Delve into India's burgeoning economy, showcasing its significant contributions to global markets through technology, services, and manufacturing. Programming in this region is largely supported by the Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Initative.
Summits
Each fall, the Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Summit brings together founders, policymakers, and academics around a single theme — startups, U.S.-India innovation, sustainability, family business — drawing hundreds of attendees to Northeastern's campus.
More than 270 students, faculty, and business leaders gathered for a day-long exploration of whether family businesses, in India and elsewhere, can sustain success across generations while competing in an increasingly complex world on October 27, 2025.
Five leading experts joined CEM on Saturday, October 5, 2024, for a thought-provoking discussion on how they are tackling the pressing sustainability challenges of today, especially in India and emerging markets across Southeast Asia.
On Saturday, October 28, 2023, the Center for Emerging Markets at Northeastern University held the second annual India summit: India – The Next Startup Nation? to explore India's vibrant startup ecosystem.
Commemorating 75 years of independence in India, the Center for Emerging Markets teamed up with the Consulate General of India, New York to host a series of high-level talks on India-U.S. partnerships for innovation on October 14, 2022.
India Lecture Series
Launched in 2017, the Center for Emerging Markets‘ India Lecture Series is free and open to the public. It was endowed in 2021 and is now known as the Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Lecture Series.
Mar 26
Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Lecture | A Sixth of Humanity: Independent India's Development Odyssey
Oct 2
Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Lecture: Can India Compete in AI and Related Technologies?
Oct 30
Exploring the Future of Global Business with Devika Bulchandani
SmartIDEAthon
Since 2022, CEM has co-sponsored SmartIDEAthon, an annual startup pitch competition run out of GITAM University in India; the 2025 edition drew more than 2,200 student teams from 29 states, up from around 1,200 in its first year.
Through the Vivek and Vandana Sharma Initiative, CEM supported the sixth edition of SmartIDEAthon, one of India's largest student social innovation competitions, held on December 12, 2025, at GITAM University in Visakhapatnam
The Center for Emerging Markets was proud to support the fifth edition of SmartIDEAthon, one of India's largest social innovation pitchfests, held on December 13, 2024 in Bangalore, India. This event was supported by the Vivek and Vandana Sharma India Initiative at CEM.
The Center for Emerging Markets was thrilled to participate in India's dynamic startup scene by supporting SmartIDEAthon 2023, one of the country's largest social innovation pitchfests.
The Center for Emerging Markets is proud to be part of India's buzzing startup scene by supporting and strengthening SmartIDEAthon—which may well be one of India's biggest social innovation pitchfests.
Related News
For nearly five decades, Ravi Ramamurti has expanded the lens of global business — challenging institutions to recognize the power and potential of emerging markets. As a scholar, teacher, and founder of Northeastern's Center for Emerging Markets, he has turned overlooked economies into central conversations in classrooms and boardrooms alike. By shaping research, influencing policy, and preparing students to lead in a shifting global landscape, Ramamurti exemplifies what it means to be an impact maker.
Can India compete in today's rapidly evolving technology sector? Frank D'Souza, former CEO of Cognizant and current co-founder and Managing Partner of Recognize, believes the answer is yes, but India's competitive advantage will look different from America's or China's.
“Human motivations haven't changed, but how we engage with content has,” says Bulchandani. “Today, consumers have the control, and our challenge is to create content that captures attention amid overwhelming information.”
