Last Updated on June 24, 2026
MBAUniverse.com News Desk
T A Pai Management Institute (TAPMI), Manipal, has appointed Dr Debasis Pradhan as its new Director with effect from 10 June 2026, marking a significant leadership transition at one of India’s premier business schools. The arrival of the TAPMI new Director brings to Manipal a marketing academic of national standing: Dr Pradhan moves from XLRI Jamshedpur, where he spent more than two decades as a Full Professor of Marketing and held senior leadership roles, including Associate Dean (Executive Education) and Chairperson of the Marketing Division. Dr Pradhan is also the Editor of MLS XLRI Journal. A constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), and accredited by both AACSB and AMBA, TAPMI says the appointment as a step towards strengthening its academic depth, research output, global collaborations and industry relevance. This MBAUniverse.com report covers Dr Pradhan’s profile, research, priorities, and what the change means for the institute.
TAPMI Appoints Dr Debasis Pradhan as New Director
TAPMI has announced the appointment of Dr Debasis Pradhan as its new Director, with the appointment taking effect from 10 June 2026. The institute has positioned the move as part of its ongoing commitment to academic excellence, a stronger global standing, leadership in research, and management education that stays closely relevant to industry. As the TAPMI new Director, Dr Pradhan takes charge of an institute that is a constituent unit of MAHE, an Institute of Eminence and Deemed-to-be University, and one of a select group of Indian B-schools to hold both AACSB and AMBA accreditation.
Dr Debasis Pradhan: A Brief Profile
Dr Debasis Pradhan is a marketing academic with an extensive record in teaching, research and academic administration. Before taking over as TAPMI Director, he spent more than 20 years at XLRI Jamshedpur, rising to Full Professor of Marketing and serving in leadership positions that included Associate Dean (Executive Education) and Chairperson of the Marketing Division. His administrative experience in executive education is particularly relevant to a B-school like TAPMI that runs a growing portfolio of management and executive programmes across its Manipal and Bengaluru campuses.
Research Focus: Marketing, Consumers and Technology
As an author in Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, Dr Debasis Pradhan has published over 30 articles in leading Tier A and Tier A* journals worldwide. These include Psychology & Marketing, the European Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Business Research, the Journal of Consumer Affairs and the International Marketing Review, among others.
His research are in the emerging concerns of the digital economy: technology and consumer well-being, the interaction between consumers, brands and machines, influencer marketing, brand activism, and consumer engagement. These are the themes reshaping how businesses operate and how management is taught, and align closely with TAPMI’s own technology-led education, including its MBA in Artificial Intelligence & Data Science.
Editorial Roles and Global Academic Engagement
Beyond his own research, Dr Pradhan holds senior editorial positions in respected management journals. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Management and Labour Studies, a leading management journal published by Sage Publications, and serves as an Area Editor for Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, published by Springer Nature. Editorial leadership of this kind reflects standing within the global research community and is an asset TAPMI can leverage as it works to raise its research profile.
Dr Pradhan has also delivered invited talks and presented research at several prestigious international institutions over the years, including Indian Management Conclave 2025, the University of Sydney, Singapore Management University, the University of Michigan, London Business School and Johns Hopkins University. This international engagement supports one of TAPMI’s stated priorities under its new Director — deepening global academic collaboration.
Priorities for TAPMI as the New Director
According to the institute, Dr Pradhan’s mandate is to expand TAPMI’s global collaborations with institutions and organisations on the international stage, enhance its research and academic impact, and further develop its academic innovation programmes and partnerships. TAPMI has positioned the appointment within its broader vision of establishing itself as a world-class management education institution built on innovation, leadership and future-ready education.
Established in 1980 and located in Manipal, Karnataka, T A Pai Management Institute is a constituent unit of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE). Per TAPMI’s official profile, the institute is NIRF-ranked 39 in the Management category, while parent body MAHE is NIRF-ranked 3 among universities. TAPMI is a ‘double-crown’ institute, holding both AACSB and AMBA accreditation, along with NBA accreditation, and is known for academic rigour, leadership development and a strong industry interface.
In summary, the appointment of Dr Debasis Pradhan as the TAPMI new Director marks a notable leadership moment for one of India’s premier B-schools. Bringing more than two decades of experience from XLRI Jamshedpur, a strong research and editorial record, and a clear focus on technology-driven marketing and consumer behaviour, Dr Debasis Pradhan is expected to steer TAPMI towards stronger research impact, deeper global collaborations and greater academic innovation. For continuing coverage of TAPMI, B-school leadership changes and MBA admissions, stay with MBAUniverse.com.
