Ashoka Reflections_FEBRUARY 2024
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ASHOKA
REFLECTIONS
A S H O K A U N I V E R S I T Y ' S M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 4
Ashoka University is India’s premier interdisciplinary research and
teaching university located in the National Capital Region, New
Delhi. It is built on the finest global best practices of institution and
university
governance.
Accomplished
leaders,
philanthropists,
thinkers, and academicians with expertise in varied fields have come
together to create the university. It brings the best contemporary
values and practices in higher education, in the tradition of the
world’s leading universities, to India. With a strong emphasis on
multi-disciplinary learning, development of skills and leadership
attributes for the 21st century, Ashoka is preparing students to be
critical thinkers and ethical leaders in an increasingly diverse world.
A B O U T
Ashoka University
A S H O K A R E F L E C T I O N S
03
07
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Table of
Contents
ASHOKA REFLECTIONS
February 2024
Feature Story
In Focus
Latest Happenings
In Other News
In the Media
Ashoka Reflections | Page 03
Feature Story
A Tribute to Brilliance:
Ashoka University's
Distinguished
Academicians
It has been a proud month for Ashoka
University with two of our Professors being
awarded prestigious Fellowships
Ashoka Reflections | Page 04
Ashwini Deshpande, Head of the Department, Economics and Professor of Economics, Ashoka University is
among 10 to have been named annual fellows by the International Economic Association. The annual
fellowship is awarded to “economists worldwide who have made an important contribution through the
creation or dissemination of new ideas and high-quality policy work.” She is also the founding Director of the
Centre for Economic Data and Analysis (CEDA) at Ashoka University.
The IEA was founded in 1950 as a non-governmental organisation, as part of a UNESCO-driven initiative. The
IEA is governed by a council, composed of representatives of its member associations and some co-opted
members. Two of its past presidents are Amartya Sen (1986–1989) and Kaushik Basu (2017-2021). The fellow
award recipients are selected by a Nominating Committee which, according to the Association, takes it upon
itself to “ensure regional diversity and gender balance.”
On being awarded this honour, she shared, “I am truly honoured to be chosen for the International
Economic Association (IEA) Fellowship Award and am grateful for the recognition of my work. I would
like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all my friends, colleagues, and students for their messages of
support and encouragement, which have been invaluable to me. This award serves as a reminder to
continue striving for excellence.”
Dr Anurag Agrawal, Dean, BioSciences and Health Research, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University
has been selected for the JC Bose National Fellowship instituted by the Government of India.
The JC Bose Fellowship is awarded to active scientists in recognition of their outstanding performance. The
fellowship is scientist-specific and very selective. It is named after Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. He was a
polymath interested in biology, physics, botany and writing science fiction. He was a pioneer in the
investigation of radio microwave optics, made significant contributions to botany, and was a major force
behind the expansion of experimental science on the Indian subcontinent. Bose is considered the father of
Bengali science fiction. He invented the crescograph, a device for measuring the growth of plants. A crater on
the Moon was named in his honour. He founded the Bose Institute, a premier research institute in India and
also one of its oldest. Established in 1917, the institute was the first interdisciplinary research centre in Asia,
where he also served as the Director.
Expressing his joy over receiving this Fellowship, he shared, “It is an honour to receive a fellowship named
after a polymath like JC Bose. It is fitting to receive it at Ashoka University, allowing me to learn and
hopefully contribute across natural and social sciences.”
Ashoka Reflections | Page 05
Feature Story
The International
Economic Research
Annual Citation, 2022
“Essays on Immigrants and their Impact on the
Local Labour Market” by Dr Ronit Mukherji was
selected as the Citation winning thesis for 2022
Ashoka Reflections | Page 06
The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has played a crucial role in financing, facilitating, and promoting
India’s international trade and investment. In this pursuit, Exim Bank has recognised the significance of
economic research for policy evolution and informed decisions by stakeholders. The International Economic
Research Annual Citation (IERA Citation) was instituted by the India Exim Bank in 1989 as part of the Bank’s
enduring commitment to promote high-quality research. The Citation is presented to the Doctoral Thesis with
a focus on international economics, trade, development issues and related financing. Over the years, it has
been a springboard for intellectual leaders in the field of economic research. Several past winners of the
Citation are prominent economists, research scholars, and academicians today.
IERA Citation 2022 was the 34th edition and an eminent Jury of domain experts was constituted to evaluate
the entries received for the Citation. After a detailed evaluation, the thesis titled: “Essays on Immigrants and
their Impact on the Local Labour Market” by Dr Ronit Mukherji (Assistant Professor, Department of Economics
Ashoka University) was selected as the Citation winning thesis for 2022. The award was presented on 8th
December 2023 by Dr Richard Baldwin at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. He is a Professor of
International Economics at the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), an expert in global
economic policy and theory, and an authority on understanding the economic drivers and risks of
globalisation. The welcome address was by Ms Harsha Bangari, Managing Director, Export-Import Bank of
India, and the inaugural address was by Chief Guest Dr Vivek Joshi, Secretary, Ministry of Finance,
Government of India. The Citation besides the honour, also carries a cash prize of Rs. 3,50,000 and the
winning thesis is published in the form of an Occasional Paper, intended to benefit policymakers, exporters,
industrialists, export promotion council and researchers.
The winning thesis consists of three chapters that delve into the behaviour and earnings of immigrants and
how their entry impacts the local labour market. It employs empirical analysis using microdata to establish
causal relationships between immigrant entry and local economic changes. The research combines this
empirical approach with macroeconomic models and calibration tools to gain a deeper understanding of how
these changes occur in the local economy. The first chapter of the thesis explores whether the entry of low-
skilled immigrants can explain the consistent decline in unionisation rates observed in the United States. The
chapter argues that immigrant entry has altered the incentives for native-born workers to join labour unions
and for firms to hire unionised workers. It further shows that a decline in unionisation rates concentrated
around the skill distribution extremes. The chapter also considers a model which on closer examination
predicts that low-skilled immigrant entry can explain a significant portion of the total decline in union density.
The second chapter of the thesis investigates the impact of exchange rate fluctuations between the source
and foreign economies on immigrant workers' earnings and labour supply. It suggests that a source country's
currency depreciation leads to a decrease in earnings—indicating a backwards-bending supply curve. The
final chapter examines the influence of macroeconomic conditions (such as the unemployment rate) at the
point of entry for immigrants into the foreign economy and how it affects their short- and long-term earnings.
The chapter investigates the earnings of immigrant workers during economic downturns and whether long-
term success varies among immigrants with different skills, education, nationality, and gender.
Dr Ronit Mukherji is grateful for the award and recognition. He would like to thank his thesis supervisors at his
alma mater, the University of British Columbia. They are Prof. David Green, Prof. Michael Devereux, and Prof.
Kevin Milligan. He also would like to thank his parents and colleagues for their support.
In Focus
LiveGreen@Ashoka
Initiative
In Focus
Ashoka University's Living Lab:
LiveGreen@Ashoka Leading the
Way in Circular Economy
Innovations
Ashoka Reflections | Page 08
Rajni Kaushik
Assistant Director- Sustainability | Ashoka University
Lead | LiveGreen@Ashoka Initiative
The initiative empowers the Ashoka community to adopt green
technologies, implement behavioural changes, and actively participate
in operational interventions that promote sustainability
In the global pursuit of sustainability, academic institutions are transforming profoundly—redefining their role
as dynamic hubs of innovation. The imperative for circular economy innovations is underscored by the Ellen
MacArthur Foundation's report, presenting compelling scientific data that accentuates the pressing need for
change on a global scale. The report highlights that transitioning to a circular economy by 2030 can yield a net
economic benefit of $4.5 trillion and promises substantial reductions in carbon emissions and waste. In this
landscape of urgency, academic institutions, with their wealth of resources and diverse communities, are
positioned to become living labs for sustainability initiatives. Ashoka University stands at the forefront of this
movement with LiveGreen@Ashoka—a university-wide sustainability endeavour led by students and staff. It is
a tangible manifestation of the university's commitment to transforming its campus into a living lab for
circular economy innovations and sustainable practices, serving as a model for other academic institutions.
Ashoka Reflections | Page 09
With the support of Professors Gautam Menon and L.S. Shashidhara, I launched LiveGreen@Ashoka under
the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability as a student-focused initiative aimed at improving
sustainability on campus. The initiative's mission was to create a strong connection within the Ashoka
community and inspire everyone to adopt sustainable choices on campus. It envisioned a campus where
every action contributed to a greener and more sustainable future, nurturing sustainability from within. It all
began with analysing activities related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sustainability, speaking
to student societies and clubs identifying interest areas, challenges and redundancy in projects across
different student societies. Recognising the gaps, I emphasised the importance of students taking charge and
collaborating with staff, societies, and clubs on various sustainability and SDG projects. Our commitment to
inclusivity supports bottom-up initiatives and cross-departmental collaboration, promoting sustainability
practices, raising awareness, and encouraging meaningful behavioural changes within the Ashoka community.
The three-pronged approach of LiveGreen@Ashoka integrates green technology interventions, behavioural
changes, and operational interventions, making sustainability a tangible and integral part of campus life. The
initiative empowers the Ashoka community to adopt green technologies, implement behavioural changes, and
actively participate in operational interventions that promote sustainability.
Beyond being a mere vision, LiveGreen@Ashoka is a dynamic movement that leads by example. Initiatives
such as the Green Agneepath Plastic Collection Drive, conducted in collaboration with Blue Nudge, Blue
Planet's initiative, and the Environment Ministry, address the pervasive issue of plastic waste generated
during events like sports fests. Student volunteers play a pivotal role in transforming events into collective
responsibility campaigns by collecting, segregating, and upcycling plastic waste into benches for students.
As part of LiveGreen@Ashoka, students can speak up and implement their ideas on campus. Throughout the
past year, the program has collaborated actively with societies and passionate individuals on various projects.
An example of such a project is the proposal of a vendor to recycle menstrual waste-Padcare, to handle
menstrual waste at Ashoka, by our student Aishwarya Sunnad. As a result, Padcare facilities have been
established throughout campus thanks to the collaborative support of the university administration and
operations team. Another impactful initiative, the E-Waste Campaign, in collaboration with Tarang
(Environment Ministry) and Attero, showcases the university's commitment to the responsible disposal of
electronic waste. Besides contributing to a greener mining sector, the campaign aligns with global efforts to
reduce import dependency and create sustainable supply chains through expert presentations.
LiveGreen@Ashoka collaborates extensively with the AU SDG Club on projects such as LiveGreen@Ashoka
Idea Box, Thrift Your Bags, and the Do You Know This About Ashoka series.
These initiatives engage students and staff in creating awareness about existing sustainability features,
sharing ideas for enhancing sustainability efforts and repurposing resources—a testament to the collective
commitment to responsible practices.
A recent initiative with the AU SDG Club involves transforming Ashoka's paper waste into a student-led and
run recycled stationery brand. This ambitious project minimises paper waste and reinvests proceeds into
other sustainability-related initiatives, establishing a circular economy model within the campus. The project
kickstarted with students painting waste cardboard boxes, later distributed in offices and resident halls across
campus. The Digital Carbon Footprint Series, another brainchild of LiveGreen@Ashoka, addresses the often-
overlooked aspect of carbon emissions in the age of rapid digital expansion. In collaboration with the
Environment Ministry, the series sheds light on the environmental consequences of daily digital activities,
empowering the community to make conscious choices and take sustainable actions in the digital realm.
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