Alumni Voices

Beyond brain drain: Prof. Sourav Mukherji on building India’s academic future

Prof. Sourav Mukherji (PhD 2002), Dean – Faculty and Professor in the Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources Management area at IIM Bangalore, shares his perspectives on reversing brain drain in Indian academia in a Business Today feature titled ‘How a younger faculty is beginning to address the issue of brain drain’.

The article examines how leading Indian business schools are attracting younger, internationally trained scholars and strengthening their research capabilities. Mukherji highlights that attracting talent is only part of the challenge; institutions must also provide the research support, academic autonomy and collaborative networks that enable faculty to build meaningful academic careers in India.

He also points to the importance of institutional culture and a supportive research environment in retaining talent, while acknowledging the challenges Indian institutions face in competing with leading global universities on compensation. His observations underscore a larger shift: the need to move beyond the idea of reversing brain drain towards building an ecosystem of academic excellence and global research collaboration.

Read the full feature: Business Today – How a younger faculty is beginning to address the issue of brain drain