Personal statement

In August 2024, Dr Arvind Kumar joined the Stephen Young Institute (SYI) as a Research Fellow. Arvind is an MBA in Marketing from the Army Institute of Management, Kolkata, India, and has earned his PhD from FMS, University of Delhi, India. Throughout his academic journey, Arvind excelled and received numerous scholarships and fellowships, including a National Scholarship (with a merit certificate) in matriculation for two years of XIth and senior secondary, a National Scholarship in senior secondary for three years of his undergraduate studies, and Junior Research Fellowship from University Grant Commission (UGC) for the first two years of his PhD, followed by Senior Research Fellowship from UGC for the remainder of his PhD program. Before joining SYI, Arvind has been working as an Assistant Professor of Marketing at National Institute of Technology Rourkela (an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Education, Government of India) since last 4.5 years. With over 8 years of full-time teaching experience, he has not only facilitated the learning process for MBA and doctoral students through formal classroom sessions but also extended his expertise to the broader public through national workshops and short-term courses. He organized these workshops in collaboration with institutes like Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM), India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), and the University of Delhi, focusing on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), Branding, Values and Ethics, Financial Literacy, and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). These initiatives allowed him to disseminate knowledge and raise awareness on critical topics, making a significant impact beyond academia. His efforts were supported by fundings from organizations like State Bank of India (SBI), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR). His research interests in Subsistence Marketplaces, Sustainability, and Happiness align perfectly with the mission of SYI. He has been awarded research projects in these areas by Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), Govenment of India; Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Ministry of Education, Government of India; and Odisha Coal and Power Limited (OCPL), and has published his research in international journals of repute. At SYI, he looks forward to raising awareness about various (non)consumption issues faced by impoverished and homeless populations through publications and research grants.