Category: General Topics

Moments and memories that made Prarambh 2024 unforgettable

Ram Kumar 0 Comment General Topics

Article by Oshi Kumari, MBA Cohort of 2023-2025

This past week, the Krea University campus welcomed the incoming MBA Cohort of 2024-2026 at IFMR GSB. The air was filled with anticipation as students embarked on their MBA journey, starting with a grand introduction to Kreaverse and the diverse lineup of clubs and committees at IFMR GSB as part of the Orientation Programme – Prarambh 2024.

One of the significant parts of the event was vibrant showcases from clubs such as Raga, Abhinay, Nritya, and Laasya. These clubs enthralled everyone with mesmerising music performances, captivating dramas, and energetic dance routines, perfectly reflecting the dynamic and colourful spirit of life at the B-School beyond the classrooms.

The excitement didn’t stop there! Committees like Arthasabha, Genesis, Abhyudaya, Consulting, Shutterbugs, MUN, Markaholic, Samarthan, Sanchalan, Synergy, Analytics, ER Alcomm, Q Team, Speakers, and Sportscomm made their mark with engaging introductions and interactive activities. Each committee brought its unique flair, ensuring that the new cohort was fully immersed in the multifaceted life at IFMR GSB.

Anusha Jain, from the MBA Cohort of 2023-2025 and a member of the organising committee, shared, “Organising the introductory event for juniors was exhilarating. Their enthusiasm promises an electrifying year of dance and camaraderie.”

Reflecting on her experience, Sohini Sikdar from the incoming MBA Cohort of 2024-2026 added, “The events organised by clubs and committees were a game-changer. They helped me break out of my shell, rediscover my interests, and enjoy unforgettable moments with my batchmates.”

From finance challenges to marketing games, debates, and sports, each moment was packed with fun, learning, and camaraderie. The CNC program was a rollercoaster of unforgettable experiences. Here’s to a year filled with growth, teamwork, and countless memories ahead!

IFMR GSB at Krea University welcomes incoming MBA cohort at Prarambh 2024

Ram Kumar 0 Comment General Topics, News
IFMR GSB at Krea University welcomes incoming MBA cohort at Prarambh 2024

03 July, 2024, Sri City

IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB), Krea University welcomed the new cohort of MBA students with Prarambh – the orientation programme slated from 3 – 7 July. The session is packed with engaging sessions from leadership, faculty, staff, and students.

Prarambh 2024 witnessed the Krea community extending a warm welcome to the incoming cohort, both academically and socially. The incoming class comprises 250+ students from 22 states across the country who have been through a holistic admission process which evaluates applicants with tailor made rounds catering to diverse aspirants.

Speaking to the students at the inaugural ceremony, Chief Guest Divakar Jain; Leader, Risk & Financial Advisory at Deloitte, US-India Office shared insights from his two decades long journey across the professional spectrum and the lessons he gathered along the way. He emphasised how important agility is in today’s world and the need to constantly unlearn and learn something new.

He imparted the mantra of three Cs to the eager students, “Courage, creativity and communication – have the courage to speak up and say the right thing, be creative enough amid the advancement of technology and communicate truthfully and directly.”

In her welcome address, Professor Lakshmi Kumar, Dean, IFMR GSB, Krea University said, “You may think you prefer a core area but may find something more interesting and relevant. Rethink your choices in the first year, and our competent faculty will guide you through the process. We aren’t shy to say, we are a professional programme where we teach you knowledge and skills which make you employable.”

Image Courtesy : Shutterbugs

In her address, Professor Madhuri Saripalle, Chairperson, MBA Programme, IFMR GSB, Krea University added, “Welcome to the beginning of a remarkable journey. We are going to give you the hard wiring, and you have to ultimately connect them. We will provide you the interdisciplinary curriculum to equip you with a wide range of skills and knowledge.”

Soumyabrata Basu, PhD student, IFMR GSB presented a paper and chaired a session at a conference in Portugal

Ram Kumar 0 Comment Spotlight, Student Spotlight

Soumyabrata Basu, a PhD student at IFMR GSB, Krea University, presented a paper titled Creditor Rights and Firm’s Cost of Debt: Empirical Evidence from Indian Firms at the prestigious 33rd European Financial Management Association Conference, held at the Lisbon School of Economics and Management in Portugal. The paper was co-authored with Dr Praveen Bhagawan, Associate Professor and Area Chair of Finance, Accounting, and Quantitative Finance, IFMR GSB, and Dr Jyoti Prasad Mukhopadhyay, Associate Professor and Area Chair of Economics, IFMR GSB. In addition to presenting, Soumyabrata Basu also served as a Session Chair for one of the presentation tracks.

Dr Bharath Sundaram Highlights Complex Challenges at Pulicat Lake at the Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), Georg-August University, Gottingen, Germany

Ram Kumar 0 Comment Faculty & Staff Spotlight, General Topics

Dr Bharath Sundaram, Sundram Fasteners Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, SIAS, Faculty Director, Krea – IFMR Research Centres Coordination Cell, and Sustainability Officer, Krea University and Sharon Buteau, Executive Director, LEAD at Krea University are leading a project to understand the interactions between environment, natural resource governance systems, market linkages, value chains, financial inclusion, climate change, and gender in Pulicat Lake. 

In this context, Dr Bharath Sundaram has been invited to present his work on Pulicat at the Centre for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), Georg-August University, Gottingen, Germany, on 19 June, 2024. He will talk about how complex push-pull factors reduce adaptive capacity of individuals and social groups within Pulicat, with strong variations across state borders and livelihood types. 

For more information, click here

Market Structure, Profitability and Regulation of Telecommunication Industry in India – A Publication by Professor Madhuri Saripalle and Dr Surabhi Somya

Ram Kumar 0 Comment Faculty & Staff Spotlight, General Topics

A paper titled Market Structure, Profitability and Regulation of Telecommunication Industry in India, co-authored by Professor Madhuri Saripalle, Professor, Economics and Chairperson – MBA Programme at IFMR GSB, Krea University and Dr Surabhi Somya, a PhD alumna of IFMR GSB, Krea University and currently a Consultant at Deloitte USI, Financial & Risk Advisory, has been published in Global Business Review. 

The telecom industry in India has witnessed exponential growth in the past decade; however, its profitability has been on the decline post 2008. This study analyses the determinants of profitability of the industry during 2010–2022 using the conventional structure-conduct-performance paradigm. The authors estimate a dynamic panel data model to understand the role of endogeneity and profit persistence in the industry. Results suggest that there is profit persistence in the industry. Among conduct variables, export intensity has a positive impact while selling and import intensities has a negative impact on profitability. While size is not significant, industry concentration has a negative impact on profitability. These results suggest that as the telecom industry transitioned from a monopoly to an oligopolistic market with players competing in different domains and services, selling and advertisement intensity has diminishing returns to profitability while export intensity emerges as an important driver of profitability. Results also suggest the importance of the production-linked incentive scheme encouraging exports and the need for regulating concentration and encouraging import substitution.

You can access the publication here. 

Dr Swarnamalya Ganesh graces the stage of the Faiz Festival 2024

Ram Kumar 0 Comment Faculty & Staff Spotlight, General Topics

Dr Swarnamalya Ganesh, Assistant Professor of Practice, SIAS, Krea University has been invited as the First South Indian artiste to grace the stage of the Faiz Festival 2024, held on 9-11 February, 2024. 

Dr Ganesh had the honour of delivering remarks at the festival’s opening ceremony, alongside Salima Hashmi, daughter of Faiz Saab, and other esteemed Pakistani dignitaries. Her performance took place in a packed hall at the Alhamra Arts Center, SADIR – Beyond Borders. Over the course of 90 minutes, she presented a diverse repertoire in Deccani, Urdu, Telugu, drawing from her extensive research in multicultural histories of performance. Through song, dance, and spoken word, she emphasised the role of the arts as a means of fostering dialogue – a crucial endeavour, particularly in light of the failure of politicians to bridge divides, which only serves to exacerbate partisan tensions and religious animosity. The evening concluded with a rendition of Hum Dekhenge, Faiz Saab’s poetry of hope, resilience and revolution, translated by the theatre director Mangai and sung by Anjana and Bindumalini. 

“I told the audience, how in the chalice of my heart, I have long nestled a longing to see them – Lahore! The performance moved me and every one in the 400 odd packed hall to tears. We all shared our tears of loss and hope through the arts,” remarks Dr Ganesh. “To be an artiste is to be able to connect with the world. Going to Lahore and Pakistan showed me how the heart can ache when happiness and togetherness is ‘so near, yet so far’. I crossed the border by foot at Wagah-Attari, and that by itself is an experience worth sharing with our Krea community, not to mention the amazing people I met in Pakistani, their culture and sense for our combined history. A look at us from the outside, is a reality check, indeed.”

Paper Presentation

Ram Kumar 0 Comment General Topics, Student Spotlight

Nidhin M, PhD student in Finance & Accounting, IFMR GSB, Krea University presented a research paper titled The Effect of ESG Disclosure on Trade Credit and Working Capital Efficiency at the International Conference on Contemporary Issues in ESG, GITAM School of Business Hyderabad held on 16 and 17 February, 2024. He has co-authored the paper with Dr Vinod Kumar,  Associate Professor – Finance, Accounting, & Quantitative Finance – IFMR GSB, Krea University. They have been selected as one of the recipients of the Best Five Paper Awards at the conference.

Brewing Ideas Over Coffee: A Glimpse into Krea University’s Koffee GoSip

Ram Kumar 0 Comment General Topics
Brewing Ideas Over Coffee: A Glimpse into Krea University’s Koffee GoSip

In the bustling halls of academia, where lectures and seminars often dominate the scene, Krea University continues to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among faculty members. One such initiative is Koffee GoSip, a series of informal talks where ideas flow as freely as the coffee.

We had the privilege to sit down with Dr Soumya Dey, Assistant Professor of Mathematics at SIAS, to delve deeper into the origins and essence of Koffee GoSip.

Genesis of Koffee GoSip

“Sometime in the beginning of last trimester, Kalyan, Rishi and I were having coffee together in the Faculty Lounge, and we were discussing the importance of academic interaction among faculty members from different disciplines, especially in a liberal arts university like Krea,” Dr. Dey recalls. “We felt the need to have some informal platform where faculty members from seemingly far apart disciplines would be able to learn from each other in a relaxed setting and exchange ideas. This usually doesn’t happen during a seminar or a research talk.”

The trio envisioned a space where faculty could engage in intellectually stimulating conversations outside the confines of traditional academic formats. Thus, Koffee GoSip was born, with a name that encapsulates the essence of informal discourse and scholarly exchange over a cup of coffee.

Unlike formal lectures or seminars, Koffee GoSip offers a relaxed setting where faculty members can share their research, insights, and passions with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Dr Dey emphasises, “The aim is to facilitate cross-disciplinary learning and foster a sense of community among faculty members.”

Frequency and Participants

Since its inception on 1 November, 2023, Koffee GoSip sessions have become a weekly fixture during trimesters, subject to the availability of speakers. The audience primarily comprises faculty members of Krea University, with postdoctoral fellows also welcomed into the fold.

Over the course of eight sessions, Koffee GoSip has covered a rich tapestry of topics, ranging from the intricacies of Alzheimer’s disease modeling to the societal implications of mass media. Here’s a glimpse of the past talks:

  • Modeling Alzheimer’s Disease by Dr Kalyan S Chakrabarti, Associate Dean (Students) and Associate Professor of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, SIAS
  • Hydrogen Bonds – Pawns in the Game of Molecular Chess by Professor K S Viswanathan, Visiting Professor of Chemistry, SIAS
  • The Vertex Cover Problem by Dr Syed Mohammad Meesum, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Discipline Coordinator for Computer Science, SIAS
  • Quantum Cavities by Professor S Sivakumar, Dean, Research and Professor of Physics, SIAS
  • Eliciting Italian Farmers Willingness to Adopt Weather Index Insurance” by Dr Anwesha Chakrabarti, Assistant Professor of Economics, SIAS
  • Mass Media versus Mass Disconnect – A View from Within by Professor Jaideep Hardikar, Visiting Professor of Practice, SIAS
  • How Much CO2 Are We, at Krea, Emitting? by Dr Chirag Dhara, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Discipline Coordinator for Environmental Studies, SIAS
  • Stories of Origin and Stories about Making by Professor Bishnu Mohapatra, Director of the Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of Politics, SIAS

Join the Conversation

All faculty members are encouraged to participate in Koffee GoSip. Whether you wish to share your research findings, delve into a topic of interest, or simply connect with colleagues over coffee, Koffee GoSip provides the perfect platform to do so.

To propose a talk for an upcoming session, simply reach out to Dr Soumya Dey at [email protected].

So, grab a cup of coffee and join the conversation!

The flight of flamingos at Pazhaverkadu on the day of GSLV rocket launch – An Article by Professor Govindarajan T R

Ram Kumar 0 Comment Faculty & Staff Spotlight, General Topics

Professor Govindarajan T R, Visiting Professor in Physics at SIAS, Krea University, published an article for the digital platform The FederalI. Through stunning visuals and evocative descriptions, the article titled The flight of flamingos at Pazhaverkadu on the day of GSLV rocket launch juxtaposes nature against human innovation, implicitly inviting readers to reflect on the delicate balance between progress and the preservation of natural wonders. 

Read the article here

Book launch of The Great Flap of 1942: How the Raj Panicked over a Japanese Non-invasion authored by Professor Mukund Padmanabhan

Ram Kumar 0 Comment General Topics, News
Book launch of The Great Flap of 1942: How the Raj Panicked over a Japanese Non-invasion authored by Professor Mukund Padmanabhan

15 February, 2024, Sri City: Krea University hosted the book launch of The Great Flap of 1942: How the Raj Panicked over a Japanese Non-invasion authored by renowned journalist Professor Mukund Padmanabhan, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS), Krea University, and former editor of The Hindu and The Hindu BusinessLine, on the campus.

The launch unfolded with opening remarks by Professor Nirmala Rao, Vice-Chancellor of Krea University, as she spoke highly of the compelling storyline. This was followed by an engaging hour-long conversation between Professor Mukund Padmanabhan and Dr Aashique Ahmed Iqbal, Assistant Professor of History at SIAS, Krea University as they delved into the intricacies of the book, holding the audience in rapt attention. Attendees eagerly participated and posed insightful questions.

Dr Prithvi Datta Chandra Shobhi, Dean and Associate Professor of History at SIAS, Krea University provided closing remarks, offering valuable insights for history students gleaned from the book’s contents. The session culminated with a book signing session.

Published by Penguin Random House, The Great Flap of 1942: How the Raj Panicked over a Japanese Non-invasion presents a narrative history of the Japanese attacks in Southeast Asia and their impact on India. The book sheds light on a neglected and scarcely known period of history ― between December 1941 and mid-1942 ― when India was gripped by panic, jostled between the rumours and misjudgements by the British and their mistaken belief that Japan was on the verge of launching a full-fledged invasion.

The book demonstrates, quite astonishingly, that the Raj cynically encouraged the exodus (of Indians and Europeans) from both sides of the coastline to ‘safer’ inland regions and contributed to the repeated cycles of rumour, panic and flight. It also reveals how the shadow of the Japanese threat influenced the course of nationalist politics, altered British attitudes towards India and charted the course towards Independence.

It has received many captivating reviews, including those by William Dalrymple and Gopalkrishna Gandhi. Dalrymple’s description of the book as a ‘superbly well researched, tightly constructed…..and pinned to the page in stylish, witty and evocative prose’, testifies to Professor Mukund Padmanabhan’s depth of scholarship and academic excellence.

View the complete event here

Krea University