India, 25th May 2025 — The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur successfully hosted and concluded the fifth edition of its flagship academic conclave — the Management Education and Research Colloquium (MERC 2025) — under the theme “Achieving Sustainability Goals in the AI Era.” The three-day event witnessed enthusiastic participation from over 200 scholars representing premier institutions including IIM Lucknow, IIM Kozhikode, IIM Indore, IIM Raipur, IIM Udaipur, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Dhanbad, NIT Durgapur, DU, FMS, BITS Pilani, Amity University, MNIT, XIM Bhubaneswar, fostering rich dialogue among academia, industry, and policy-makers.

The colloquium featured a wide array of academic and engagement activities such as research paper presentations, hands-on workshops, networking sessions, excursion programs, and Best Paper Awards. Day one saw the presentation of 91 research papers across 18 thematic tracks by 110 researchers. Day two continued with 47 more presentations under nine thematic tracks. The final day concluded with an excursion, capping a total of 138 research papers presented across 27 tracks. The research spanned critical areas including AI ethics, digital governance, circular economy, green finance, sustainable operations, and technology-enabled development.

The event witnessed the esteemed presence of several distinguished dignitaries from the fields of academia, governance,and research. Some of the eminent speakers are Shri V. Srinivas, IAS, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare; Maj. Gen. ( Retd) B. D. Wadhwa, AVSM; Dr. C Rajendran, Professor - Dept. of Management Studies, IIT Madras; Prof. Vishal Gupta, Professor - Organisation Behaviour, IIM Ahmedabad; Prof. Mamata Parhi, Head of Accounting, Finance, Economics & Governance, Roehampton Business School; Prof Tapas Mishra, Professor, Banking and Finance Department University of Southampton.

Prof. Somnath Chakrabarti, Director (I/C) and Dean of Academics, said "The vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 and the mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat are being achieved by making education the cornerstone of national excellence. Futuristic technological advancements are going to be instrumental in shaping a resilient and self-reliant India." Shri V. Srinivas, IAS, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare emphasized, “To realise the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, which aims to transform India into a developed nation by our 100th year of independence, we must adopt a governance model that is efficient, inclusive, and technology-enabled. This transformation must be driven by a digitally empowered, citizen-centric, transparent, and sustainable approach. We need to enhance economic productivity, promote inclusive growth, build resilient infrastructure, and most importantly, empower our youth — the architects of a future-ready India.

Maj. Gen. ( Retd) B. D. Wadhwa, AVSM, remarked, “We do not invest solely in arming our soldiers with weapons, but in empowering their minds with knowledge. A well-educated soldier is the strongest defense of our nation. Education is not just a tool for personal advancement—it is the foundation for nation-building.” Prof. Vishal Gupta, Professor - Organisation Behaviour, IIM Ahmedabad, emphasized As we envision the future of leadership and sustainable education, we must recognize the growing importance of mental well-being, stress management, and happiness as foundational aspects of effective leadership.” Prof. Mamata Parhi, Head of Accounting, Finance, Economics and Governance at Roehampton Business School, UK, “Publishing impactful research is about more than academic success—it is about contributing meaningfully to both scholarship and society. Researchers must navigate the publishing landscape with clarity and purpose.” The successful organization of MERC 2025 was made possible through the strategic guidance and active involvement of the Steering Committee, comprising Prof. Somnath Chakrabarti, Director (I/C) and Dean of Academics; Prof. Sabyasachi Patra, Chair - Doctoral Programme; Prof. Ashish Kumar, Chairperson - Research and Rankings; Prof. Preeti Narwal, Marketing Area; and Prof. Vivek Roy, Chairperson - Student Affairs. Their leadership and collaborative vision played a pivotal role in shaping the conference. The dedicated efforts of the faculty members, Doctoral Scholars, and administrative staff of IIM Kashipur were instrumental in ensuring the seamless execution and overall success of the event.

The successful conclusion of MERC 2025 not only reinforced IIM Kashipur’s role as a hub for academic excellence but also strengthened its resolve to contribute to the national and global dialogue on sustainability, innovation, and inclusive development.

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Technology-enabled governance promotes sustainable, inclusive policy through interdisciplinary research collaboration and academic-industry engagement at MERC. The colloquium convened scholars to present 138 research papers across themes such as AI ethics, digital governance, circular economy, green finance, and sustainable operations, promoting research dissemination, interdisciplinary collaboration, and policy-relevant scholarship aimed at informing technology-enabled, inclusive governance and national development objectives.