IIM Visakhapatnam to establish Chair under aegis of Dr Ambedkar Foundation

The Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam (IIM-V) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Dr Ambedkar Foundation (DAF) of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. With an understanding to establish a Chair in Public policy, Economics and Social Sciences, IIM-V is the only IIM in the country to have been awarded the prestigious chair.

The director of IIM Visakhapatnam M Chandrasekhar signed the MOU with Director, DAF, Vikas Trivedi on 22 April 2022 at the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. The aim of this collaboration will require IIM-V to carry out research directed towards areas of study which will enhance inclusive, equitable, and sustainable national development goals. Programmes promoting social and gender equity will also be included. This Chair will significantly help IIM Visakhapatnam in advancing these objectives with an actionable agenda.

The revamped and strengthened Chair scheme has provision for the position of one full-time professor, one assistant professor, and two doctoral scholars.

The Chair would serve as a knowledge centre to advance studies and research to understand, assess, disseminate, and implement the ideas and thoughts of Dr BR Ambedkar. The Chair would promote the economic policies and principles of Dr Ambedkar. In addition, the research agenda of the Chair at the Institute shall be to delve into the role of access to health and its role in social justice.

The MOU was exchanged in the presence of Anandiben Patel, Hon’ble Governor, Uttar Pradesh, Hon’ble Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar, Hon’ble Union Ministers of State (Social Justice)  Pratima Bhowmik and A. Narayanaswamy. The Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment R. Subrahmanyam (IAS, AP:1985); Vice-Chancellor, BHU, Dr Sudhir Kumar Jain, and Vikas Trivedi, Director, DAF were among the distinguished dignitaries.

At the event held at the BHU, MOUs were signed with twenty-four universities and institutions of repute to establish Dr Ambedkar Chairs.

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