SVKM’s NMIMS Establishes ESG Research Chair Focused On India and Global South

Sustainability, inclusion, and responsible governance are no longer optional ideals. They are fast becoming essential to how institutions, businesses, and societies define long-term success. Responding to this shift, SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) has announced the Mirae Asset Foundation SVKM’s NMIMS ESG Research Chair, a dedicated platform focused on advancing research, education, and policy thinking in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) domains.

Building on NMIMS’ long-standing focus on socially responsible management education and sustainability-oriented scholarship, the ESG Research Chair is envisioned as a national platform with a strong emphasis on the Indian and Global South context. It will develop rigorous, context-driven ESG research, case studies, policy briefs, and teaching material to contribute meaningfully to academic literature, industry practice, and public policy.

Dr. Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, SVKM’s NMIMS, said, "At NMIMS, we believe sustainability and ethics are part of everything we do. ESG, diversity, and inclusion are integrated across all our programmes, so students see how these ideas work in practice. With this initiative, we are not just teaching sustainability, we are creating a living ecosystem where research, education, and industry come together. The Mirae Asset Foundation SVKM’s NMIMS ESG Research Chair builds on this approach, strengthening research, encouraging dialogue, and developing leaders who can tackle today’s ESG challenges with confidence and purpose."

The Chair will integrate ESG themes across MBA, Executive MBA, and Doctoral programmes, while also driving capacity-building through specialised workshops, executive education, and structured industry engagement. It will collaborate closely with industry leaders, regulators, policymakers, and global institutions, and host its flagship Annual ESG Conference to foster dialogue and actionable insights.

Mr. Ritesh Patel, Director, Mirae Asset Foundation said, “This Chair reflects our shared commitment to creating leaders who understand that growth and responsibility must go hand in hand. By bringing together academia, industry, and policymakers, we aim to advance ESG thinking that drives real, measurable, and inclusive impact and results in long-term value creation and positive societal impact.  It is indeed a privilege to be partnering with NMIMS for this initiative as it has rich academia experience and has been doing extensive work in this area”.

The Chair is being set up with support from the Mirae Asset Foundation (MAF), the philanthropic arm of the Mirae Asset Financial Group in India. Guided by a human-centred investment philosophy, the Foundation enhances educational access and quality through scholarships, research and innovation support, skills development initiatives, and educational infrastructure. Its approach reflects a strong commitment to socially responsible development and aligns closely with ESG principles that promote inclusive and long-term growth.