Simran Kaur

The thesis explores the relationship between collaborative strategies such as Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainable heritage conservation in the context of rapidly developing urban landscapes. By taking the case of the late Mughal (18th-19th century CE) town of Farrukhnagar in Haryana, India, it explores how Corporate Social Responsibility can aid in bridging the gap between the demands of urban development and heritage conservation, especially in areas where the cultural heritage is at risk and has been alienated from the policy listings and the community. While there has been a discussion about integrated approaches that balance heritage conservation and development in recent theoretical scholarship, the viability of such approaches has still not been explored in the context of postcolonial countries such as India with respect to vulnerable sites. Such an exploration also merits looking at the existing gaps between theoretical conservation principles and the on-ground practice. The study adopts a mixed methods approach based on a ground-based survey and reflexive methodology. 

 

She holds an MA in Archaeology from UCL's Institute of Archaeology (2021-2022) and earned her BA in History (Hons.) from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, in 2021. She is also currently a research panelist and head of Citizen Archaeology at Speaking Archaeology, an archaeological education group based in India and the UK. Prior to starting her PhD, Simran has worked with Historic Royal Palaces and English Heritage in areas of public engagement, visitor services, and preventive conservation in London and previuously had extensive experience in public outreach and monument mapping and assessment of vulnerable built heritage in India, having interned with organisations such as Speaking Archaeologically, INTACH, and National Museum New Delhi.