Description
Nestled between the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Humayun’s Tomb and the sacred precinct of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, Sunder Nursery is a landscape shaped by centuries of history, culture, and nature. Originally a Mughal-era ensemble of tombs, pavilions, and gardens, it later served as a British nursery for the new imperial capital of New Delhi before evolving into a thoughtfully designed public space where heritage, ecology, and urban life converge.
Sunder Nursery’s restoration and transformation is part of the Nizamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative, launched in 2007 by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), in collaboration with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF). It follows an urban landscape approach in undertaking conservation works on monuments standing across 300 acres in the heart of New Delhi. Guided by Indian garden traditions, the conservation works honour the past while embracing a vision for the future.
This volume traces the journey of Sunder Nursery’s revival over 15 years, documenting the site’s original conditions, the restoration of its built heritage, the renewal of its ecological character, and its emergence as a vital urban space. It highlights how the integration of heritage preservation, ecological revitalization, and community development can serve as a model for sustainable urban renewal, making it a valuable resource for practitioners, policymakers, scholars, and communities alike.
Contributors: Luis Monreal, Gillian Wright, Ratish Nanda, Gautam Bhatia, Yogesh Kapoor, Hardeep Thakur, Kiral Pal Singh, Rajpal Singh, Somak Ghosh, Deepak Padhi, James L. Wescoat Jr., Rakesh Gupta, Mayank Austen Soofi, and Narendra Swain.
About the Editors:
Geeta Wahi Dua: A landscape architect whose work spans academia, journalism, and collaborative projects emphasizing cultural and ecological narratives.
Archana Saad Akhtar: Programmes Director for Design & Outreach with the AKTC. An architect and new-media design professional, she supervises AKTC’s Delhi and Hyderabad projects and has contributed to several publications and exhibitions.
Gardens Within A Garden: Sunder Nursery, New Delhi
Edited by Geeta Wahi Dua and Archana Saad Akhtar
“Each generation must leave for its successors an enhanced and sustainable social and physical environment.”
— His Late Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan IV
Book Specifications:
Category: Heritage & Conservation, Landscape, Gardening
Pages: 272 pages | Illustrations: 565 photographs and 50 drawings
Dimensions: 9.85 x 9.85″ (250 x 250 mm)
Softcover (SC): ISBN: 978-93-94501-32-4 | ₹1950 | $40 | £30
Hardcover (HC): ISBN: 978-93-94501-46-1 | ₹3950
Year of Publication: Spring 2026
Association: Published in association with the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, New Delhi
