“Mysuru is a structured city built by the Wadiyars and the old and the new blend perfectly. Mysuru’s areas and roads are interconnected without any scope for confusion even for a person who is visiting for the first time.”

Mysore/Mysuru: At the recent convocation of the University of Mysore, amidst the celebration of numerous gold medal winners for their outstanding achievements, Chemira Thanisha Changappa emerged as a stand-out success in the field of M.Tech. Urban Regional Planning. With an exceptional display of talent and determination, she secured an impressive 16 gold medals, setting an inspiring standard for achievement.

Thanisha started her studies at Amrita Vidyalayam in Mysuru and continued at Sharada Vidyanikethana Public School, Thalapady, Mangaluru, from class 8 and did her PU. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University School of Design, University of Mysore (UoM).

On completing her Bachelor’s degree, she bagged a merit seat at the School of Planning and Architecture, UoM, where she pursued her M.Tech. in Urban Regional Planning.

Daughter of former Indian Navy Officer Chemira B. Changappa and late Radha (Nayakanda), residents of Vijayanagar in city, Thanisha is the grand-daughter of Chemira late Belliappa and late Seethamma and Nayakanda late Changappa and late Parvathi.

Thanisha is at present working as an Assistant Professor at CVM (Charutar Vidya Mandal) University in Gujarat and has also served as an Assistant Professor at Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengaluru. Gujarat was a natural choice when it came to pursuing her network in research in Urban Planning. 

Thanisha’s expertise lies in the architecture and planning industry, with skills in AutoCAD, interior architecture, 3D modelling, photography and 3D rendering. She is particularly focused on urban, community, and regional planning, emphasising sustainability in her work, including sustainable buildings, landscaping and green building initiatives.

In her perspective, Urban Planning must be sustainable, coexistent and environmental- friendly, adapting to changes in settlement patterns and considering economic aspects and population density. Drawing inspiration from well-planned cities like Anand and Ahmedabad in Gujarat, she envisions smart and sustainable urban development.

In her view of Mysuru city as an Urban Planner, she noted that it is a structured city built by the Wadiyars and the old and the new blend perfectly. “Mysuru’s areas and roads are interconnected without any scope for confusion even for a person who is visiting for the first time. It is easy to navigate and here, the city has grown beyond the structural development laid by the erstwhile rulers with laws and by-laws to strictly protect the heritage structures,” she noted. 

Despite her remarkable success, Thanisha remains humble about her achievements and expresses her love for teaching. She plans to continue in academia, considering future pursuits such as a doctorate and post-doctoral studies. She attributes her success to a well-defined study pattern, dedication, systematic learning and a balanced approach to studies.

 On a personal note, Thanisha faced a challenging period during her studies in 2021, losing her mother. Despite this, she excelled academically, motivated by her mother’s pride in her achievements.  “When my mother was in ICU, she was glad that I scored 9.5 CGPA in the first semester. That motivated me and I knew there was some force driving me to excel. A mother’s loss is continuous and grieving is a process which I have to go through,” she sighed.