37 research papers and 8 International conferences in just 4 years For Dr. Ratna Vadra (Assistant Professor, International Business), the classrooms of IMT Ghaziabad are her source of never-ending energy and creativity

The first thing that strikes you about Dr. Ratna Vadra is the sheer volume of the body of work that she has done. Her profile enlists 37 papers published just in the last four years; all in top-notch journals. No one can be blamed for wondering how Dr. Vadra maintains such immense zeal for her work and where she gets the kind of energy and time to carry out the copious research that these publications demand.

“Research papers are a creative process, and creativity generates enormous energy. The happiness and satisfaction of achievement revitalises your inner being and makes you full of life. I have always found it easy to focus on my aims and I think once you are able to focus, half the job is done. Sounds clichéd but where there is a will, there is a way; no pain, no gain!”

Simple mathematics reveals that Dr. Vadra, Assistant Professor, International Business at IMT Ghaziabad, delivers such world-class papers at the astounding average of one every month-and-a-half. Dr. Vadra resorts to a systematic approach to consistently produce these gems.

“I devote at least 2-3 hours daily to my research papers, without fail. You’ve got to keep yourself updated on the latest developments and latest issues in the economy. Between classes, I do a lot of net-surfing. I attend a lot of conferences; there is no better thing than to learn from your peers and be inspired by what they are up to. Conferences also allow me to share my research subjects with experts and seek their opinions, ideas and suggestions.”


Her latest Paper to be published is on the subject of Development Agencies’ Support to States in India. It probes whether the support given by developmental agencies like the World Bank for a limited time-frame will prove fruitful for the development of states, and which states in India are the major beneficiaries as of now. She examines whether the support of development agencies the only way for states to improve their fiscal situation and how states can boost their own efforts in creating new avenues of generating finance.

Currently, Dr. Vadra is simultaneously researching on 4-5 different topics, ranging from ‘FDIs in Emerging Markets’, to ‘Africa and the Knowledge Economy’, and ‘Restructuring of Power Sector in India’. In the past, Professor Vadra has worked on Papers as diverse as ‘Marketing Plan for Life Saver Shoes for Diabetic Persons in India’, which she presented at the MARCON 2010 Conference at IIM Calcutta, in December 2010.

One of the major contributions of Dr. Vadra for IMT Ghaziabad has been her presence at numerous international forums. In the last four years, she has presented papers at 8 different conferences globally, including the Third Annual Global Business Summit Conference in March 2011, in Michigan, USA, and the Annual London Business Research Conference in July 2010 at Imperial College, London, UK.

“The greatest plus of global conferences is that you are exposed to different styles of presentations. I’ve been able to incorporate some new ideas picked up from teachers and researchers and implement them in my classroom in IMT Ghaziabad. I always return from a conference more excited about my research than when I left. The topic turns stale in your mind after a point, but interaction and discussion with fellow researchers infuses these topics with new life. I’m quite looking forward to presenting a paper on ‘State Level Fiscal Reforms in India : Issues and Remedies’, at the 19th International Business Research Conference, to be held between 19 – 21 November, 2012, at Monash University, Caulfield Campus, Melbourne.”

Dr. Vadra is a role model for quite a few of her students – especially women - handling her three-fold responsibilities of teaching, researching and family commitments with great aplomb.

“I find it more helpful to think in terms of ‘work-life SATISFACTION’ rather than ‘work-life BALANCE’. Most people would like their work to be important and make a difference. Teaching fits that bill. As a teacher, you are the most important person in the room and resource in the school. You cannot perform optimally if you are ill, stressed or unhappy.”

Dr. Vadra believes in planning well in advance, knowing the deadlines and dividing the work accordingly. It is what helps her enter her classrooms at IMT Ghaziabad with a cheerful, smiling face, day after day.