A Round-up of the Kreaverse
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Week after week, the Kreaverse continues to grow, evolve, and inspire. Across our vibrant community, ideas take shape, collaborations spark possibilities, and individuals push the boundaries of learning and innovation. As the trimester nears its close, the air at Krea is charged with focus and determination. With exams approaching, students are immersed in revisions, projects, and discussions that enrich their academic journey—each step bringing them closer to the culmination of months of exploration and growth.
Yet, beyond academics, the rhythm of university life remains undeterred. From groundbreaking research and thought-provoking discussions to creative endeavours and celebrations, the spirit of Krea continues to thrive. And with Convocation on the horizon, there is much to look forward to.
If you have stories or news to share with the Krea community, we invite you to connect with us at all.commsteam@krea.edu.in
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Counting Down to Convocation 2025
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The most anticipated event of the year is here. Krea University’s Convocation 2025 will take place on 14 June 2025 at 2:00 pm at The Music Academy, Chennai. More details about the event will be shared in the coming weeks. We look forward to your presence at this memorable occasion. Save the date!
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Workshop on the Cognitive Sciences
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Krea University is organising a weeklong summer school on the Cognitive Sciences, 'Mind, Brains, and Machines' from 12 to 16 May 2025, at Krea University campus. Bringing together insights from Linguistics, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Computational Theory, the workshop will explore key questions on cognition—ranging from language processing to neural computation. Through lectures, discussions, and hands-on training in EEG and eye-tracking, participants will examine how minds and brains process information and the implications for Artificial General Intelligence.
This year’s focus is on Natural Language—its computational complexity, challenges in artificial implementation, and insights into human brain evolution.
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Distinguished faculty include Professor Arild Hestvik, Associate Professor, Linguistics and Cognitive Science & Associate Professor, Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Professor Tobias Scheer, CNRS Research Director, Bases, Corpus, Language (BCL), Université Côte d'Azur and Professor Bapi Raju S, Professor, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH).
Find out more and register
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Dr Rangachary Kommanduri, Visiting Assistant Professor, Data Science, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS), has been awarded a grant under the MeitY Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) Program for his proposal, 'Transforming Campus Safety with AI-Powered Anomaly Detection Solutions'. The program, which supports early-stage entrepreneurs in developing innovative technology solutions, is supported by Gyan Circle Ventures (CIEDI) at IIIT Sri City and funded under the TIDE 2.0 initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
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Dr Joya John, Assistant Professor, Literature, SIAS, has been selected to attend the Balzan Colloquium at the Institute of World Literature, Harvard University, from 30 June to 24 July 2025.
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A case titled Mayflower Restaurants: Effective Service Delivery and Customer Engagement, co-authored by Professor Chandrasekaran N, Professor, Operations and Strategy, Area Chair – Strategic Management, and Chairperson – Executive MBA Programme, IFMR GSB, and Nagarani M, Associate Professor, OB & HR, IFMR GSB, has been published on the Ivey Case website.
Access the case here
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Dr Swayam Sampurna Panigrahi, Assistant Professor, Operations and Area Chair – Operations, IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB), delivered a guest lecture on Supply Chain Sustainability on 13 March 2025 in a research seminar on 'Sustainable Manufacturing and Operations: Bridging Academic Insights and Industry Practices,' organised by the Department of Operations Management, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa. The lecture was delivered online.
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Talk on Contemporary Global Populism
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Dr Proma Raychaudhury, Assistant Professor, Politics, SIAS, delivered an online talk at Rashtrabiggan Charchakendra, a public forum on political science, on 15 March 2025. She spoke about the different facets of contemporary global populism.
Watch the talk here
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Talk on Inequality and Climate Destabilisation
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Dr Chirag Dhara, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies, SIAS, delivered a talk at the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning (CESP), Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, on 18 March 2025. The talk, titled ‘Inequality and Climate Destabilisation,’ was part of the CESP Seminar Series 2025.
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Professor Srinivasan Kalyanasundaram, Professor of Practice, Finance, IFMR GSB, has successfully completed the Fundamentals of Case Teaching course by Harvard Business Publishing.
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Live Project on Hedge Fund Strategies
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A group of students from the MBA cohort of 2024-26, IFMR GSB is undertaking a live project on pairs trading strategies, a technique widely used by hedge funds. They are exploring various approaches, including statistical, technical, and fundamental analysis. This live project is being offered by Paterson Securities Pvt Ltd under the mentorship of Balachandran Venkataraman, a student mentor specialising in derivatives, risk management, and analytics, as well as a business and management consultant.
Read more
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In this social media campaign, discover how some of our Kreators selected their majors, what makes their disciplines unique, the key lessons they’ve learned, their future aspirations, and their words of wisdom for freshers. The fourth in the series features Sree Nandhaa SJ, Cohort of 2022–2025, SIAS, who majors in Environmental Sciences.
Watch here
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Conference on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Agriculture
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IFMR GSB in collaboration with the Institute for New Economic Thinking (INET) and the Young Scholars Initiative (YSI), hosted an international conference on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Agriculture: Strategies for Sustainable Development in South Asia on 17-18 March 2025. The event brought together scholars, researchers, and policymakers to explore the impact of climate change on agriculture and discuss strategies for resilience and sustainability.
The conference featured distinguished experts, including Professor K Narayanan, Professor and Head, Economics, IIT Bombay, who delivered the inaugural lecture on Understanding the Linkages Between Climate Change and Economic Development: Lessons from India; Professor Sridevi G, Professor, University of Hyderabad, who led a plenary session on Climate Change, Food Security, and Gender; and Dr Chandra Sekhar Bahinipati, Associate Professor and Head, Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Tirupati, along with Professor Madhuri Saripalle, Professor, Economics and Chairperson, MBA Programme, IFMR GSB, who shared insights on agriculture and climate resilience in South Asia.
Read more
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The SIAS Cyber Club hosted Datalith, its Data Science Festival, in celebration of National Science Day. Held on 7–8 March 2025, this two-day event sparked curiosity and fostered collaboration among data enthusiasts and students. Datalith served as a dynamic platform where data science met creativity, offering participants a unique opportunity to explore and showcase its diverse applications. As part of the festival, the film Moneyball—which highlights the groundbreaking use of data analytics in baseball—was screened. Additionally, a data visualisation competition and a hands-on session on data analysis with Python were conducted.
Event highlights
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On 13 March, the Office of Inclusive Learning Support hosted ‘Go with the Flo: How a Board Game is Breaking Menstrual Taboos’ as part of its Fireside Chat series. Dr Ranjini Krishnan, Visiting Faculty, Psychology, SIAS and Founder, Sradha Culture Lab, spoke with Dr Sabah Siddiqui, Assistant Professor, Psychology, SIAS, about her board game ‘Go with the Flo’, designed to raise awareness and break menstrual taboos. They discussed the challenges of creating an engaging yet educational tool to encourage open conversations in communities where menstruation remains a sensitive topic. The session highlighted how education, play, and dialogue can help destigmatise menstruation, fostering a healthier perspective for future generations.
Report by Pranvi Khare, Cohort of 2023-27, SIAS
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Students from the Global Arts, Philosophy, and Literature disciplines at SIAS, enrolled in the courses Concepts in Aesthetics, Curatorial Frameworks: Theory and Praxis, and Philosophy of Image, visited 'It's time. To see. To be seen. – Women responding to the world through photographic practices,' an exhibition in the fourth edition of the Chennai Photo Biennale (CPB). Held from 20 December 2024, to 16 March 2025, at the Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai, it celebrated women photographers from India and beyond. Rather than a chronological survey, the exhibition explored women's engagement with the world through images, photo books, videos, and texts, challenging viewers to rethink artistic vocabulary and genres.
"Women have not been invisible; they have been unseen," read a postcard that resonated deeply with students. The exhibition highlighted women behind the camera for their spaces, stories, and impact, using immersive visuals and interactive elements to challenge perspectives.
Report by Shimul Ganguly, Cohort of 2022 - 2026, SIAS
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Bolt 2025 commenced with a spectacular opening ceremony on 28 February 2025, ushering in two weeks of exhilarating competition, camaraderie, and sporting excellence. This year’s edition was larger than ever, featuring participation from students from SIAS and IFMR GSB, along with the introduction of new sports, strategic club collaborations, and an innovative approach to scaling the event. The house system—Athena, Ares, Poseidon, and Persephone—fuelled the competitive spirit, with students proudly representing their teams. In a significant milestone, Bolt 2025 secured monetary sponsorships for the first time, paving the way for its transformation into an intercollegiate event in the future.
Read more
Report by Shivani Pramod, MBA Cohort of 2024-26
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Last week, Lassya, the cultural committee of IFMR GSB, organised Adieu 2025, a memorable farewell for the MBA cohort of 2023-2025. The evening was filled with celebrations as students came together to honour the graduating class. Adding energy and vibrance to the event, Nritya, the IFMR GSB dance club, delivered captivating performances. The night was a perfect blend of emotions and entertainment, making for a heartfelt send-off as the graduates embark on new journeys. Here are glimpses from the unforgettable evening.
Photo Courtesy - Shutterbugs, IFMR GSB
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Mudra, the dance club of SIAS, wrapped up the year with डोर / Dor, a spectacular showcase of artistry and cultural fusion. Held at the OAT on 17 March 2025, the event brought together all batches, celebrating their hard work, growth, and creativity. A standout moment was the graduating batch’s performance, reflecting their journey and the seamless blend of Indian and Western styles. The lineup featured Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Bolly Hop, Bollywood x Kathak, Jazz, Sattriya Nritya, Hip Hop x Kathak, Bollywood x Hip Hop, and Bolly-Kathak x Kuchipudi—each keeping the audience captivated.
Report by Pranvi Khare, Cohort of 2023-27, SIAS
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The latest edition of Khirki Conversations, organised by Professor Bishnu Mohapatra, Professor, Politics, SIAS, and Director, Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, was held on 17 March 2025, exploring the theme of ‘Futures’. The session featured insights from Dr Geeti Das, Assistant Professor, Politics, SIAS; Dr T V H Prathamesh, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, SIAS; Dr Preeti Gulati, Assistant Professor, History, SIAS; and Dr Sushant Raut, Assistant Professor, Physics, SIAS—each offering unique perspectives from their respective fields.
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The event opened with Samih al-Qasim’s poem ‘End of a Talk with a Jailor’, setting the tone for reflections on confinement, perspective, and interconnectedness. Discussions explored uplifting and unsettling experiences, the Khirki as a bridge to the world, and the desire to share experiences despite separateness. With diverse voices and thought-provoking dialogue, Khirki Conversations once again fostered deep reflection and meaningful exchange.
Report by Dhruvi Dombe, Integrated MBA Cohort 2023-28
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A talk titled 'Decoding Mysterious Functions of Polyphosphates in Multicellular Organisms' by Dr Manish Jaiswal, Associate Professor, TIFR Hyderabad, was held on 18 March 2025.
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The Sociology and Social Anthropology discipline organised an open-ended, post-dinner hangout titled ‘Sociology on the Rocks’ on 19 March 2025. The event explored how social contexts shape desires and aspirations, where we seek meaning in uncertain times, and whether sociology and anthropology help us navigate vulnerabilities.
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On March 19, 2025, senior students from various disciplines at SIAS showcased their ongoing capstone projects through engaging poster presentations. Sixteen students from disciplines such as Psychology, Biological Sciences, Economics, and Mathematics presented their research, highlighting a diverse range of topics and innovative approaches. The event provided a platform for students to share their work with faculty and peers while receiving valuable feedback.
Photo courtesy - Media Lab
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Environmental Studies Talk
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A talk titled 'Unraveling the Sun-Earth Connection' by Professor S Gurubaran, Professor, Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, is scheduled for 24 March 2025, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm at JSW 3F.
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A talk titled 'Understanding Drivers of Genetic Diversity Among Predatory Soil Arthropods' by Dr Jahnavi Joshi, Assistant Professor/Senior Scientist, CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad is scheduled for 25 March 2025, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm at NAB 2E.
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‘Mother India’ — A conversation with Prayaag Akbar, Visiting Associate Professor, Literature, SIAS, on his new book, Mother India (HarperCollins, 2024), has been organised by the Literature faculty and the Literary Arts Club. He will be in conversation with Dr Sayandeb Chowdhury, Senior Associate Professor, Literature, SIAS. The session is scheduled for 26 March 2025, from 2:30 to 4:00 pm at SH1.
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The final talk in the Postdoctoral Colloquium series, hosted by Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences, is titled ‘Setting the House in Order: Housing Commission Reports and the Crisis of Social Reproduction, 1931-1939’. It will be presented by Dr Nidhin Donald, Postdoctoral Fellow, on 26 March 2025, from 2:30 to 4:00 pm at JSW 1B.
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Krea-CWP, Biological Sciences and Mathematics Talks
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A talk titled ‘Phototaxis as a Collective Phenomenon’ by Dr Varuni P, Project Scientific Officer, Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai is scheduled for 26 March 2025, from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at JSW 3HI.
She will also deliver another talk titled ‘Using Maths to Solve Personal Problems’ on 27 March 2025, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm at NAB 2E.
Krea-CWP, Biological Sciences and Mathematics Talk
Krea-CWP and Mathematics Talk
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Campus: 5655, Central ExpressWay, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh - 517464
www.krea.edu.in
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