IIMB Spotlight
Professor Rahul De’ Bids Farewell to IIMB After 22 Years of Excellence

On 31st December 2024, Professor Rahul De’ from the Information Systems area superannuated from IIM Bangalore, concluding a distinguished 22-year tenure at the Institute. Before joining IIMB, Prof. De’ held teaching positions at several renowned institutions across the United States, including Rider University, Bowie State University, Western Illinois University, and the University of Pittsburgh. He also had stints at Bordeaux Business School, France, and University Carlos III of Madrid, Spain. Before his academic journey, he worked as a Consultant at S. B. Billimoria & Co., New Delhi.
Prof. De’ holds a PhD from the JM Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh, USA, an MBA from Delhi University’s Faculty of Management Studies, and a BTech from IIT Delhi. His research interests spanned a range of topics, including ICT for development, open source, e-Government systems, digital payments, internet governance, telemedicine, and AI ethics. His work has been widely published, and he has served on numerous professional boards, including the IDRBT and Software Freedom Law Centre.
Prof. De’ has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including being named an AIS distinguished member in 2024 and recognized as one of India’s top ten AI researchers by Analytics India Magazine in 2020. He was honored with the Outstanding Paper Award at EGOV 2009 and named Best Professor in Information Systems at the Asia’s Best B-School Awards in Singapore (2010).
In addition to his exemplary teaching and research, Prof. De’ made invaluable contributions to the institution, serving in various senior administrative roles, including Member of the Board of Governors and Dean (Programmes), and playing a key role in shaping IIMB’s development.
As part of his superannuation, Prof. De’ shared a special address, reflecting on his journey at IIMB and his thoughts on the future. You can watch the full video of his address here: Superannuation Video with His Special Address.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Prof. Rahul De’ for his immense contributions to IIM Bangalore and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Prof. Anand Deo Wins ISIM Outstanding Simulation Award

Prof. Anand Deo, from the Decision Sciences area at IIM Bangalore, has been awarded the ISIM Outstanding Simulation Publication Award by the INFORMS Simulation Society, recognizing groundbreaking contributions to simulation literature. He shares this honor with co-author Prof. Karthyek Murthy of Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).
Their study, “Achieving Efficiency in Black-Box Simulation of Distribution Tails with Self-Structuring Importance Samplers,” introduces a transformative importance sampling (IS) method. This innovation overcomes traditional scalability challenges by implicitly inducing efficient distributions, enabling broad applicability across operations, financial engineering, and analytics.
The methodology achieves optimal variance reduction and demonstrates its potential through models like shortest-path and portfolio credit risk, informed by neural networks. The research sets a benchmark for simulation techniques, offering new insights for performance modeling and analysis.
Prof. Nilam Kaushik Wins Best Paper Award at India Strategy Conference

Prof. Nilam Kaushik from the Strategy area at IIM Bangalore has won the Best Paper Award at the 2nd India Strategy Conference, organized by IIM Ahmedabad in collaboration with IIM Bangalore and ISB. The award-winning paper, “Relevant vs Diverse Knowledge and Team Innovation Performance: Field Experimental Evidence,” was co-authored with Prof. Kevin Boudreau from Northeastern University and NBER.
In addition, IIMB PhD student Anubha Shokhand, mentored by Prof. Kaushik, received the AOM STR Global Scholarship Award at the same conference. This prestigious honor is given to scholars contributing innovative ideas to advance research and understanding in strategic management.
The accolades underscore IIM Bangalore’s commitment to fostering impactful research and academic excellence in the field of strategy and innovation.
IIMB Faculty and Global Scholars Win ABDC Award for Caste Inequality Research

An international team of scholars, including Prof. Prateek Raj from the Strategy area at IIM Bangalore, has won the prestigious Australian Business Deans Council Network Award for Established Scholarly Research in 2024. The award recognizes their groundbreaking program addressing systemic caste-based inequalities in organizations and societies.
With over 20 scholars from Australia, the UK, and India, the program integrates ethical considerations of caste into management discourse. It employs theory development, empirical testing, and community-building approaches, analyzing organizational data to design interventions tackling social challenges. Notably, the initiative has supported early-career, female, and underrepresented academics globally.
Key outcomes include 16 top-tier journal articles, policy adoption by Melbourne City Council and the Australian Human Rights Commission, and impactful studies like a PLOS One paper co-authored by Prof. Raj. This work, hailed for examining income gaps among Dalit business owners, underscores IIMB’s commitment to advancing equity and inclusion.
PhD Scholar Manisha Rathi Publishes Research on Online Review Behavior

IIM Bangalore PhD scholar Manisha Rathi, from the Information Systems area, has co-authored a research paper, “Unraveling Prosumption Behavior for Online Reviews during Environmental Uncertainty: A Stimulus-Response Perspective,” published in the prestigious Information Systems Frontiers (ABDC: A) journal.
Collaborating with Prof. Adrija Majumdar (IIM Ahmedabad) and Prof. Sawan Rathi (IIT Bombay), the study explores how environmental disruptions, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, influence online review behavior. The research focuses on “prosumption,” the dual role of individuals as both producers and consumers of reviews, using data from U.S. restaurant reviews during varying levels of COVID-19 impact.
This study provides insights into reshaping online interactions during crises and highlights how external stimuli influence individual responses, contributing significantly to understanding consumer behavior in uncertain environments.
PhD Scholar Manan Gandhi Publishes Two Case Studies at IIM Ahmedabad Case Center

IIM Bangalore PhD scholar Manan Alpeshbhai Gandhi, from the Organizational Behavior & Human Resource Management area, has published two case studies at the IIM Ahmedabad Case Center, co-authored with Prof. Vishal Gupta (IIM Ahmedabad).
The cases analyze the planning and execution of the Pramukh Swami Maharaj Shatabdi Mahotsav, a month-long centenary festival held in Ahmedabad from December 2022 to January 2023. One case highlights the event’s grand scale, featuring a 67-foot Akshardham replica, cultural performances, and extensive infrastructure for millions of visitors.
The second case delves into constructing PSM Nagar within nine months, mobilizing 80,000 volunteers, and managing large-scale logistics. These studies showcase strategic organizational planning and provide invaluable lessons for managing complex, high-impact events.
PGPEM Students Secure Runner-Up Spot in Social-Impact Competition

Three IIM Bangalore PGPEM students, Gethaara Gowri Gowthami, Lakshmi R, and Naveen Raj S, clinched the National First Runners-Up title at IIM Calcutta’s Innovate for Social-Impact competition.
Their project, “EatWise,” proposed transforming the restaurant and food delivery industry through sustainability and ethical practices. Key innovations included zero-waste operations with reusable packaging, electric vehicle deliveries, and blockchain-enabled ingredient transparency. The solution also incorporated gamified eco-rewards and direct sourcing from local farmers.
By blending environmental responsibility with customer engagement, the team’s strategy emphasized community upliftment through job creation and micro-funding opportunities, presenting a scalable model for sustainable growth in India’s food sector.
Doctoral Scholar Sanchit Jain Publishes Case with Harvard Business Publishing

IIM Bangalore PhD scholar Sanchit Jain, from the Finance & Accounting area, has co-authored a case study titled “smallcase: A Disruptive Business Model in India,” now published with Harvard Business Publishing.
Collaborating with Prof. Ashis Mishra (IIM Bangalore) and Dr. Vibhu Teraiya (Great Lakes Institute of Management), the case examines Smallcase’s innovative approach to retail investing. Founded in 2015 by IIT Kharagpur graduates, Smallcase revolutionized equity markets with curated stock portfolios called smallcases, enabling diversification and theme-based investing.
With over 1 crore users and ₹95,000 crore in transactions, Smallcase’s collaborative ecosystem of brokers and advisors has redefined investment practices. The case addresses scaling challenges, profitability, and competitive positioning, offering startups a framework for leveraging customer-centric strategies to disrupt traditional business models.
PGPPM Student Kiran BS Honored with Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar

Kiran BS, a PGPPM ’25 student at IIM Bangalore and Director of Marketing and Business Development for Indian Railways, received the prestigious Ati Vishisht Rail Seva Puraskar in recognition of his exemplary contributions.
Kiran’s efforts in enhancing efficiency, safety, and passenger experience have set benchmarks within Indian Railways. His visionary leadership and dedication earned him a place among 100 distinguished awardees, marking a proud achievement for the IIM Bangalore community.
PhD Scholar Mareeswaran M Wins BlackRock Research Award

IIM Bangalore PhD scholar Mareeswaran M, from the Finance & Accounting area, won the BlackRock Applied Research Award for his thesis, “Passive Ownership and Investment Efficiency,” presented at the IFC conference held at IIM Raipur.
Selected as one of the top five job market papers globally, Mareeswaran’s research explores passive ownership’s impact on financial markets and investment efficiency. This prestigious recognition underscores the paper’s significance in advancing knowledge in financial economics and investment management.
PGP ’25 Students Win Rajasthan Royals Case Competition

IIM Bangalore PGP ’25 students Akshay Prashant and Akshit Chandra, as Team BizAcers, emerged as Pan-India winners of the Rajasthan Royals Case Competition.
Their sustainability case, “Empowering Rajasthan Royals: Pioneering Sustainability,” proposed innovative strategies like recycling old merchandise, reducing textile waste, and collaborating with rural artisans for eco-friendly products. The fan engagement case introduced digital innovations to deepen connections with supporters, rebranding the team’s identity through inclusive, tech-driven solutions.
These impactful strategies position Rajasthan Royals as sustainability leaders while fostering community involvement.
EPGP ’25 Students Participate in Himalayan Leadership Challenge

Eleven EPGP ’25 students from IIM Bangalore participated in the Himalayan Mountain Challenge, a leadership program focused on resilience, teamwork, and adaptability.
Accompanied by IIMB faculty members, the students undertook the Kedarkantha trek, emphasizing sustainable trekking practices. This transformative experience fostered leadership skills and environmental consciousness, leaving an indelible mark on the participants.