IIM Lucknow PhD Student Receives Prestigious Fetzer MSR Scholarship by US Academy

New Delhi: As per the latest updates, Nishant Garg, a PhD student of IIM Lucknow has been awarded the prestigious Fetzer MSR Scholarship by the Academy of Management, United States for his ongoing thesis work on "financial well-being".

As per IIM Lucknow, Nishant Garg is working on his thesis under the guidance of IIM Lucknow Professor Priyadarshi, Professor Pankaj Kumar and Professor Girish Balasubramanian. He was recommended for research at the B-School by the Medical Physicist, Madan M Rehani.

Speaking on this occasion, Garg said, "Getting selected for a scholarship awarded by a leading international research institution is like a dream come true as bright minds from top academic institutes like Stanford, Harvard and others apply for it".

"I began working on MSR when I was a teenager and was subjected to gender-related emotional violence like random people commenting on my physical structure and why I don't show aggression like boys and others. To cope with this, I began travelling and eventually met the Dalai Lama who changed the way I saw things", he added.

A total of 20 candidates, including Nishant Garg, are awarded this scholarship. Following this achievement, they have the opportunity to do research in the new area of Management, Spirituality and Religion (MSR), which aims to build a spiritual foundation for a loving world.

His research focuses on MSR characteristics that argue that management cannot disregard a working professional's spirituality and religion. It studies the impact of spiritual and mindfulness traits like resilience, hope, optimism, and faith on people's well-being (especially under stress).

After completing his MTech degree, Nishant worked as a corporate trainer and taught students the benefits of using meditation to deal with stress and traumatic events. While working with NGOs, he engaged in the government's Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign.

During his work, he met and assisted many children who faced trauma during his work. After this, Nishant was invited to Harvard University as an international delegate (HPAIR) in February 2019 as a result of his interest in and participation in MSR activities.

Talking about the scholarship, Nishant said, "Recipients of this scholarship will be part of a cohort that will receive support and guidance during the 2023 Academy of Management conference and throughout the year. Also, a financial reward of around INR 2 lakh will be given".

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