My name is Abhijit Parashar and I am from New Delhi, India. I graduated as an architect from School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. I have been involved in the design and execution of projects related to affordable housing, educational infrastructure, cultural development, preservation and adaptive reuse. My field of interest transitioned from environmentally responsible architecture to overall sustainable urban development which further led me to pursue MSc. Mundus Urbano International Cooperation in Urban Development from Technische Universität Darmstadt, Germany. During the course of my learning and work experience, I realised how crucial a role economy plays in realisation of urban development. For this reason, I chose MESCI for my second year specialisation as it provides the right tools and knowledge to analyse and assess the economic challenges being faced by the developing world.