Dr Sambaiah Gundimeda, Associate Professor, Politics, SIAS was invited as a resource person for the Faculty Development Programme at GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The programme, held from 12 to 14 February 2025, featured Dr Gundimeda delivering two insightful lectures. His sessions focused on effective publication strategies and research proposal writing for securing funding.
The titles of his lectures were, ‘Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Publishing’ and ‘Crafting Comprehensive Budget Strategies’.
Professor Lakshmi Kumar, Dean, IFMR GSB led the seminar on ‘Global Business Transformation for a Resilient Future’ organised by the Commerce Department of Stella Maris College, Chennai.
A blog titled Transgender People in Indian Science Institutions: Identity, Community & Belonging by Purnaa Muthu, a third-year SIAS student majoring in Psychology and a former peer tutor at the Centre for Writing and Pedagogy (Krea-CWP), has been published on CDJ Plus, the blog of the Community Development Journal (Oxford University Press).
In this piece, Purnaa explores the work of Sayantan Datta, Assistant Professor of Practice, Krea-CWP, focusing on the lived experiences of transgender, gender non-conforming and nonbinary individuals in Indian science institutions. Along with a comprehensive summary of Sayantan’s previous research, published in the Community Development Journal, she offers new insights from her interview with them.
Professor Jayaram Ramakrishnan, Professor of Practice, Finance, IFMR GSB, presented a webinar on ‘Cost Optimisation for MSMEs’ to members of ICAI on behalf of the MSME & Startup Promotion Board (MSPB) of The Institute of Cost Accountants of India on 7 February 2025. The session was attended by over 450 ICAI professionals and was presided over by the Chairman of the MSME Board and a Central Council member of ICAI.
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, SIAS has 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.
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.
