Prof. Debjit Roy’s Global Recognition expected to Strengthen India’s Logistics & Transport Research Ecosystem

AHMEDABAD: Prof. Debjit Roy, Professor at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, has earned global recognition by receiving the prestigious Wickham Skinner Teaching Innovation Award from the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS), one of the highest international honors for excellence and innovation in teaching in the field of production and operations management.

The achievement is being seen as a significant milestone not only for Indian academia but also for the country’s rapidly evolving logistics, transportation, and supply chain sectors. Prof. Roy’s recognition is expected to further strengthen research-driven policy thinking, industry collaboration, and academic innovation in logistics and transport management in India.

In his message after receiving the award, Prof. Roy expressed gratitude to his students, colleagues, and academic institutions across India, the Netherlands, and the United States, stating that impactful teaching and meaningful research must go hand in hand. Having taught more than 15,000 students over the past 14 years, he acknowledged that classroom interactions across continents have continuously shaped his teaching philosophy and methods.

At Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, Prof. Roy serves as the Founding Co-Chair of the Centre for Transportation and Logistics, a pioneering initiative focused on advancing research, executive education, and industry engagement in transportation, warehousing, freight systems, supply chain optimization, and logistics infrastructure development in India.

Widely regarded as one of India’s leading scholars in operations, logistics, and transportation systems, Prof. Roy has contributed extensively to global research in freight transportation, warehouse automation, container terminal operations, supply chain optimization, fleet management, inland logistics infrastructure, and sustainable transport systems. His research work, publications, and industry-oriented case studies have helped bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world logistics challenges.

Industry experts believe that this international recognition will inspire greater academic focus on logistics and transport research in India at a time when the country is aggressively investing in multimodal infrastructure, port-led development, dedicated freight corridors, warehousing modernization, and integrated supply chain ecosystems under national initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti and the National Logistics Policy.

Prof. Roy also highlighted that the award places him among an elite group of globally respected academic luminaries, including Hau Lee, Luk van Wassenhove, Sunil Kumar, Mike Gorman, Christian Terwiesch, and Robert Klassen, who have previously received the honor.

He further acknowledged the support of academicians and practitioners from around the world, along with the encouragement of the award committee chaired by Bala Shetty.

The recognition marks yet another proud moment for Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and reinforces India’s growing stature as a global hub for research, innovation, and thought leadership in logistics, transportation, and supply chain management.