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Prof. Dr. Urvashi Makkar

Supervisor of Dissertations
Prof. Dr Urvashi Makkar is a distinguished academic and research-driven leader with over 28 years of experience in management education. She has held several senior academic and administrative roles, including Director and Professor of Marketing at IMS Ghaziabad, and Director General at GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, Greater Noida. Under her visionary leadership, these institutions have undergone significant transformation, focusing on quality enhancement, internationalisation, industry-academia collaboration, and the promotion of entrepreneurship. Her initiatives have contributed to the institutions achieving prestigious accreditations such as NBA and NAAC.

Overview

Prof. Dr Urvashi Makkar is a distinguished academic and research-driven leader with over 28 years of experience in management education. She has held several senior academic and administrative roles, including Director and Professor of Marketing at IMS Ghaziabad, and Director General at GL Bajaj Institute of Management & Research, Greater Noida. Under her visionary leadership, these institutions have undergone significant transformation, focusing on quality enhancement, internationalisation, industry-academia collaboration, and the promotion of entrepreneurship. Her initiatives have contributed to the institutions achieving prestigious accreditations such as NBA and NAAC.

Widely acknowledged for her expertise in research mentoring and academic excellence, Prof. Makkar has supervised and evaluated over 1,000 MBA dissertations and theses since 1996. She is deeply committed to advancing applied research and fostering student-centred learning. Her work in developing global-standard research methodology frameworks and evaluation rubrics has substantially enhanced academic rigour and institutional research output.

Prof. Makkar has served on the Council of Management of the All India Management Association (AIMA) from 2021 to 2023 as a representative of Corporate and Institutional Members. She is also the Co-Founder and CEO of Phonedekho.com, a tech-based entrepreneurial venture. Her global outlook is evident in her participation in several international faculty development and leadership programmes, including the UKIERI-AICTE Faculty Development Programme, the AICTE-UKIERI Master Trainer Programme, and the Higher Education Leadership Programme at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

An accomplished author, Prof. Makkar has published 12 books, including titles with Tata McGraw-Hill, and more than 76 research papers in reputed national and international journals. Her academic influence extends globally, with invitations to present and chair sessions at leading institutions such as Harvard University, Zhejiang University, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, as well as premier Indian institutes like IITs and IIMs. She also contributes to the academic community through editorial roles on international journals and governance roles in institutions affiliated with the University of Delhi.

Prof. Makkar’s contributions to higher education have earned her numerous national accolades, including the Women Leadership Award for Responsible Management Education, the National Women Excellence Award, and the Eminent Director Award for seven consecutive years. Her deep research acumen, academic leadership, and steadfast commitment to postgraduate research mentorship mark her as a prominent and respected figure in global academia.

Areas of Expertise

  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Advertising & Sales Promotion Management
  • Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)
  • Marketing Planning & Management
  • Retail Management
  • Organisational Behaviour
  • Strategic Human Resource Management (HRM)
  • Leadership Development

Research interests

Prof. Urvashi has an extensive background in applied research and industry consultancy, with a focus on marketing, organisational performance, and entrepreneurship. She has successfully led government-funded research initiatives and advised leading national and international organisations.

Funded Research Projects
She served as the Principal Investigator for the AICTE-funded research project “Marketing Practices in Retail in India” under the prestigious Research Promotion Scheme (2007–2010), receiving a research grant of INR 750,000. She also coordinated AICTE-sponsored training programmes, including a Short-Term Training Programme (STTP) on Retail Management Practices in Indian Industries and a three-day Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp (EAC) aimed at fostering entrepreneurial competencies among students.

Industry Consultancy Experience
Prof. Makkar has led diverse consultancy assignments across sectors and geographies. Notably, she worked with the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM) on a year-long project (2009–2010) to design and implement an Organisational Performance Index (OPI) for the Company of the Year Award (COYA). She also conducted multiple Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops in Nairobi for consultant capacity building.

In India, she has undertaken major research and consultancy projects for organisations such as:

  • Pragati Silicons Ltd. – Market expansion, performance evaluation, and marketing division development.
  • CMC Ltd. – Needs assessment for fashion design education and evaluation of computer training centres.
  • Apollo Tyres – Sales promotion and regional marketing strategy design.
  • BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.) – Consumer behaviour analysis related to mobile recharge products, telecom card perception, and the use of Virtual Private Networks.

Doctoral and Postgraduate Research Supervision

  • Ph.D. Supervision/Co-supervision: Guided 11 doctoral theses under UPTU and PTU in areas including brand management, entrepreneurship, leadership, and strategy.
  • Ph.D. Evaluation: Reviewed 14 doctoral dissertations from UPTU and PTU.
  • Academic Committees
    • Member, Research and Development Cell (RDC), UPTU (2013–2015)
    • Member, Curriculum Design Committee (CDC) for the MBA programme at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), School of Open Learning (2021–2022)
  • Postgraduate Supervision: Mentored over 1,000 Master’s dissertations and theses from 1996 to 2023.

Prof. Makkar’s research contributions demonstrate her ability to bridge academic theory with real-world business practices, supporting industry innovation and academic excellence alike.

Awards and Honours

Dr Urvashi Makkar is an acclaimed academic leader and scholar with a distinguished record of over 40 national and international awards recognising her excellence in education, institutional leadership, and ethical management. Her extensive accolades reflect a deep commitment to shaping future-ready institutions and driving thought leadership in higher education.

Notable honours include:

  • “North India’s Woman Leader Award” by the World Women Leadership Congress (2022)
  • “Best Director for Developing Management Skills” at the Asia Pacific Education & Technology Summit (2022)
  • “Leadership in Institution Building Award”, presented by actor Mr Kabir Bedi (2022)
  • “Business with Ethics & Service to Humanity Award”, International Conference on Integrated Management Systems (2022)
  • “Education Excellence Award” by Dialogue India, presented by Gen. V.K. Singh, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Government of India (2022)
  • “Lifetime Achievement Award in Higher Education” by ASSOCHAM & The Education Post (2019)
  • “Great Indian Teachers Award”, “Women Academic Leader Award”, and “Exemplary Leadership in Education Award” from national and international academic forums
  • “Eminent Director of Leading Institutes of India” for seven consecutive years by Competition Success Review (CSR)

In recognition of her governance capabilities, Dr Makkar was elected to the Council of Management of the All India Management Association (AIMA) as a Representative of Corporate and Institutional Members (2021–2023). She is also the Co-founder and CEO of Phonedekho.com, a technology-driven entrepreneurial initiative.

Her global academic engagement includes participation in premier faculty development programmes such as the Higher Education Leadership Programme at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) in collaboration with AICTE, and the AICTE-UKIERI Master Trainer Development Programme.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to higher education, ethical leadership, and academic mentorship, she continues to be regarded as a leading voice in advancing responsible management education and fostering global academic collaborations.

Publications

Prof. Urvashi Makkar has an extensive and impactful publication record, encompassing books, peer-reviewed journal articles, case studies, and book chapters. Her research contributions primarily focus on marketing, customer relationship management, strategic management, consumer behaviour, entrepreneurship, and innovation.

Books Authored and Edited

Prof. Makkar has authored or edited 13 books, several of which are widely referenced in academia and industry. Highlights include:

  1. Brand and Product Intelligence (2023) – Gardebers IV Inc.
  2. Achieving Sustainable Strategic Advantage (2022) – Bharti Publications
  3. Innovation, Technology and Development: A Roadmap for Achieving Global Competitiveness (2017) – Bharti Publications
  4. Entrepreneurship: Learning & Implementation (2015) – Centre for Education Growth & Research
  5. Innovation & Creativity Management: The Design for the Future (2015) – Bharti Publications
  6. Reinventing Management Strategies: The Design for the Future (2014) – Bharti Publications
  7. Futuristic Human Resource and Strategic Management (2014) – Bharti Publications
  8. Corporate Social Responsibility: Conceptual Framework, Practices & Key Issues (2012) – Bharti Publications
  9. Future Directions in Management (2012) – Bharti Publications
  10. Marketing Practices in Retail in India (2011) – Bharti Publications
  11. Recent Practices in Retail in India (2011) – Bharati Book Organisation
  12. Customer Relationship Management (2011) – Tata McGraw Hill (translated into Chinese by China’s People University)
  13. Customer Relationship Management (2010) – Vikas Publishing House

Research Articles, Case Studies, and Conference Papers

  • 85 research publications in refereed international and national journals, and conference proceedings.
  • 12 original case studies published in Customer Relationship Management (Tata McGraw Hill, ISBN: 9780071333313).

Research areas include consumer behaviour, retail marketing, digital banking, HRIS, telecom, insurance, media influence, and service marketing.

Selected Publications

  • “Changing Attitude Towards Herbal Cosmetics in India” – Indian Journal of Marketing (2007)
  • “Diagnostic Analysis of Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction Index in the Retail Sector in India” – International Journal of Arts & Sciences (2013)
  • “Customer Satisfaction Index in the Mobile Telecom Sector in India: Rural Market Focus” – International Journal of Arts & Sciences (2012)
  • “Role of E-Media in Urban Youth Decision-Making” – International Journal of Marketing & Business Communication (2012)
  • “Attributes Affecting Growth of Online Banking” – International Journal of Technology Marketing (2008)
  • “Effective HRIS and Employee Perceptions” – Journal of Strategic Human Resource Management (2015)
  • “Impact of BBSC on Organisational Effectiveness: A Case Study of BSNL” – Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management (2011)
  • “Consumer Perception of Media Options: Rural vs Urban” – Indian Journal of Marketing (2010)
  • “Changing Attitude Toward Herbal Cosmetics in India” – Indian Journal of Marketing (2007)

Prof. Urvashi has been a prolific contributor to academic and professional forums at both national and international levels. She has presented papers, chaired sessions, and delivered lectures at conferences, seminars, and workshops organised by prestigious institutions and professional bodies.

Conferences and Paper Presentations

  • Delivered and presented research papers at various AICTE-sponsored national seminars on topics such as service excellence, corporate governance, small-scale industries, and the insurance sector.
  • Participated as a VIP delegate at the International Conference on Strategic Value Creation for Corporates, organised by the Federation of Indian Industries and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), New Delhi.
  • Presented papers at CII conferences on topics including the quality of technical education and curriculum revision.
  • Attended the National Workshop on Case Development hosted by AIMA (2003).
  • Engaged with institutions such as Kurukshetra University, Guru Jambheshwar University, and Apeejay Institute of Management as a speaker and panellist in management seminars.

Workshops, MDPs, and Executive Education Programmes

  • Designed and conducted over 54 Management Development Programmes (MDPs) and workshops for senior leadership in public and private sector enterprises, including BSNL, the Department of Posts, ISGEC, and Pragati Silicons Ltd.
  • Delivered customised training on Customer Relationship Management, Leadership, Strategic HR, Emotional Intelligence, and Business Process Re-engineering.
  • Served as Chief Trainer in national-level workshops on soft skills, negotiation, team building, and workplace culture development.
  • Coordinated international faculty engagements, including a week-long MDP at Mzumbe University, Tanzania, on global trade (WTO) and business strategy.
  • Led recurring sessions on organisational development for Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officers at ALTTC, BSNL.
  • Participated in the UGC Workshop on Capacity Building of Women Managers in Higher Education at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.

Prof. Makkar’s dynamic speaking engagements and executive education initiatives reflect her commitment to applied knowledge dissemination and leadership development across academia, government, and industry.

Prof. Urvashi is also pursuing her passion for writing poetry and has published her debut poetry book, बिखरे अल्फ़ाज़, in co-authorship with her husband, Mr Harinder Makkar, an officer of the Indian Telecom Service (ITS), who is currently serving as Chief General Manager of the Maharashtra and Goa Circle, BSNL, in Mumbai. In addition, in her role as President of TWWO (The Women Welfare Organisation), Maharashtra and Goa Circle, she is actively contributing to social causes, particularly women’s empowerment and girls’ education.