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A Roundup of the Kreaverse
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The Kreaverse continues to come alive through student initiatives, faculty research, international collaborations, and creative practice across campus. From classrooms and conference halls to celebrations such as Krea Kalotsavam 2026, these moments reflect the depth and diversity of academic life and beyond, at Krea. Alumni gatherings such as IFMR GSB’s Anunaad in Hyderabad highlight enduring connections beyond campus, while a growing slate of student and faculty achievements points to an exciting period of inquiry, dialogue, and shared discovery.
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Krea Hosts Macquarie University Delegation
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On 5 February, Krea University had the pleasure of hosting a delegation from Macquarie University, Sydney, with whom Krea is collaborating through a dual-degree programme in History, Political Science, and Sociology. The delegation included Professor Chris Dixon, Executive Dean, Faculty of Arts; Dr Matt Bailey, Chair of the Department of History; and Mr Abizer Merchant, Director (India & Sri Lanka), Macquarie International.
Under this partnership, students spend two years at Krea and two years at Macquarie University, earning two three-year BA degrees—one from each institution. During the visit, Dr Matt Bailey delivered a talk on the social and cultural histories of retailing in Australia. The delegation also held an information session for students, met with faculty across disciplines, and explored avenues for deepening this academic collaboration.
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A case study titled ‘Sri Bhuvaneswari Mills: A Matriarch’s Dilemma,’ co-authored by Professor Chandrasekaran N, Professor, Operations and Strategy, IFMR Graduate School of Business (GSB); Sathyanarayanan R, Sundram Fasteners Associate Professor, Marketing, IFMR GSB, and Dr Indira Ananth, Independent scholar (Virtual), has won the Best Teaching Case Study Award at the IIM Raipur International Case Conference 2026, held on 30–31 January 2026.
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Talks, Workshops, Performances, Collaborations, Publications & Achievements
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Dr Praveen Bhagawan M, Associate Professor, Finance, Accounting and Quantitative Finance, IFMR GSB, has been acknowledged as one of the top 27 contributing reviewers for the Journal of Business Ethics in 2025, included in the prestigious Financial Times (FT) 50 journal list.
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Dr Swarnamalya Ganesh, Associate Professor of Practice, Literature and Global Arts, School of Interwoven Arts and Sciences (SIAS), conceptualised and choreographed ‘Nammai Marandarai Nām Marakkamāttom: The Unheard Story of Madhavi of Silappadikaram’, presented as part of the 25th Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the International Theatre Festival organised by the National School of Drama on 2 February 2026.
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Dr Swarnamalya was also invited to contribute to the 14th Aaghaz-E-Dosti Indo-Pak Peace Calendar 2026. For February, featured here is a painting by Ahmad Zubair of Roots IVY International School, Faisalabad, Pakistan, along with Dr Swarnamalya’s message of peace.
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Dr Shyam Kumar Sudhakar, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, SIAS, delivered an online talk titled ‘Graph-Based and Machine Learning Approaches to Understanding Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries’ at IIIT Hyderabad as part of their Cognitive Science Seminar series on 4 February 2026.
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Dr Venugopal Maddipati, Associate Professor, History, SIAS, taught a course titled ‘Ontologies of Stillness: Gandhi, Passivity, Pensivity and Illness’ for masters-level design students centered at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. The course focused on the intersection of medical humanities and architectural design.
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Dr Sabah Siddiqui, Assistant Professor, Psychology, SIAS, was a discussant at a book discussion held in Pune on her book, A People's History of the Farmers' Movement, 2020-2021. The event was organised by Shankar Brahme Samajvidnyan Granthalay and the Pune Collective.
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Dr Madhavilatha Maganti, Associate Professor, Psychology, SIAS, conducted an online session on ‘Critical Thinking and Research Methods’ for faculty from CMR university, Bangalore, as part of their FDP on ‘Teaching and Research in Liberal Studies’: Interdisciplinary Pedagogies, on 23 December 2025.
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Aparna Raghavan, Counsellor, and Lavanya Murali, Manager at the Office of Inclusive Learning Support presented a paper at the Symposium on Care Across the Human LifeSpan (SCAH 226) at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Their study examines how Indian long-term care facilities manage mental health emergencies, and introduces a practical, field-ready user-manual for staff.
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Dr Shanti Pappu, Adjunct Professor, Archaeology and History, SIAS, contributed to multiple initiatives, including the release of the book The Story of a Handaxe (2026), published by the Sharma Centre for Heritage Education; the publication of A Catalogue of Palaeolithic Bifaces (Parikulam, Tamil Nadu), a comprehensive record of prehistoric stone tools generated from 3D models; and the report Celt Manufacturing Sites in Tamil Nadu: Case Studies from Vartanapalli and Kappalavadi, documenting rare evidence of prehistoric polished stone celts—both published by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu.
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Launch of Deccan Centre for International Relations
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The Deccan Centre for International Relations, a new research centre under IFMR, was inaugurated on 30 January 2026.
Headquartered in Chennai, it is India’s first centre exclusively dedicated to the international relations of South India and will undertake policy dialogues, podcasts, publications, research, and collaborative projects to connect South Indian stakeholders with the global community.
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Aarthi Venkatesh, a third-year Psychology student at SIAS, has been awarded the highly selective Founding Generation Fellowship by the International Congress of Infant Studies (ICIS).
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Aravind R, an SIAS PhD scholar in Sociology, presented a paper titled 'Digital Queer Intimacies in the City: Pleasure, Labour and Ghettoisation' at the international conference 'Digitality, Marginality and Plural Subjectivities,' hosted by the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities (IASH), University of Edinburgh.
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Anunaad 2026 - Hyderabad Chapter
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Anunaad 2026 marked a meaningful gathering of IFMR GSB alumni on 31 January 2026 in Hyderabad, offering a day of reconnecting, shared memories, and renewed conversations—revisiting lessons, stories, and journeys shaped together over the years.
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6 February 2026 | 4.30-6.30 pm | NAB-2F
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7 February 2026 | 12:00-1:30 pm | SH1
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7-8 February 2026 | NAB Global Arts Space
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Krea-CWP, Literature and History Talk
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10 February 2026 | 2.30-4.30 pm | SH2 | Know more
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10 February 2026 | 2.30-4.00 pm | Online
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10 February 2026 | 8:00-9:00 PM | Online
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12 February 2026 | 2:30-4:30 PM | JSW-2F
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Organised by the Career Services Office (CSO), Krea University hosted on-campus recruitment activities. IDFC FIRST Bank and NIIT visited the campus on 2 and 3 February, respectively, both for the first time.
The visits included Pre-Placement Talks that familiarised students with each organisation’s culture, growth opportunities, recruitment process, and role-specific expectations. Students had the opportunity to explore varied positions. The recruitment drives concluded successfully, with students selected for various roles, marking a positive outcome for Krea’s placement initiatives.
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Executive Education Programme
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IFMR GSB partnered with the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW), the state nodal agency for the Self-Help Group (SHG) movement under Mahalir Thittam, to deliver a focused capacity-building programme on marketing techniques at Krea University campus from 2–5 February 2026.
The programme brought together over 70 participants daily from more than 18 districts, including APO Livelihoods, DSMS Managers, and District Resource Persons (Farm and Non-Farm) — the key functionaries driving the SHG enterprise value chain from production to market access.
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Panchabhutam – The Five Elements: Dance Performance
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On 4 February 2026, Krea University’s dance club, Mudra, presented Panchabhutam – The Five Elements at the Open Air Theatre (OAT), captivating audiences with a vivid portrayal of nature through classical dance. Rooted in Indian classical traditions, the performance explored the essence of the five elements—Earth, Fire, Air, Water, and Sky—each expressed through rhythm, mudras, and expressive storytelling.
Input by Dhruvi Dhombe, IMBA Cohort of 2023-28
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Inara, the SIAS Business Club, SIAS, in collaboration with Office of Inclusive Learning Support, hosted a panel discussion on 'Women in the Workplace' on 6 February 2026. The panel featured Professor Kai Easton, Professor, Literature and Visual Cultures, SIAS; Professor Lakshmi Kumar, Dean – IFMR GSB; Dr Akanksha Adya, Assistant Professor, Psychology, SIAS; and Dr Panchali Ray, Associate Professor, Anthropology and Gender Studies, SIAS. The discussion explored leadership, workplace experiences, and offered practical insights for students preparing to enter the workforce.
Photo Credit: Pranvi Khare, SIAS Cohort of 2023-27
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From Across the Kreaverse
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Assistant Professor, Data Science & Information Systems, IFMR GSB
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Manager,
Outreach & Admissions, SIAS
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Visiting Assistant Professor,
Psychology, SIAS
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Assistant Professor, Data Science, SIAS
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Post Doctoral fellow, Sociology & Social Anthropology, SIAS
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Director,
External Relations and Global Engagement
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Professor Jonathan Andrew Jarrett
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Associate Professor,
History, SIAS
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Manager, Outreach & Admissions, SIAS
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Wishing our colleagues all the best as they move on to their next adventure
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Teaching Fellow, Economics, SIAS
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Professor Soumya Madabhushi
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Visiting Professor, Psychology, SIAS
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Assistant General Manager, Office of VC and Procurement
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Senior Manager, Outreach and Admissions, SIAS
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HR Orientation - New Joinees
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A virtual HR orientation was held for all new joinees on 21 January 2026, as part of an employee onboarding programme. The session helped new employees interact with different departments of the university and understand how they work together, making it easier for them to connect and settle into the organisation.
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Insurance workshop by ICICI Lombard
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HR organised a virtual ICICI Lombard Insurance Orientation Programme for new joinees on 29 January 2026. The session offered an overview of insurance benefits, coverage, and procedures, helping employees gain clarity and confidence in using their insurance facilities.
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POSH Training workshop 2026
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In line with Krea’s commitment to providing a safe and respectful work environment, a POSH training session was initiated by the HR team on 28 January 2026 to educate employees on what constitutes sexual harassment, how to report it, the process involved, and more.
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Collaborate to Celebrate Event 2026
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Last month, the Sri City campus and the Chennai Admin Office came together for an employee collaborative celebration that brought employees closer through connection and shared joy. Organised by the HR team as part of its employee connect initiative, the event offered a meaningful opportunity to celebrate together while strengthening relationships across teams.
Dressed in traditional attire, employees participated in engaging games and activities, creating an atmosphere of enthusiasm and togetherness. The HR team extends its sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to making the gathering a memorable and enriching experience for the entire community.
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Photo credit: The Media Lab (Sri City) & The Communication Team (Chennai)
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Admin office: 196, T.T.K. Road, Alwarpet, Chennai - 600018
Campus: 5655, Central ExpressWay, Sri City, Andhra Pradesh - 517646
www.krea.edu.in
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