weight of multiple lives, layered histories, and complex needs.

One thing I wanted to express in these interviews is that working in housing justice is not always romantic. It involves navigating bureaucracy, confronting harsh truths, and constantly recalibrating strategies to match the reality on the ground. But what keeps me grounded is the clarity of our purpose at ISF. We are not here to impose solutions. We are here to support communities as they reclaim space, reshape futures, and rise, one home, one neighbourhood, one bold idea at a time.

Having these conversations in public spaces like Beyond India and The Day feels like an important step forward. Not because of personal recognition, but because it allows a wider audience to see the value in this work and the urgency it demands. It also opens the door to partnerships, questions, critiques, and collaborations that are all vital if we are to scale our impact meaningfully.

These stories are not just mine. They belong to every student, volunteer, planner, architect, and resident who believes in the idea that where you live should never determine whether you live with dignity. To read the full article, here’s the link!