Giving large programmes the scale and spotlight they deserve through powerful storytelling
Telling the successful tale of Three years - Two national level programmes - One legacy
Location
PAN India
Service
Impact Documentation
Year
2023
Collaborators
Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs
Role
Lead - Strategy, Design and Execution
Credit
I share the credits for this work with my super awesome team at ITDP India. I do not take ownership of this work.
Long-term programmes often risk fading into scattered memories. To capture the full arc—from inception to impact - we partnered with the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs to craft a bold, honest, and engaging coffee table book and video that bring the India Cycles4Change and Streets4People Challenges (2020–2023) to life, in one powerful narrative.
The power launch of the coffee table publication at the Smart Cities Conference 2023 | Credits: ITDP India
A digital exhibition of each cities' progress, updates and impacts | Credits: ITDP India
"I see it now - India Cycles4Change and Streets4People were two programmes that changed the conversation around walking and cycling in India"
Large-scale programmes deserve storytelling as bold as their impact - narratives that don’t just inform, but inspire lasting legacy and reverence for years to come.
Across India, cities were reimagining their streets - making them safer, more accessible, and people-friendly. But with over 100 cities participating in the India Cycles4Change and Streets4People Challenges, it was crucial to document this transformation meaningfully. The work was happening at scale, but the stories, the data, and the impact needed a way to come together and be seen.
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That’s where a focused communications effort stepped in - to connect the dots between progress, people, and policy. From rigorous work progress documentation to intuitive data comprehension and storytelling, this initiative brought the nationwide momentum to life.
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Through in-depth city spotlights, illustrated dashboards, and reports tailored for multiple audiences - from local leaders to curious citizens - the communications effort became a window into India’s urban evolution.
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More than just a record, it was a way to celebrate the cities leading change, surface learnings, and keep the momentum going. By making the data human and the progress visible, it helped cities not only do the work — but also own it, share it, and scale it.
