India’s Tier 2 and 3 cities are where the next chapter of urban transformation will be written. This session brings together senior government leaders and ecosystem actors to explore how these cities can move beyond pilot-driven reforms to institutional, inclusive, and resilient urban growth. Anchored by a keynote from Shri G. Mathi Vathanan, IAS – who has led more than a decade of transformation in Odisha – the session will draw lessons from real-world administrative reform, collaborative problem-solving, and the strategic use of digital public infrastructure. A panel of urban practitioners will build on this foundation to reflect on what it takes to design, implement, and govern urban change that lasts.