Urban sociology in India developed as a distinct field of study with the growth of towns, cities, industrialization, migration, and changing social relationships. Although the study of Indian urban society can be traced to earlier works on cities and communities, urban sociology emerged more systematically during the twentieth century. It examines the social structure, institutions, patterns of interaction, inequalities, and problems associated with urban life. During the colonial period, Indian cities such as Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Delhi, and other administrative and commercial centres expanded rapidly. The development of railways, ports, industries, markets, and colonial administration transformed the social and spatial organization of these cities. Early studies largely focused on demographic, administrative, economic, and ethnographic aspects rather than developing an independent urban sociological perspective. Census reports, municipal records, and colonial surveys provided important information about population, occupations, housing, caste, and migration. After independence in 1947, urban sociology gained greater importance because India began pursuing planned economic development and industrialization. The establishment of new industries, public-sector enterprises, educational institutions, and administrative centres encouraged rural-to-urban migration. Cities became major centres of employment and social mobility. Indian sociologists increasingly studied urbanization, migration,