From robust library to widening public access: New IHC director maps out future plan

While IHC has traditionally operated on a membership-based model, Suresh intends to make several of the institution’s initiatives accessible to the public as well

Written by Trisha Mukherjee

New Delhi | October 28, 2025 05:50 AM IST

5 min read

India Habitat Centre director K G Suresh at IHC. (Express/Abhinav Saha)

He witnessed the India Habitat Centre (IHC) on Delhi’s Lodhi Road take shape in the 1990s. Born and raised in the same neighbourhood of Lodhi Estate, where his father, an army officer, had a house, he never imagined that he would one day lead the institution. Following an illustrious career as a journalist and educator, KG Suresh assumed charge as the IHC director in April. He took on the position with one clear goal: to give the Centre a holistic identity.

To him, IHC resembles the elephant in the famous parable of the ‘Seven Blind Men and the Elephant’. Recalling his response during one of his interviews for the role, he says, “As each of the seven men started touching different parts of the elephant’s body – one was hugging the feet, another was touching the tail, another was holding the trunk – they thought it to be a pillar, a rope, but nobody was able to identify the elephant for what it was. IHC is like that elephant. Some would say it’s a convention centre, others would call it a banquet hall… But what is the integrated image of IHC? It has a bit of everything, but nothing completely defines it. It has always been a vibrant institution. But what I found missing was a common identity. Hospitality will certainly remain a part, but I want to give it the identity of an intellectual and cultural centre.”

Established in 1993, IHC was envisioned as a centre to facilitate interaction between “individuals and institutions working in diverse habitat-related areas” through conference venues, auditoria, hospitality spaces, a library and research centre, and art galleries.

To realise his vision, Professor Suresh has already begun expanding the institution’s existing infrastructure. A key step includes renaming the in-house library from Habitat Library & Resource Centre to Habitat Library & Research Centre.

“There are a lot of institutions here, like the National Institute of Urban Affairs, the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), and the idea is to be an aggregator and bring all the research together. Then we can conduct workshops and seminars on the findings. Also, an IHC online journal is in the making…” he elaborates. He has also introduced two new segments within the library – Bharat Bodh Kendra and Delhi Documenta.

The Bharat Bodh Kendra will house information about India – from its civilisation, culture and traditions to its philosophy. “The Kendra is not just a space within the library; it will also organise programmes. We have started a series called ‘Sanlaap’, under which people will have the opportunity not just to see a dance form but also to understand the philosophy behind it…,” he says.

Delhi Documenta will offer a comprehensive collection of information on Delhi – past, present and future. A curated selection of Sahitya Akademi award-winning books in regional Indian languages, including Hindi, Bangla, Tamil, Gujarati and Marathi, will also be available in the IHC library.

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While IHC has traditionally operated on a membership-based model, Suresh intends to make several of the institution’s initiatives accessible to the public as well. “IHC now hosts three types of events – members-only, ticketed events, and those that are free for all. The idea is to involve more people and democratise the process,” he says.

Other initiatives – across all three categories – include a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Stock Exchange to conduct financial literacy programmes, a collaboration with the Indian Council of Philosophical Research for monthly study circles, and monthly health camps in partnership with Max and Pacific Hospitals, among others.

Suresh succeeded fellow media professional Sunit Tandon, bringing with him a wealth of experience. His career includes roles such as Senior Consulting Editor with Doordarshan News, Editorial Consultant with Asianet News Network, Chief Political Correspondent with Press Trust of India, and Group Media Advisor to Dalmia Bharat Enterprises Ltd. He also served as Director General of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (a role previously held by Tandon) and most recently as Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism & Communication, Bhopal, for five years.

The opportunity to return to Delhi, his home city, made the IHC role more appealing for Suresh. “Delhi is my birthplace. My family is settled here. While any job is challenging, one always wishes to return home towards the end of one’s career. My tenure at Makhanlal was concluding, and I’m nearing my 60s. So, I felt it was time to come back,” he says, adding that the role also allowed him to diversify his already versatile portfolio.

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