Bengaluru, Apr 28: The eighth cohort of the N.S. Ramaswamy Pre-doctoral Fellowship at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) successfully completed their one-year apprenticeship, with certificates awarded on April 27. The 2025–26 batch comprised twelve fellows, including ten women and two men, representing eight areas of specialization.
Since its inception in 2018, the programme has graduated 77 fellows, with more than 50 progressing to doctoral programmes in India and abroad. The current cohort reflected a diverse academic background, spanning Finance & Accounting, Decision Sciences, Information Systems, Economics, Strategy, Marketing, OB&HRM, and Public Policy.
The NSR Pre-doctoral Fellowship is designed to create structured pathways for candidates from historically underrepresented communities in management and allied disciplines. Through rigorous methodological training, close faculty mentorship, and early immersion in research, the programme equips participants with the skills and confidence required to pursue doctoral studies and contribute meaningfully to academia.
Prof. Anil B. Suraj, Chairperson of the NSR Pre-doc and Committee on Diversity and Inclusion at IIMB, congratulated the fellows and highlighted the programme’s interdisciplinary strength. He noted the varied academic backgrounds of participants and shared that several alumni have already completed or are nearing completion of their PhDs.
Prof. Mukta Kulkarni, Dean, Programmes, emphasized the academic preparedness of the fellows, noting their seamless transition into doctoral coursework and their meaningful classroom contributions. Prof. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, encouraged participants to view this milestone as the beginning of a long academic journey and expressed the institute’s aspiration to welcome them back as faculty in the future.
Faculty members also highlighted the importance of adaptability and research-driven thinking in an evolving academic landscape. Prof. Tarun Jain, Chairperson, PhD Programme, urged fellows to embrace emerging technologies while maintaining independent thinking and research integrity.
The stipend-supported initiative plays a critical role in fostering diversity in management academia while building a strong pipeline of future researchers and educators. Fellows benefit from long-term professional relationships with peers and faculty, alongside hands-on exposure to advanced research methodologies.
Reflecting on their journey, participants shared valuable insights gained during the programme. Nisha Kumari (OB&HRM) noted improved skills in academic reading and conceptual writing, while Meera Remesh (Finance & Accounting) highlighted a deeper appreciation for research as a process of inquiry. Others emphasized the programme’s role in enhancing technical expertise, critical thinking, and clarity in research direction.
The ceremony concluded with the distribution of certificates, marking both the culmination of the fellows’ engagement with the programme and the beginning of their transition into doctoral studies at leading institutions in India and globally.
The NSR Pre-doctoral Fellowship continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening India’s research ecosystem by nurturing diverse, high-quality academic talent and advancing the future of management education.
