Author: Ram Kumar

Professor Govindarajan T R delivers various talks on his academic visit to Canada

Ram Kumar Faculty & Staff Spotlight

On his academic visit to Canada, Professor Govindarajan T R, Visiting Professor, Physics​ delivered a talk on ‘Fuzzy dark matter and primordial black hole’​ at McGill University, Montreal on 15 July 2025 and ‘Overluminous Supernovae and Hubble tension’ at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo on 21 July 2025.

Fuzzy dark matter and primordial black hole
The center of most galaxies have a super massive black hole whose presence has remained a mystery. Now we have evidence that galaxies existed as early as 400 million years after the big bang. At the same time 90% of galaxy mass is made up of dark matter. This also posed problems in identifying the nature of the particle which does not interact with normal matter except through gravity. But it aids in the formation and stability of the galaxy. Ultralight particles are one of the promising candidates. We propose one such candidate which can at the same time provide some link to understand the supermassive black holes through providing seeds for ​ primordial blackholes.

​Overluminous Supernovae and Hubble tension
Type Ia supernovae (SNe\,Ia) serve as crucial cosmological distance​ indicators due to their empirical consistency in decline rates with peak​ luminosity. This facilitates finding $H_0$. Nevertheless, a statistically​ significant difference persists between $H_0$ values derived from early and late-time measurements, a phenomenon known as the Hubble tension.​ Furthermore, recent observations have identified a subset of over-luminous SNe\,Ia, characterized by peak luminosities exceeding the nominal range and faster decline rates. These discoveries raise questions regarding the reliability of SNe\,Ia as standard candles in measuring cosmological distances. We present the Bayesian analysis of over-luminous SNe\,Ia and show that they yield lower $H_0$ estimates, exhibiting closer concordance with $H_0$ estimates derived from early-universe data. This investigation potentially represents a step​ toward addressing the Hubble tension.

SIAS Alum Inika Khosla’s Capstone Published in Cambridge Journal of Human Behaviour

Ram Kumar Student Spotlight

We are delighted to share that Inika Khosla, Alum, SIAS Cohort of 2020 – 2023, has had her Psychology capstone dissertation published in the Cambridge Journal of Human Behaviour. Titled Exploring Community-based Alcohol Rehabilitation in India: A Case Study of a Community Rehabilitation and Support Centre, the paper was guided by Dr Sabah Siddiqui, Assistant Professor of Psychology, SIAS.

Sara Abraham pens an article for Frontline- The Hindu

Ram Kumar Faculty & Staff Spotlight

​Sara Abraham, Visiting Faculty, SIAS has authored an article titled Tamil Nadu’s migrant worker survey: Missing the crucial questions, and answers for Frontline – The Hindu. The article discussed a survey undertaken by the Tamil Nadu government to understand the work and living conditions of 811 inter-State migrant workers in Chennai and its surroundings. The author shares how the survey finally acknowledges millions of invisible workers but ignores illegal recruitment networks and employer violations that keep them poor.

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Second-year MBA Students Secured Second Place in a National Level Competition organised by the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) India Affiliate in Mumbai

Ram Kumar Student Spotlight

A team of second-year MBA students from IFMR GSB participated in a competition organised by the Institute of Risk Management (IRM), India Affiliate, Game of Enterprise Risk (GOER) hosted at SDA Bocconi Asia Center, Mumbai on 5 July 2025. The team – The Hedge Knights – competed against 60+ leading business schools, including IIMs across India, ultimately securing an impressive second place. After multiple rigorous rounds, only 10 institutes qualified for the final round held in Mumbai. The team comprised Mohit Acharya, Siddhi Arora, Kartik Gupta, Saurav Kumar Sonthaliya, Rahul Kumar, Harshavarthini C, Anju Elizabeth John, Harshit Singh, Anshul Mittal and Atharvraj Kharosekar. The team was guided and mentored by Dr Ankur Paliwal, Assistant Professor, Finance, IFMR GSB, whose support and expertise were invaluable throughout the competition.

In the final round, each team faced a series of multiple simulated risk and crisis events, which they were expected to respond to within just a 20-minute time frame. Each risk event tested the teams’ ability to think critically under pressure, prioritise actions effectively, and demonstrate cohesive teamwork and provide a feasible solution.

The final round was evaluated by an eminent panel of judges, including Ms Anjali Merchant Majithia, Mr Hitesh Sheth, Ms Kaveri Venkataraman, FCA, SIRM and Ms Prabha Thomas. The event was graced by Ms Kamala Kantharaj, Chief Regulatory Officer of BSE India, as the Chief Guest.

This achievement underscores the talent, dedication, and collaborative spirit of our students, as well as the commitment of IFMR GSB to fostering excellence in business education and risk management. We congratulate the entire team on this accomplishment and thank our faculty and mentors for their continuous guidance.

Enkainia 2025: IFMR GSB welcomes the brand new IMBA cohort

Ram Kumar News

04 July, 2025, Sri City

IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB), Krea University welcomed the newest cohort of Integrated MBA (IMBA) students with Enkainia – the orientation programme on 4 July 2025. The IMBA cohort comprises 72 students from 17 states, 1 Union Territory and 34 towns and cities.

Enkainia is a Greek word that signifies renewal and a new beginning, capturing the spirit of this moment. The IMBA Batch of 2025 was warmly welcomed in a vibrant inaugural ceremony, beginning with the traditional lamp-lighting, symbolising the start of a new academic journey.

Professor Suresh Venkataraman, Chairperson, IMBA Programme, delivered an inspiring address, outlining the programme’s vision and encouraging students to lead with curiosity and resilience.

Professor Madhuri Saripalle, MBA Programme Chair, gave the students a glimpse into the IFMR GSB MBA. Nagarani M, Corporate Relations, Career Services Chairperson introduced the career support framework, highlighting opportunities for industry exposure and placement readiness. Students were also introduced to the faculty members.

An engaging session on student life and campus culture gave students an overview of the diverse and inclusive IMBA ecosystem. The Admissions Committee formally welcomed the batch, followed by an introduction to all student committees that shape academic and extracurricular experiences. The ceremony set a positive and promising tone for the transformative journey ahead.

(With inputs from Dhruvi Dome and Sia Bubna, IMBA Cohort of 2023-2028)

​Dr Sarabjeet Dhody Natesan participates in Levy Economics Institute’s Summer Seminar at Bard College, New York

Ram Kumar Faculty & Staff Spotlight

From 16 to 21 June 16 2025, Dr Sarabjeet Dhody Natesan, Associate Professor of Economics, SIAS participated in the Levy Economics Institute’s Summer Seminar at Bard College, New York. This immersive programme focused on Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), financial instability, and heterodox macroeconomic policy.

The seminar, organised by the Levy Economics Institute and led by Professors Pavlina Tcherneva and L. Randall Wray, gathered an international group of scholars and academics for a week of intense lectures, workshops, and collaborative research. During this time, participants had the privilege of engaging with distinguished thinkers like James K. Galbraith, Randall Wray, and Fadhel Kaboub, as well as prominent researchers including Scott Fullwiler, Yan Liang, Yeva Nersisyan, Ndongo Samba Sylla, and Rohan Grey.

The topics covered were diverse and complex, ranging from Minskyan approaches to financial fragility and stock-flow consistent modeling to exploring monetary sovereignty in the Global South. The participants also discussed the practical applications of Job Guarantee Schemes, public provisioning, ecological finance, industrial policy, and effective policy responses to the fractured global order. The programme offered a comprehensive blend of theoretical insights and practical policy solutions rooted in Keynesian and post-Keynesian frameworks.

The seminar also coincided with the 32nd Annual Levy Conference, which provided a valuable space to address urgent global challenges—from climate transitions to structural inequality.

This was a thoughtfully designed space for learning and collaboration, furthering our understanding of how macroeconomics intersects with public policy in meaningful and impactful ways.

Dr Jyoti Prasad Mukhopadhyay and Soumyabrata Basu present research paper at multiple events

Ram Kumar Faculty & Staff Spotlight

Dr Jyoti Prasad Mukhopadhyay, Associate Professor, Economics, IFMR GSB and PhD scholar Soumyabrata Basu presented their research paper (co-authored with Dr Praveen Bhagawan, Associate Professor, Finance, Accounting and Quantitative Finance, IFMR GSB) related to the impact of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code on Indian non-financial firms at the 7th International Conference on Financial Markets & Corporate Finance (ICFMCF 2025) held at IIT Kharagpur and the 34th European Financial Management Association 2025 Annual Meeting held at the American College of Greece, respectively.

Dr Rakesh Sengupta authors article in Scientific Reports (Nature).

Ram Kumar Research Spotlight

Dr Rakesh Sengupta, Assistant Professor, Psychology, SIAS, has authored an article titled Modeling Visual Working Memory Using Recurrent On‑Center Off‑Surround Neural Network with Distance‑Dependent Inhibition and it has been published in Scientific Reports (Nature). In this work, the author introduces a hierarchical model of visual working memory (VWM) that mimics the architectural and dynamic complexity of the visual system.The network combines top-down feedback, recurrent on-center/off-surround dynamics, and distance-dependent inhibition to simulate how feature specificity evolves—from coarse object-level representation all the way down to detailed feature encoding.

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IFMR GSB at Krea University welcomes incoming MBA cohort at Prarambh 2025

Ram Kumar News

03 July, 2025, Sri City

IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB), Krea University welcomed the newest cohort of MBA students with Prarambh – the orientation programme on 3 July 2025. The day was packed with engaging sessions from leadership, faculty, staff, and students.

Prarambh 2025  witnessed the Krea community extending a warm welcome to the incoming cohort, both academically and socially. The incoming class comprises 264 students from 21 states, 3 Union Territories, and 138 towns and cities. These students  went through a holistic admission process which evaluates applicants with tailor made rounds curated for freshers and experienced aspirants.

Speaking to the students at the inaugural ceremony, Chief Guest Joellan Andrew Fernandes, Senior Vice President at BNY Mellon took the audience through his journey of grit and determination both within and beyond his corporate stints. He imparted wisdom gained from the professional spectrum and the lessons he gathered along the way. He emphasised on how learning doesn’t always come from classrooms, sometimes it comes from taking detours.

He emphasised on three rules he wished the students would abide by in the long run; focusing on skills over job descriptions, turning learning into ROI and owning it all. While the institution and organisation would provide the scaffolding and plan, it was ultimately up to the students to choose, decide and pursue relentlessly on the same. He added, “Your background doesn’t define your ceiling, your curiosity does. The gap between you and success is sometimes just one skill.”

In her address, Professor Madhuri Saripalle, Chairperson, MBA Programme, IFMR GSB welcomed the new cohort and added, “MBA is a golden ticket, a gateway to a great job and successful career ahead. But at times the journey is more important than the destination itself. You will become stronger, wiser and ready for the world, where you will make thoughtful choices, not just for your own success but for the well-being of the ones around you. You will lead in a dynamic environment full of uncertainties and a critical part of your journey will be values, ethics and sustainable business practices. Many of your learnings will not come from books but from your experiences.”

Throughout the day there were sessions led by faculty members as well as various function heads at Krea, including Nagarani M, Head – Corporate Relations and Career Services; Amanjit Kaur Ahuja, Director of Education and Student Experience, Col (Retd) Satya Saran, Chief Administrative Officer and more, ushering in the students into their two years of learning with information that would help them steer smoothly through this journey. The Orientation sessions panning Case Study Workshops, Substance Awareness, Disability Awareness, Mental Health, Awareness on Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH), and a glimpse into all the Clubs and Committees at IFMR GSB will continue to be held up until 19 July 2025.

IFMR GSB Teaching Fellows publish a research article in IPE Journal of Management

Ram Kumar Research Spotlight

A research article by Vidhya S, Teaching Fellow, OB &​ HR, ​I​FMR GSB and Naveen M​, Teaching Fellow​, Marketing, ​IFMR GSB has been published in the IPE Journal of Management (Volume 14, No. 2, July–December 2024), a UGC-CARE listed journal. The research article is titled The Dynamics of Employee Engagement: Investigating Its Influence on Job Satisfaction in the Workplace.

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