IIM Bangalore partners with Axis Bank to set up economics centre, provide student scholarships

Axis Bank and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) have signed an agreement to establish the Axis Bank Centre of Economics at IIMB’s Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies in Jigani, Bengaluru. The centre will support academic infrastructure, research, faculty development and need- and merit-based scholarships for deserving students. 

According to the announcement, Axis Bank will facilitate the construction and operationalisation of the centre in the integrated academic and administrative block of the institute’s new undergraduate campus.

The Axis Bank Centre of Economics will focus on economics education through quantitative and computational learning, data analysis and empirical research. It aims to help students apply economic concepts and analytical methods to real-world challenges.

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Axis Bank Centre of Economics at IIM Bangalore

The agreement was signed at Axis House in Worli, Mumbai, in the presence of Devi Prasad Shetty, chairperson of the IIM Bangalore Board of Governors; Amitabh Chaudhry, managing director and CEO of Axis Bank; U. Dinesh Kumar, director-in-charge of IIM Bangalore; and Vijay Mulbagal, group head – Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability and CSR at Axis Bank, along with senior representatives from both institutions.

Vijay Mulbagal said the partnership would support multidisciplinary education and research aligned with global standards.

Mulbagal said, “Multi-disciplinary education and research are vital to building the knowledge, skills and capabilities India needs to navigate an increasingly complex economic landscape. Together with IIM Bangalore, Axis Bank aims to establish a new paradigm in undergraduate education that is benchmarked to global standards and integrates meaningful pedagogy with deep research.”

He added, “The Axis Bank Centre of Economics reflects our continued commitment to strengthening institutions that can play a leading role in shaping India’s long-term, inclusive and sustainable progress.”

The centre will follow a curriculum aligned with global standards, combining core economics with quantitative and computational methods. It will also encourage the use of data and empirical analysis to study economic challenges.

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U. Dinesh Kumar, director-in-charge of IIM Bangalore, said economics education increasingly requires students to develop skills in quantitative and qualitative methods, data-driven applications and interdisciplinary thinking.

Kumar said, “We are grateful to Axis Bank for supporting our vision for the Axis Bank Centre of Economics at the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies. Economics is central to understanding the forces shaping businesses, markets and society, and its study today increasingly calls for strong foundations in quantitative and qualitative methods, data-driven application and interdisciplinary thinking.”

He added, “The Centre will contribute to creating an environment where students and faculty can engage deeply with the determinants of global and national development. The support from Axis Bank will enable us to strengthen academic infrastructure and create opportunities that advance the School’s mission of developing a world-class undergraduate institution."

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IIMB’s first undergraduate batch

The IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies welcomed its first batch in August 2026. According to the announcement, 80 students were selected for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) programmes in Data Sciences and Economics from nearly 12,000 applicants.

Of the inaugural cohort, 40 students will pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics with a minor in Data Sciences at the Axis Bank Centre of Economics.

The centre is expected to create additional opportunities for students and faculty through academic research and interdisciplinary learning, while preparing students for careers in economics, research and other fields linked to India’s economic development.