3 - 9 June 2023

Even amidst a brief lull in on-campus activities, Krea University's vibrant essence remains steadfast, embodying our unwavering commitment to learning, engagement, and growth. With final admissions drawing to a close, both schools at Krea are gearing up for an immersive Orientation, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the incoming cohort.

Our calendar for June reveals a rich tapestry of social media campaigns that kindle a profound sense of hope. In the backdrop of World Environment Day on 5 June, we engaged in an insightful conversation with Dr Bharath Sundaram, and, together, we explored the University’s dedication to sustainable practices. June also marks Pride Month, and we kicked off another promising month-long campaign, Beyond the Binary that showcases what we, as an institution, and what individual members in the institution, are doing to ensure students and staff who are queer-trans feel welcome and safe.

Amidst all the excitement buzzing online and offline, it's Convocation 2023, which is exactly three weeks away that holds our undivided attention and anticipation. Scheduled for 1 July, the milestone event at our campus in Sri City has been garnering the collective effort of all departments, each contributing in their unique way to ensure a grand success.

Krea, this Week too, is a humble reminder of the profound impact that collaboration and individual contributions hold within the realm of Kreaverse. If you’d like to share what you’ve been upto in terms of professional achievements and would like for us to share it with a larger universe, please don’t hesitate to write to us at all.commsteam@krea.edu.in

This week we shine the spotlight on Edge, the Consulting Committee of IFMR GSB

EDGE-the Consulting Committee of IFMR GSB focusses on developing and inculcating the consulting mindset among students of IFMR GSB by providing them with an opportunity to bring out innovative business ideas and models and present them to the outside world.

Activities conducted by the Committee include analysis of short cases prepared by the students in collaboration with the in-house faculty and strong alumni network and coming up with innovative ideas, analysing existing real-life scenarios from various verticals in the corporate world, i.e., Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, and Operations. It involves consulting on real-life problems faced by the business world and managing crises by coming up with analytical solutions.

On Krea’s social media platforms, in the coming week, we will give you a glimpse of the significant work done by Edge over the recent months.

Krea University is gearing up for – Convocation 2023 – the milestone event, to be held on 1 July 2023. With preparations in full swing, mark this date in your calendars, as we anticipate a momentous gathering of our faculty and staff. In an effort to foster a sense of unity and teamwork, we are counting on the collective efforts of our staff members to ensure a truly remarkable event. Together, let’s step up and demonstrate the beauty and magic of collaboration.

We are pleased to announce that Sri Gopalkrishna Gandhi will be the Chief Guest at Convocation 2023. Gopalkrishna Gandhi (b. 1945) has had an illustrious career spanning various roles. He held administrative positions in Tamil Nadu and at the national headquarters after completing his studies in English Literature and History at St Stephen's College, Delhi University, India. Throughout his career, he served as Secretary to the President of India, Director of The Nehru Centre in London, and held diplomatic posts including High Commissioner for India in South Africa, Lesotho, Sri Lanka, and Ambassador of India in Norway and Iceland. Additionally, he served as the Governor of West Bengal from 2004 to 2009. Currently, he is a Distinguished Professor of History at Ashoka University, Sonepat, India, and resides in Chennai and Bengaluru with his wife Tara, an ornithologist and nature conservationist. 

IFMR GSB, Krea University is all set to conduct its flagship three-day virtual Research Symposium on Finance and Economics (RSFE) 2023 from 14-16 June 2023. The Symposium brings a global gathering of renowned researchers, academicians, and practitioners in Finance and Economics. It provides an opportunity for participants to engage in stimulating discussions, network with influential speakers and explore emerging issues in these dynamic domains. 

Dr Shanti Pappu, Visiting Professor at SIAS and Dr Kumar Akhilesh, Sharma Centre for Heritage Education, Chennai will be delivering two talks titled New Interpretations of Old Sites: Prehistory of Tamil Nadu and Let’s Knap: Deconstructing Prehistoric Stone Tools at Roja Muthiah Research Library tomorrow (10 June 2023). They will discuss long-term research projects in SE India, exploring chronology, behavioural variability, past environments, global debates on population migrations, site conservation, and public outreach activities in archaeology. The second talk focusses on the significance of stone tools and Experimental Archaeology in understanding past behaviour at prehistoric sites in Tamil Nadu.

Live streaming of the talk will be available here.

The class of ARTS229/LITT235/HIST235 of the course Arts of the Deccan – The Early Modern Epoch from Vijayanagara to The Marathas brings the second edition of Modern Mushaira, a delectable list of podcasts for the historian, poet, scientist, artiste, connoisseur, academic and all others. The Early Modern Period (16th century onwards) in the Deccan (South India) regions is most interesting in shaping the society, culture and politics we have inherited. In this series, the textbook learning of historical source materials as well as the traditional academic methodologies of approaching historiography, are juxtaposed against understanding the ubiquitous ways in which the many peoples of the past engaged with politics, courtly life, societies, warfare, religion and economies through cultural and artistic productions. Presenters in this podcast series are the students of ARTS229/HIST235/LITT235 at Krea, led by Dr Swarnamalya Ganesh, Assistant Professor of Practice, SIAS.

Listen here.

In the backdrop of Pride month, we, at Team Communications, with editorial support and vision from Sayantan Datta, Faculty Teaching Associate, Krea-CWP, embark on a month-long journey to spotlight the commitment of our institution, as well as the individual champions within our community, in fostering an environment of inclusivity and safety for queer-trans students and staff. By igniting meaningful conversations, we aspire to pave the way for constructive dialogues that embrace the vast tapestry of LGBTQIA+ experiences. Watch this space and our social media handles.

On the occasion of the World Environment Day on 5 June, Dr Bharath Sundaram, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, SIAS and Campus Sustainability Officer, offered insights into the many ways in which Krea University incorporates environmental considerations across its campus operations, curriculum, and culture. We shared these on our social media handles. Here's a compilation for your reading:

• Our solar panels fulfill 25% of campus electricity needs annually, generating an average of 45 kWh per month in the 2022-2023 period

• Our plant reduces water footprint by supplying clean water to campus kitchens using Capacitive Deionisation, which outperforms reverse osmosis in purification efficiency

• Our Water Treatment Plant converts sewage into grey water for restroom flushing and irrigation, promoting sustainability

• We piloted smart lighting systems that use motion sensors to switch on, in corridors of our main building this year

• Our expert-designed earthworm composting system was piloted this year. The goal is to compost all kitchen wet waste and campus leaf litter in this facility in the future

Challenges:

• Our consumption of single-use plastic and paper is something we need to work on

• Examining retro-fixes for classrooms to improve air circulation rather than prioritising only air conditioning need to be actively explored

• We need to limit or eliminate use of pesticides and insecticides, but also ensure minimising or eliminating disease vectors

• Our campus is embedded in an agrarian and pastoral landscape. Living with biodiversity like bees and herpetofauna therefore becomes a priority. However, biodiversity priorities need to be balanced with safety

As part of his summer internship at the Inclusion Economics India Centre in New Delhi, Sooryakiran Mavunnath, cohort of 2024, IFMR GSB bagged the opportunity to attend the company's Annual Staff Conclave held at Kathmandu, Nepal from 17-19 May 2023. The conclave was attended by members of Inclusion Economics Nepal and Inclusion Economics at Yale University. 

Prof Kevin H Gardner, Director of Structural Biology Initiative at CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, delivered a hybrid talk as part of Krea University's Science Talk Series on 21 December 2022. With expertise as an Einstein Professor in Chemistry & Biochemistry at City College of New York, Prof Gardner explored how sensory protein domains use small molecule ligands to regulate cellular pathways in response to environmental cues. By employing biophysics, biochemistry, and synthetic chemistry, his research aims to uncover the mechanisms behind these domains for fundamental understanding and potential applications in biotechnology and targeted therapeutics. The talk highlighted examples of converting signaling proteins into innovative tools and developing small molecule therapeutics, including Merck's recently approved anti-cancer drug belzutifan. Prof Gardner also discussed future directions inspired by this research.

Watch the full video here

Dr Peggy Mohan, Visiting Professor at Ashoka University, delivered a hybrid talk as part of Krea Lit Talks on 16 December 2022. Organised by the Moturi Satyanarayana Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities and Social Sciences at Krea University, the talk shed light on the significance of languages in tracing population movements throughout history. Dr Mohan explored the influence of major migrations on Indian languages, revealing their mixed nature as migrating men intertwined with local women, resulting in a linguistic fusion that mirrors genetic patterns. Language serves as a mirror reflecting various societal forces such as politics, economics, and ecology, as languages exist within changing ecosystems. By developing a model based on the subcontinent's diverse experiences in the future, Dr Mohan seeks to unveil a reliable framework for understanding human interactions and mergers during migrations, not only in the subcontinent but also worldwide, even in cases absent from historical records.
Watch the full video here. 

This latest video series deep dives into the unique academic approach of different disciplines at Krea University

In this episode of Decoding Disciplines - The Krea Way, Dr Panchali Ray, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Gender Studies, SIAS discusses the philosophy and pedagogy of the Social Studies stream at Krea University. As a liberal education university, Krea emphasises Interwoven Learning and Critical thinking. The interdisciplinary approach to teaching Social Studies at Krea University enables students to understand the complexities of social structures and relationships. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the social, cultural, and political factors that shape our world today.

Tune in! Watch the video here

Thank you, Tushar Sachdeva, cohort of 2024, IFMR GSB for showcasing the campus in all its resplendent hues