Category: Student Spotlight

Nidhin Donald, Postdoctoral Fellow, Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, Krea University, has recently contributed to two esteemed publications:

He authored an article titled Displaying the ‘Family’ Online: Reflections on Syrian Christian Visual Life in Family Studies, published in Oxford University Press.

He co-authored an article titled Ambedkar on Indian Christianity: Towards a Critique, published in South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies.

Read article 1: https://academic.oup.com/book/58844/chapter-abstract/489743367?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Read article 2: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00856401.2025.2425563

Malyaj Jain, MBA Cohort of 2025, IFMR GSB has won the Young Business Leader competition, the flagship event at T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), held on 18 and 19 January 2025. This remarkable achievement comes with a cash prize of Rs 60,000.

The two-day competition featured multiple challenging rounds. On the first day, participants solved puzzles to earn points, followed by a case-solving round and an auction. The second day concluded with a rigorous stress interview, after which Malyaj was declared the winner.

This accomplishment is a significant milestone in his MBA journey, and he takes pride in representing IFMR GSB on such a prestigious platform. Congratulations, Malyaj Jain! 

Kaustav Mehta, Teaching Fellow, Data Science, SIAS recently presented a poster at NetsciX 2025, IIT Indore. This work stems from Kaustav’s third-year undergraduate capstone project at Krea University, conducted under the supervision of Dr Shyam Kumar Sudhakar, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, SIAS. Their research, titled “Exploring Comorbidity Networks in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Subjects through Graph Theory: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study”, has been developed into a journal paper and poster. The paper is currently under editorial review.

Abstract:
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are characterised by myriad comorbidities that affect the functioning of the affected individuals. The comorbidities that TBI subjects experience span a wide range, ranging from psychiatric diseases to those that affect the various systems of the body. This is compounded by the fact that the problems that TBI subjects face could span over an extended period post-primary injury.

Sibling, a mental health and wellness start-up founded by SIAS students Mitansh Aggarwal, Adwitiya Roy, and Viney Jain, was among 400 start-ups nationwide selected to present at Udyamotsav 2025. Held on 16 January 2025 (National Start-up Day) at BMS College of Engineering in Bangalore, the event is an initiative by the MoE-AICTE Investor Network and serves as a prominent fundraising platform for early-stage startups. Organised as part of the National Startup Day celebrations, Udyamotsav highlights innovation and entrepreneurship across India.  

The start-up also received a grant of Rs 1.5 lakh from the Centre For Entrepreneurship (CFE) at Krea University last year.  The team was mentored by Professor Anil Srinivasan, Visiting Professor of Practice, Literature and the Arts, SIAS whose guidance strengthens their mission to make mental health support accessible to students nationwide. Through their transformative vision, Sibling is paving the way for meaningful change in mental health care. 

Pratibha Jain, PhD student, IFMR GSB recently presented her paper titled ‘Exploring Employee Retention Dynamics in NPOs: A Descriptive Review’ at the 2nd International Conference (SEEDS 2024) organised by Middlesex University Dubai and Jaipuria Institute of Management, Noida, India.

Abstract:
Due to the unique context and characteristics of the nonprofit sector, it differs from the for-profit sector in terms of the importance of values and employees’ willingness to accept lower wages and volunteer their time to meet community needs. This review paper explores employee retention in the nonprofit sector, focusing on the factors influencing employees’ decisions to stay with the organisation. Using a descriptive review approach, the study examines employee retention and turnover in the NPO context.

Ananya Manikandan, a second-year MBA student at IFMR GSB, secured second place in Financius ’24, a national-level article writing competition organised by X-Fin, the Finance Association of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB). The competition focused on ‘Financial Restructuring in Volatile Markets: M&A and Strategic Solutions.’ Ananya’s achievement comes with a cash prize of ₹3000, and their article will be featured in Finshastra, XIMB’s annual business magazine.

Kumar Ashuthosh, a fifth-year PhD student at IFMR GSB, has published an article titled Street Safety and Girls’ Secondary Schooling in India on the web portal Ideas for India (I4I). I4I is an economics and policy platform that features evidence-based analysis and commentary on issues related to growth and development in India. Established in July 2012 by a group of economists from the International Growth Centre (IGC), I4I operates under the joint direction of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) University of Oxford.

Abstract of the article: Street harassment in India is still a constraint on women’s education, dimming their future. Analysing the case of ‘SHE teams’ in the state of Telangana, this article shows that the introduction of special police units dedicated to women’s safety on streets led to a significant increase in girls finishing grade 12. Further, it establishes that the impact is not driven by non-street safety determinants of schooling.  

Read Here

Aarthi Venkatesh, a second-year Psychology student at SIAS, has been selected to present her research at the South Asian Forum on the Acquisition and Processing of Language (SAFAL) – 2024, one of the more prestigious and competitive cognitive science and psycholinguistics conferences organised by the Association of Cognitive Science at IIT Bombay.

Aarthi will be presenting her research on generational differences in abstract knowledge and motor association in natural language verbs.

• Organised by the SIAS Sports Club, 16 members of the SIAS football team showcased their skills at a football tournament in Puzhal on 16 November 2024, securing an impressive 4th place.
• Organised by the SIAS Sports Club, 20 students from the SIAS volleyball team participated in a practice match against the junior team from RSN Boys on 20 November 2024. The 5-set match was aimed at helping them gain valuable experience.