Dr R S Sathya Saminadan, Associate Professor of Practice, Marketing, IFMR GSB participated in a panel discussion on ‘Data-Driven Decision Making: Real-World Applications & Best Practices’ at Guru Nanak College, on 7 February 2025.

Dr R S Sathya Saminadan, Associate Professor of Practice, Marketing, IFMR GSB participated in a panel discussion on ‘Data-Driven Decision Making: Real-World Applications & Best Practices’ at Guru Nanak College, on 7 February 2025.
Dr Lakshmi Narayanan, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, SIAShas co-authored an article titled ‘Resolving the generation mechanisms and electrodynamical effects of Medium Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs)’ which has been published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences. The work is a perspective article resulting from detailed deliberations of an international team of researchers for 2-3 years led by a NASA scientist. The team has gathered twice at Bern to discuss outstanding problems regarding an ionospheric phenomenon called Medium Scale Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (MSTIDs). MSTIDs are perturbations propagating in the ionosphere of earth, and they are caused by different mechanisms that are not well understood/characterized. MSTIDs affect satellite based communication, navigation and radio astronomical observations. In this article, they discuss the most important issues in their characterisation and point to some of the inconsistencies that exist in the literature. They also provide some recommendations to the community to address these issues.
Mohammed Hasim, PhD student, IFMR GSB, won the best paper award and a cash prize of ₹10,000 at the Spatial Econometrics Workshop and PhD Colloquium held at IIT Indore. His winning paper, Illuminating Inequality: Intra-State Economic Convergence and Regional Disparities in Karnataka, India, explores regional economic patterns and disparities within the state.
Dr Sharin Shajahan Naomi, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Krea University was invited by the Humanities department ( Political Science Programme) of Guru Nanak College to present on India’s foreign policy towards war-torn countries on 11 February 2025. Her presentation focused on India’s foreign policy to countries like Ukraine, Palestine, Myanmar and historical humanitarian intervention in Bangladesh and Sri Lankan civil war. Dr Sharin Shajahan has given interviews on foreign policy to indian media before.
Sri City, February 8, 2025 – IFMR and Krea University hosted Synergy 2025, an annual flagship event designed to bring together leading academics, policymakers, and industry leaders to shape data-driven solutions for pressing developmental challenges. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, the event catalysed action to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthen governance mechanisms in India.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Krea University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Nirmala Rao, noted that “Synergy is a unique platform for the academic community to engage, debate, and critically analyse some of the most pressing issues in development, focusing on solutions and action.”
A key highlight of the event was the inaugural N Vaghul Memorial Lecture, honouring the legacy of the late Shri Narayanan Vaghul. Delivering the inaugural lecture, Mr S Krishnan, Secretary, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, highlighted the transformative impact of AI and the tectonic shifts in this space. He emphasized the role of foundational research and evidence in developing inclusive AI solutions rooted in the country’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
In line with the event’s focus on data-driven development, Synergy 2025 also marked a key milestone in strengthening government-academia collaboration. The Government of Meghalaya and IFMR signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance data systems, foster innovation, and drive efficient policy implementation. The agreement, signed by Dr Sampath Kumar, Principal Secretary and Development Commissioner, Government of Meghalaya and Mr Kapil Viswanathan, President, IFMR, builds on Meghalaya’s pioneering initiatives in data-driven governance and underscores the importance of evidence-based policymaking.
The event also featured a keynote lecture by Dr Karthik Muralidharan, Tata Chancellor’s Professor of Economics, UC San Diego and a panel discussion on enhancing state capacity including dignitaries: Dr Sampath Kumar, Government of Meghalaya; Ms Arti Ahuja, Former Secretary, Ministry of Labour & Employment; Dr Veena Srinivasan, Executive Director, WELL Labs, Dr Karthik Muralidharan, and Ms Deepthi Reddy, Chief – Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation.
Padma Shri Dr Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Founder & Former President, IIT Madras Research Park, delivered a special address that emphasised research and industry collaborations. Stressing the inherent risks involved in research, he underscored the need for mechanisms that encourage risk-taking, enabling breakthroughs that can redefine industries and improve lives.
A Unique Research Ecosystem Driving Change
The IFMR and Krea ecosystem is a hub for innovative thinking and action with a portfolio of eight interdisciplinary research centres: WELL Labs, LEAD at Krea University, JPAL South Asia, Centre for Digital Financial Inclusion (CDFI), Catalyst Atal Incubation Centre, Inclusion Economics India Centre, IWWAGE, and Sapien Labs Centre for the Human Brain and Mind, including partnerships with institutions such as Yale University, MIT, and policy entities such as NITI Aayog, Ministry of Rural Development, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, IFMR Graduate School of Business and the School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences.
The event featured an Ecosystem Showcase, where the research centres presented cutting-edge work across diverse themes, including financial inclusion, climate action, digital access, education, and public health. Faculty and students engaged with policymakers and thought leaders to explore solutions that can address India’s most pressing developmental challenges. The discussions set the stage for future collaborations, reinforcing the need for data-driven solutions and interdisciplinary approaches to tackle complex challenges.
Image Courtesy : Media Lab & Siddharth Ravikant
Jyothis Franklin, PhD scholar, IFMR GSB has presented a research paper titled ‘A Bibliometric Study of the Literature on Advertising Ethics’ co-authored with Dr Jayasankar Ramanathan, Associate Professor, Marketing, IFMR GSB at the American Marketing Association (AMA) Winter Academic Conference 2025 (Virtual) on 10 February, 2025.
Abstract:
This study aims to analyse the research impact, key trends and current state of knowledge in advertising ethics through bibliometric analysis. By examining 233 relevant articles, the study evaluates publication patterns, authorship trends and knowledge structures. It identifies influential works, contributions and evolving trends in the domain. This study guides managers in developing ethical guidelines for advertising campaigns by mapping the evolution of advertising ethics since its inception. The study is the first to employ a quantitative method to map out the relevant literature on advertising ethics.
Dr Chirag Dhara, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, SIAS, recently co-authored a paper titled, ‘A scalability-centric perspective on global human development within environmental limits.’
Nordic countries epitomise “sustainable development:” that is the general global perception. Dr Dhara has co-authored a paper demonstrating that this perception is based on a fundamentally flawed understanding of planetary climate and ecological limits – one that most international organisations, including the UNDP, suffer from. Their research shows that certain middle-income, developing countries offer a better vision for sustainable development.
Dr Sambaiah Gundimeda, Associate Professor, Politics, SIAS was invited as a resource person by the Centre for Development Studies, Trivandrum, for its ICSSR-sponsored Capacity Building Programme, “Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes – Sub-Plan and Sub-Classification” (6-7 February 2025). He delivered a talk titled “Justice at Last: Examining the Supreme Court’s Verdict on Sub-Classification.”
Dr Gundimeda highlighted how affirmative action has improved Dalit representation but has disproportionately benefited dominant SC sub-groups like Chamars, Mahars, and Malas, while marginalised groups like Madigas and Rellis remain excluded. This disparity led to demands for sub-categorisation, notably by the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) in Andhra Pradesh.
The Supreme Court’s E.V. Chinnaiah (2004) ruling deemed SCs a homogeneous group, barring states from internal classification. However, Davinder Singh (2014) reopened the debate, culminating in the landmark 2024 ruling that allowed sub-classification based on empirical data. The judgment, reinforcing substantive equality, acknowledges intra-group disparities but raises concerns about implementation and political misuse.
Debates persist over introducing a “creamy layer” filter in SC/ST reservations to prevent monopolisation by privileged sections. Moving forward, a data-driven, equitable distribution framework is essential to uphold the principles of affirmative action while addressing internal inequities.
A research article by Dr Tanmoy Chakrabarty, Assistant professor, Physics, SIAS titled, “Spin glass and complex magnetism in a high-entropy spinel oxide with five cations at both tetrahedral and octahedral sites” has been published in the “Applied Physics Letters”. In this publication, Dr Chakrabarty is one of the two corresponding authors.
In this work, the team has reported spin glass behavior and complex magnetic properties of a high-entropy spinel oxide with five cataions at tetrahedral and octahedral sites. They have carried out structural studies by XRD and SEM and studied magnetic properties using AC and DC magnetic measurements. The data from the AC magnetization confirms this material’s cluster spin glass state. Although spin glass behavior is a well reported phenomena among magnetic frustration, the novelty of this work is here it is first time observed in a high entropy oxide with 5 cations in both the tetrahedral and octahedral sites. The work highlights the potential of entropy-driven design in tailoring multifunctional materials for advanced applications.
Three first-year MBA students from IFMR GSB — Rahul Kumar, Jayesh Sharma, and Harsh Verma — secured second place in Entrée-preneurship 7.0, an online case study competition held as part of Tangerine Trails, organised by the Entrepreneurship Cell of IIM Nagpur on 16 December, 2024.