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Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India Facilities Details

Located in Bhat, near Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) is an autonomous, non-profit institution set up in 1983. Sponsored by apex financial institutions—including IDBI Bank Ltd., IFCI Ltd., ICICI Bank Ltd., and State Bank of India (SBI)—with active support from the Government of Gujarat, EDII is widely recognized as a pioneering center for entrepreneurship education, research, training, and institution-building in India.

Central to EDII’s reputation is its multidisciplinary academic faculty. The institute’s teaching staff bridges theoretical academic knowledge with hands-on corporate, social, and venture-creation experience.

1. Academic & Professional Profile of Teaching Staff

The faculty at EDII comprises academic scholars, industry practitioners, former civil servants, researchers, and venture advisors.

  • Academic Qualifications: A high proportion of full-time faculty members hold doctorates (Ph.D.) or Fellow credentials in specialized domains such as Industrial Economics, Psychology, Organizational Behaviour, Finance, FinTech, Social Entrepreneurship, and Technology Management.

  • Industry & Domain Experience: EDII faculty members possess an average professional experience ranging from 10 to over 35 years across corporate sectors, consulting, public policy, and startup incubation. Many serve as consultants to governmental bodies, international agencies (such as the UN, World Bank, and Commonwealth Secretariat), and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

2. Departments & Structural Organization

EDII organizes its faculty across specialized departments and project hubs:

  1. Department of Entrepreneurship Education: Focuses on core curriculum design, business plan creation, and managerial competencies for flagship programs like PGDM-E and PGDM-IEV.

  2. Department of Policy Advocacy, Knowledge & Research: Conducts policy research, publishes entrepreneurship studies, and advises government agencies.

  3. Department of Projects & Regional Offices: Manages national and regional development projects (Northern, Western, Southern offices) focusing on micro-enterprises, MSME clusters, and rural entrepreneurship.

  4. Department of Business Development Services & National Outreach: Focuses on business growth, market linkages, and enterprise scaling.

3. Student–Faculty Ratio & Batch Dynamics

EDII maintains a favorable Student–Faculty Ratio (approx. 1:10 to 1:12).

  • Small Batch Sizes: Class sizes for specialized post-graduate programs (such as PGDM-Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Venture Development and FPM) are kept lean, allowing direct mentorship.

  • Dedicated Mentorship: Students working on live business ideas or venture setups are paired with designated faculty advisors and industry mentors to guide them from ideation to seed funding and launch.

4. Teaching Methodology & Learning Pedagogies

EDII uses an experiential learning framework designed to foster entrepreneurial mindsets rather than traditional rote learning:

  • Experiential Ideation & Fieldwork: Students engage in market potential surveys, feasibility studies, and industry visits.

  • Simulations & Business Modeling: Modules leverage business model canvas (BMC) exercises, design thinking workshops, and financial modeling tools.

  • Live Venture Incubation: Through EDII’s Centre for Advancing & Incubation of Entrepreneurship (CrADLE), faculty members assist students in preparing pitch decks and navigating seed funding processes.

  • Case Study Method: Complex business scenarios from family businesses, micro-enterprises, and fast-scaling tech startups are used to train students in strategic decision-making.

  • Summer Internships & Industry Mentorship: Mandatory 8-to-10-week summer internships connect students with established companies or active startups.

5. Comprehensive EDII Faculty List

Below is a detailed overview of prominent full-time teaching faculty and senior academic advisors at EDII, specifying their designation, department/area, academic qualifications, and overall experience:

Faculty Name Designation Department / Strategic Area Academic Qualifications Industry / Academic Experience
Dr. Sunil Shukla Director General Leadership & Strategy Ph.D. (Psychology) 30+ Years
Pravir Krishna, IAS (Retd.) Senior Adviser Governance & Policy M.A. (Economics) 35+ Years
Harkesh Mittal Senior Adviser Innovation & S&T Entrepreneurship B.Sc. (Dairy Tech), PGDMA 35+ Years
Dr. Raman Gujral Professor & Director Dept. of Projects / Southern Regional Director Ph.D. (Commerce) 25+ Years
Dr. Satya Ranjan Acharya Professor & Director Dept. of Entrepreneurship Education Ph.D. (Economics), MBA, MFC 20+ Years
Dr. Amit Kumar Dwivedi Associate Professor & In-Charge Dept. of Projects / Northern Regional Office M.Com, Ph.D. (Commerce) 19 Years
Dr. Pankaj Bharti Associate Professor Organizational Behaviour & HRM Ph.D. (Psychology) 24 Years
Dr. Prakash Solanki Associate Professor & In-Charge Western Regional Office Ph.D. (Sociology), LL.M., PGD BM, PGD RD 20+ Years
Dr. Reshmi Manna Associate Professor Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Ph.D. (Psychology, Calcutta Univ), SFR Fellow (IIT Delhi) 22 Years
Dr. Rajesh Gupta Assistant / Associate Professor Management & Venture Planning Ph.D. (Management) 20 Years
Dr. Baishali Mitra Assistant Professor & Coordinator Dept. of Policy Advocacy, Knowledge & Research Ph.D. (English), M.A. (Linguistics) 15+ Years
Dr. Rajeev Sharma Assistant Professor & Coordinator Dept. of Business Development Services & National Outreach Ph.D. (Industrial Economics) 19 Years
Prof. Bishnu Prasad Panda Assistant Professor Law & Financial Management M.A. (Economics), LL.B., MBA (Finance), CSWA (TISS) 35 Years
Dr. Sheetal Thomas Associate Faculty Financial Behaviour & Analytics Ph.D. (Financial Behaviour), Post-Doc (Ongoing), Exec. Prog (Financial Analytics) 18 Years
Dr. Suneel Sharma Faculty Member FinTech, IT & Engineering Ph.D. (FinTech), Post-Doc CAP, M.Sc. (Tech) IT 15+ Years
Dr. Abdul Razak Associate Faculty Entrepreneurship & Finance Post Doc (Entrep.), Ph.D. (Mgmt), MBA, PGDIPR 14 Years
Dr. Lalit Arora Assistant Professor Finance & Accounting Ph.D. (Finance), MBA (Finance) 19 Years
Prof. A. L. N. Prasad Assistant Professor Industrial Relations & Management M.B.A., PG Dip PMIR&LW 25 Years
Dr. Bhaskar Jyoti Saud Assistant Professor Rural & Regional Development Ph.D., M.Phil, M.Sc., PGDCA, Cert. GIS 19 Years
Prof. Gopal Kumar Roy Assistant Professor Technical & Operations Management B.Tech (Mechanical Engg), Executive MBA 12+ Years
Prof. Raman Jee Assistant Professor Public Systems & Energy Management Master of Public Systems Management (Energy), B.E. (CS) 13 Years
Prof. Samit Kumar Faculty Member Agribusiness Management B.Sc. (Agriculture), MBA (Agribusiness Management) 16 Years
Prof. P. N. Srivastava Assistant Professor Commerce & Accounting M.Com 33 Years
Dr. Zahoor Ahmad Paray Assistant Faculty Economics & Business Policy Fellowship Programme in Management (FPM), M.Phil (Econ) 8 Years
Dr. Ananthavalli Ramesh Associate Faculty Technology Management Ph.D. (Tech Management), M.S. (IIT Madras), B.E. (NIT Trichy) 15 Years

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What is the average academic qualification of the faculty at EDII Ahmedabad?

A: A significant majority of the full-time teaching faculty at EDII hold doctoral degrees (Ph.D.) or Fellow credentials in specialized business, social science, engineering, or economic disciplines. Additionally, many faculty members hold specialized certifications and executive education post-doctorates.

Q2. How do EDII faculty members support student venture creation?

A: EDII faculty members act as personal mentors to students during business plan formation, pitch generation, and seed funding applications. Through EDII’s CrADLE incubator, faculty members connect student founders with industry networks, legal specialists, and venture capital resources.

Q3. Does EDII invite visiting faculty or industry leaders for its classes?

A: Yes. Alongside its core faculty, EDII regularly hosts visiting professors, successful alumni entrepreneurs, global industry experts, and venture capitalists. These practitioners conduct masterclasses, guest lectures, and practical mentorship sessions.

Q4. What is the Student–Faculty ratio at EDII Ahmedabad?

A: EDII maintains a healthy Student–Faculty ratio of approximately 1:10 to 1:12. This low ratio allows for individualized focus, personalized business plan reviews, and close mentorship.

Q5. Are faculty members involved in research and policy advisory beyond teaching?

A: Yes. EDII faculty actively undertake research projects, policy advocacy initiatives, and consultancy assignments for bodies like the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, State Governments, and international organisations (including UN agencies).

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