The Institute of Town Planners, India, owes its origin to a small group of Town Planners of Delhi, who in 1947 decided to set up a professional Town Planning Institute on the lines similar to the Royal Town Planning Institute, London. The number of planners, which then did not exceed six, was too small for a registered society to be set up and therefore, the small group formed itself into an Indian Board of Town Planners and started working towards establishing a professional Institute.

After three years of continuous work, the members of the Indian Board of Town Planners, who then numbered about fifteen, evaluated the possibility of forming the Institute of Town Planners, India and later on finalized the Memorandum, Articles of Association and Bye-laws of the Institute.