- New Centre of Excellence to redefine finance research through India-specific databases, cutting-edge scholarship and evidence-based policymaking
- Philanthropic support from distinguished alumnus Ravi Mattu fuels a long-term mission to strengthen asset pricing, corporate finance and corporate governance research
- Centre to bridge academia, industry, regulators and policymakers, creating a collaborative ecosystem for India’s rapidly evolving financial markets
- Young finance researchers to gain world-class mentoring, global academic collaborations and access to advanced analytical infrastructure
- Initiative reinforces IIMA’s vision of transforming research into real-world impact for businesses, investors, regulators and the nation’s economy
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, JULY 13
In a landmark initiative poised to elevate India’s global standing in financial research, the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has established the Mattu Centre for Research in Security Pricing and Corporate Finance, a Centre of Excellence that aims to become a national catalyst for cutting-edge research, robust financial databases and evidence-driven policymaking.
Conceived as a platform to strengthen India’s finance research ecosystem, the Centre will advance scholarship in asset pricing, corporate finance, corporate governance, investments, market microstructure and broader financial economics, while creating India-centric analytical resources capable of supporting world-class empirical research.
The Centre has been established through the generous philanthropic support of Ravi Mattu (PGP 1979), former Managing Director and Global Head of Analytics at Pacific Investment Management Co. LLC. (PIMCO), reflecting the institute’s commitment to harnessing alumni philanthropy to build enduring academic institutions with national impact.
A defining feature of the initiative will be the creation of comprehensive India-specific financial databases, addressing one of the country’s longstanding research gaps and enabling scholars, regulators and policymakers to undertake rigorous analysis rooted in Indian market realities.
Beyond research, the Centre will foster meaningful collaboration among academia, industry, regulators and policymakers, creating a vibrant intellectual platform to deliberate on emerging challenges and opportunities shaping India’s fast-growing capital markets.
The Centre will also nurture the next generation of finance scholars by supporting early-career researchers, organising seminars, conferences, distinguished lectures and workshops, while facilitating collaborations with leading institutions in India and abroad.
The Governing Council comprises an eminent blend of academicians, finance professionals and distinguished alumni, led by Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, with Professor Joshy Jacob and Professor Ellapulli Vasudevan serving as Co-Chairpersons. The Council also includes donor Ravi Mattu, Professor R. Narayanaswamy, former faculty member at IIM Bangalore, Professor Vaidyanathan Venkateswaran of New York University’s Stern School of Business, and Rajan Raju, Director of Invespar Pte. Ltd.
Highlighting the Centre’s strategic significance, Professor Bharat Bhasker, Director, IIMA, said: “As India continues growing as a prominent global financial market, the need to address structural challenges within the system and establish robust India-specific databases is essential. The Mattu Centre for Research in Security Pricing and Corporate Finance will pioneer future generations of researchers, practitioners, and regulators who will not only conduct in-depth research of key financial sectors within the Indian context but will also create a network of various stakeholders who will strengthen the analytical foundations upon which Indian financial markets can grow.”
Sharing the long-term vision behind the initiative, Ravi Mattu, donor to the Centre, said: “The centre will facilitate interaction and collaborative research in asset pricing and corporate governance between Indian and US faculty in finance. It will also create a dialogue and share research findings with Indian regulators. Furthermore, the centre will spearhead the creation of a comprehensive securities price database and support early-career financial researchers in India.”
The Centre’s research agenda spans a broad spectrum of financial economics, including asset pricing, investments, corporate finance, market microstructure and corporate governance, while translating academic insights into practical solutions for businesses, investors, regulators and public institutions.
Its establishment has been facilitated through the IIMA Endowment Fund (IIMAEF), the institute’s unified philanthropic platform that enables alumni, corporates, CSR partners and individuals to contribute towards advancing research, innovation and educational excellence.
With the launch of the Mattu Centre, IIMA has not merely added another academic institution—it has laid the foundation for a knowledge ecosystem that seeks to shape India’s financial future through rigorous research, global collaboration and data-driven public policy, reaffirming the institute’s leadership in management education and intellectual thought leadership.
