7th cohort of NSR Pre-doc concludes fellowship at IIM Bangalore on 1 May 2025, valedictory ceremony honours 13 scholars belonging to historically underrepresented communities

BENGALURU: The valedictory ceremony of the N. S. Ramaswamy Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (NSR Pre-doc) programme at IIM Bangalore honoured a year of research, mentorship, and transformation for the seventh cohort of the one-year fellowship programme on 1 May, 2025. The 2024-2025 batch comprised 13 scholars, 7 women and 6 male fellows with diverse academic profiles.

With the aim of institutionalizing long-term inclusion and diversity of thought in management academia, the NSR Pre-doc fellowship continues to serve as a unique pathway for scholars from historically underrepresented communities. The programme is specifically designed to enhance social diversity in management academia and provide a structured roadmap into doctoral programmes in management and allied disciplines.

The one-year, full-time apprenticeship supports individuals from marginalized backgrounds, including Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Non-Creamy Layer Other Backward Classes (NC-OBC), religious minorities, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), women, and gender minorities. It also prioritizes applicants educated in vernacular mediums, rural schools, and government institutions, offering them mentorship, research training, financial support, and guidance toward doctoral admissions.

Key speakers:

Prof. Anil B. Suraj, Chairperson, NSR Pre-doc, noted a 2.5% increase in applications this year and shared that 65 research fellows have graduated to date, with 40 pursuing PhDs. He emphasized the unique value of the programme, saying, “It equips students not just with formal training but also with tacit knowledge essential to thrive in a PhD environment. Faculty mentorship plays a pivotal role in shaping research directions and academic aspirations”.

Prof. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Director, IIM Bangalore, encouraged Fellows to give back to academia in India. “You are now on the threshold of the next step in your academic journey. The core intention of this fellowship is to prepare you for careers in academia, especially in India. I encourage you to return and contribute to the Indian academic landscape; that would be the greatest return we could ask for”.

Prof. Mukta Kulkarni, Dean Programmes, added, “Beyond the structured curriculum, much of your learning came from observation and experience. That passive knowledge is equally valuable”.

“This fellowship serves as a launchpad for academic excellence,” said Prof. Apurva Sanaria, OB & HRM area.

Faculty members of the Decision Sciences area, including Prof. Ananth Krishnamurthy and Prof. Jitamitra Desai, extended their congratulations and encouraged the fellows to maintain their academic momentum.

A Personal Reflection on the NSR Pre-doc Experience

Pre-doc fellow Ashapurna Das, OB & HRM area, who will soon pursue an MPhil at the University of Cambridge, shared, “Before I joined the programme, I was a helium balloon with no direction. The mentorship I received, especially from Prof. Apurva, gave me purpose and clarity. That is the essence of the NSR pre-doc experience.”

Meanwhile, Kishalay Raj, POM area, who transitioned from mechanical engineering at BIT MESRA to management research, shared how the programme expanded his horizons: “Coming from an engineering background, I was used to technical problem-solving. But at IIMB, I learned how those concepts apply on a much larger, real-life scale in systems, people, and policy. Presenting at ten conferences over the year showed me the depth and impact management research can have.”

Batch profile – Class of 2025

The graduating Class of 2024-25 comprises 13 NSR Pre-Doctoral Fellows specializing across diverse academic areas, including Salina Subba and Ashapurna Das of the OB&HRM area, Shibin TP of the Strategy area, Varsha Rani and Anusha Aush of the Economics area, Mohit Singh and Pawandeep Kaur of the Public Policy area, Muneeswar Pinniboina and Kishalay Raj of the Production & Operations Management area, Roshan R of the Decision Sciences area, Padma Bharati A of the Finance & Accounting area, and Tejaswini M of the Marketing area, and Harshit Kumar Kushwaha of the Information Systems area.

Among the fellows, ten pre-docs have presented research at prestigious national and international conferences on themes ranging from ‘sustainability and caste discrimination to AI and innovation.’ Many of these works have already led to co-authored academic publications. The programme’s success is also reflected in the placements secured by the fellows, including Ph.D. admissions at leading institutions such as IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Madras, the University of Göttingen, Rutgers University, and the University of Cambridge.

As the ceremony concluded with the distribution of certificates, students, faculty, and staff shared warm farewells, reaffirming the lasting connections built during a transformative year.