Research

Current research interests

• Student entrepreneurship: intentions, actions and outcomes of student founders; the role of universities, families and incubators (home of GUESSS India).

• Incubation and entrepreneurial ecosystems: new venture creation dynamics, startup mentoring, market separations faced by early-stage startups, and national and regional entrepreneurship policy.

Earlier research: financial inclusion

My research career began in finance and financial inclusion. Earlier projects studied the business-correspondent (agent banking) model in rural India — what keeps banking agents active, financial literacy among rural clients, and the role of Aadhaar in last-mile banking. This work produced a doctoral thesis (Sanal Gupta, 2022), a World Development Perspectives article, a Routledge volume and chapter, and a 2026 best-paper award, and was funded by ICSSR, ISB’s Digital Identity Research Initiative and IIT Mandi (see projects below).

Entrepreneurship Research and Transformation Lab

Intentions, actions and outcomes of student entrepreneurs. The Entrepreneurship Research and Transformation Lab is a research-led initiative advancing the theory and practice of student entrepreneurship, with a strong emphasis on emerging-economy contexts. The lab studies the hidden dynamics, institutional influences and lived realities that shape students’ entrepreneurial journeys — beyond intent, towards action and impact. It is based at the School of Management, IIT Mandi.

Doctoral scholars

• Sanal Gupta — Agent banking in Himachal Pradesh (2016–2022, graduated)

• Dharmendra Yadav — Student entrepreneurship (2022–)

• Neha Jaswal — Incubators and market separations faced by startups (2022–)

• Lakhwinder Singh — Startup mentoring (2022–)

• Gautam Mishra — Student entrepreneurship and venture finance (2024–)

• Akshra — Student entrepreneurship (2024–)

• Javeed Dar — Student entrepreneurship (2024–)

• Mohit Maheshwary — Student entrepreneurship (2024–)

• Saurbh Kumar — Student entrepreneurship (2024–)

Funded research projects

• “Bridging Market Separations: Exploring Barriers and Opportunities for Environment & Sustainability Startups in the Jammu & Kashmir Region”, with Jaganth G. and V. Murthy — Sponsored Research and Extension Programme, JKSTIC, JKDST, 2025–27

• “GUESSS India 2025” — sponsored by REVA University, Bengaluru, 2025–26

• “Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students’ Survey 2025” — with the University of Bern and the University of St.Gallen, 2025–26

• “Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students’ Survey 2023” — with the University of Bern and the University of St.Gallen, 2023–24

• “Role of Aadhaar in improved last-mile delivery of banking services” — Digital Identity Research Initiative, ISB Hyderabad, 2018–20

• “Evaluation of the BC Model of Banking: A case study in Himachal Pradesh” — ICSSR, 2018–19

• “Financial inclusion and financial deepening through branchless banking in Himachal Pradesh” — IIT Mandi, 2016–18