Axis Bank and IIM Bangalore to Set Up Centre of Economics
Mumbai, October 26, 2026: Axis Bank and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Axis Bank Centre of Economics at the IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies in Jigani, Bengaluru.
The collaboration will support the construction and operationalisation of the Centre, which will serve as an academic and research facility at IIMB’s new undergraduate campus. The partnership also includes support for faculty development, academic research and need- and merit-based scholarships for deserving students.
The MoU was signed at Axis House in Worli, Mumbai, in the presence of Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIM Bangalore; Mr. Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank; Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIM Bangalore; and Mr. Vijay Mulbagal, Group Head – Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability & CSR, Axis Bank, along with senior representatives from both institutions.
The Axis Bank Centre of Economics will be housed in the Integrated Academic and Administrative Block under Phase I of the new campus. Its curriculum will combine disciplinary depth with quantitative and computational learning, emphasising data, quantitative methods and empirical analysis to address real-world economic challenges.
Speaking on the collaboration, Vijay Mulbagal, Group Head – Wholesale Bank Coverage, Corporate Salary, Sustainability & CSR, Axis Bank, 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. 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.”
Prof. U. Dinesh Kumar, Director-in-charge, IIMB, 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. 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”.
The IIMB – Dorabji Tata School of Undergraduate Studies welcomed its first academic cohort in August 2026. A total of 80 students were selected for its Bachelor of Science (Hons) 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 provide additional opportunities for students and faculty in economics education and research, with a focus on developing graduates equipped to engage with India’s economic priorities and the global economy.
