Deepmala Baghel

Dr. Deepmala Baghel is a faculty member in the Areas of Humanities, Arts, And Social Sciences. She received her Ph.D. in Sociology (Innovation and Entrepreneurship), and M. Phil in Planning and Development both from IIT Bombay. She was previously an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Information Technology Nagpur and the National Law University Nagpur.

Dr. Deepmala’s research focuses on helping organisations to understand the ESG perspectives and practicalities to improve decision making, communication of ESG practices and sustainability challenges among MSMEs in India.

She has designed and delivered courses at the PGP, Executive, and Doctoral level on managerial communication, business writing, presentation and persuasion skills, sustainability communication, Indian ethos and Business Ethics, Corporate Governance, CSR, Sustainability and ESG.

Over the years, she has been actively involved in research publications, conference organization, executive education, Management Development Programs (MDPs), certificate programs, and industry consultancy projects related to communication strategy and sustainability practices. She has published in national and international journals in her area. She also presented papers in various national and international conferences. At IIT Bombay she was engaged in various projects in the areas of entrepreneurship, socio-technical analysis, technology transfer, CSR, education, policy, and gender.

As an academician, researcher, and communication consultant, she brings interdisciplinary expertise spanning communication, sustainability, ESG, and corporate social responsibility and believes in fostering learning environments that encourage meaningful dialogue, critical thinking, and intellectual engagement.

Research Interest

ESG, Sustainability Communication, MSMEs, CSR, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Social Capital, Natural Resources, Knowledge system

Journal Articles

• Baghel, D. (2026). Analysing ESG Risk in MSMEs: A Context-Sensitive Framework from Forestry Enterprises in India. Minnesota Journal of Business Law and Entrepreneurship, (1), 422-443.
• Baghel Deepmala (2025) Impact of Family Capital on Entrepreneurial Resilience During Crisis: A Case of Indian Family-Managed MSMEs. Northern Economic Review· Vol. 16, No. 1
• Baghel, Deepmala (2024). Trends and Patterns of Sustainability in SMES: A Bibliometric Analysis of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) Literature. Accountancy Business and the Public Interest vol 40, No. 11.
• Baghel, Deepmala (2020). Interdependence of Social and Technical Indicators of Innovation: the case of Cosmetic MSMEs. The special issue in Journal, Innovation and Development. Taylor & Francis Online. Sep 4: pp.1-19. ISSN: 2157-9318.
• Dr. (Prof) Vijendar Kumar and Dr. Deepmala Baghel (2020). ‘Women’s Negotiations within Constitutional Interpretation of Equality’ Bennett Journal of Legal Studies.
• Baghel, Deepmala, D. Parthasarathy (2019). “Knowledge Generation for Innovation in Ayurvedic Cosmetics MSMEs: Investigating Entrepreneur’s Cultural and Symbolic Capital.” Science, Technology and Society, Vol 24, Issue 1, pp: 101-121: 0971721818821795. Sage publication.
• Dr. (Prof) Vijendar Kumar and Dr. Deepmala Baghel (2019). ‘Women and Socio-Legal Reality in Contemporary India’ Journal Law Quest Issue 1. ISSN: 2249-9881
• Baghel, Deepmala (2018). “Discussion Method of Teaching: An Inclusive way of imparting Knowledge. Contemporary Law Review, ISSN 2581-7582
• Baghel, Deepmala, D. Parthasarathy, and M. Gupta (2014). "Will you walk into my parlor? Spaces and practices of beauty in Mumbai." South Asian Popular Culture vol. 12, Number-3: pp. 163-179. DOI:10.1080/14746689.2014.983709 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14746689.2014.983709
• Baghel, Deepmala, D. Parthasarathy, and Meenakshi Gupta (2011). "Innovation in Indian Small-Scale Industries: Case Study of Cosmetics Small Scale Industry in Mumbai." ASCI Journal of Management, Vol. 41:1, pp. 91-108 ISSN: 0257-8069.

Book Chapter

• Baghel Deepmala (2026) Reconceptualizing ESG: A Systemic Perspective on Environmental, Social, and Governance Interdependence in MSMEs. In Corporate Strategy for ESG Management. Editors: Arun Kumar Rath, Ram Kumar Mishra, Excel India Publishers·
• Baghel Deepmala (2024) Analyses of SDG 1 in India: Poverty Alleviation from a Socio-Economic Rights Approach. In Nurturing the Living Planet, Review of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Editors: Arun Kumar Rath, Jibitesh Rath, Excel India Publishers·
• Baghel Deepmala (2022) Resilience of MSMEs During the Pandemic. In Amita Singh (Ed.) International Handbook of Disaster Research. Springer-Nature, Singapore.
• Baghel Deepmala (2022). Social Framework Analyses of Organizational Role Stress among Working Women in India. In Vibhuti Patel Nandita Mondal (Ed.) Connecting the Missing Dots: Paid and Unpaid Work of Women in India. Springer.
• Baghel Deepmala and D. Parthasarathy (2016). Pursuing body beautiful: Men’s beauty aesthetics within the space of the beauty parlour. In Alberto Ferreira and Lucy Moyse (Ed.) Cosmetic, Aesthetic, Prophetic: Beyond the Boundaries of Beauty, Inter-Disciplinary Press, Oxford, United Kingdom, ISBN: 978-1- 84888-545- 5, pp. 155-166

Conference Papers and Proceedings

• Deepmala Baghel (2026) Sustainability Communication in today’s business world: A Multi-Case Study Approach through the Lens of ESG. Association for Business Communication, Western Region Conference #abcwestern2026, 25 - 27 February 2026 in Las Vegas, USA
• Barathy Paramasivan and Deepmala Baghel (2025) Exploring ESG Interdependence in the Handicrafts Industry a System Dynamics Approach-Based Case Study on Natural Fibre-Made Crafts at Pathamadai Grass Mats Cluster. In 19th ISDSI-Global Conference 2025, in the International Management Institute Kolkata (IMI-K).
• Deepmala Baghel (2024) Understanding ESG risk in MSMEs as a prerequisite for Sustainable Development. ISDSI-Global International Conference, December 26 to 29, 2024, Pune Institute of Business Management (PIBM), Pune, India.
• Deepmala Baghel (2022). “Social Context of Technological Innovation in MSMEs: A Case of Networking and Social Capital of Ayurvedic Manufacturing MSMEs in Mumbai”. presentation in Science, Technology & Social Science Research: Together for a Better World 21st Science Council of Asia Conference. Jointly Organized by Science Council of Asia and Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) Ministry of Education Government of India. 15-17 March
• Baghel Deepmala (2019). “Analysing the Basis of Indian Jurisprudence: A shift from Status to Contract Based Society”, National Seminar on Exploring Tradition for Innovation in Indian Jurisprudence, organized by Kavikulguru Kalidas University and MNLU Nagpur, on 16th February
• Baghel Deepmala (2018). “Social Framework Analyses of Organizational Role Stress among Working Women in India” International Conference on ‘Changing Contours of Women's Paid and Unpaid Work’, at School of Management and Labour Studies & School of Development Studies TISS Mumbai, in partnership with German Academic Exchange (DAAD) on 12-13 July
• Baghel Deepmala (2018). “Exploring Social Indicators of Innovation for Sustainable Development of MSMEs”, Interdisciplinary National Conference ‘Intervention of Science and Technology, Social Problems and Sustainable Development’ by Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur on 17th June
• Baghel Deepmala (2017). “Exploring Social and Technical Indicators of Innovation in Small Scale Industries” The Fourth IndiaLICS International Conference 2017, “Innovation for Sustainable Development: Perspectives, Policies and Practices in South Asia. At JNU New Delhi, 2nd to 4th November
• Baghel, Deepmala (2013). “Social Dimension of Innovation: a case study of cosmetic industry”. ‘Beyond Border 2013’, 1st Multidisciplinary Conference in Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Indore, Madhya Pradesh, December
• Baghel Deepmala and D. Parthasarathy (2013). “Harnessing tacit knowledge for Innovation: Study of Ayurvedic Cosmetics MSMEs in Mumbai”. VIII Annual Conference, Forum for Global Knowledge Sharing, at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, October
• Baghel Deepmala, and D. Parthasarathy (2013). “Understanding Innovation within Globalization: Study of Cosmetics and Toiletries MSMEs in Mumbai” at International conference on Technology, Innovation and Social Change on 22-24 January, organized by Centre for Social Entrepreneurship School of Management & Labour Studies Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Baghel, Deepmala (2012). “Entrepreneurship in Transition: A study of Socio-cultural background of Entrepreneurs and Knowledge generation in cosmetics MSMEs in Mumbai”. All India Sociological Conference, Udaipur, Rajasthan, December
• Deepmala Baghel (2015). “Beauty pursuance a path to Socioeconomic Mobility”. Paper selected for the 9th International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS) South Australia, from 5-9 July

Courses designed/taught

IIM Nagpur

• Managerial Communication
• Written Communication
• Corporate Governance, CSR and Sustainability
• Indian Ethos and Business Ethics
• ESG-CM (elective for Doctoral program)

IIIT

• HUL 201 Professional Ethics and Human Values-CSE/ECE 6th and 8th Sem
• Technology, Innovation and Society (2019-21)
• Policy, Governance and Development (2019-21)
• IOT and Development CSE 1st Sem (2019)
• HUL 102 Environmental Studies - CSE 1st Sem, ECE 2nd Sem (2019-22)
• HUL 301 Technical Communication - CSE / ECE 3rd Sem (2019-22)

MNLU Nagpur

• Sociology I and Sociology II- UG Courses for BALLB students (2017-19)
• Inclusive policy and Indian Society (Sociology II) (2017-19)
• Globalization – LLM Course (2017-19)
• Research Methods for doctoral program
• Role of Ethics in Research for doctoral program

Project/Training Program/MDPs

• As Project director-Major research project completed: Study of Forest-based MSMEs in Vidarbha Region: Perceptions and Realities for Environment Social and Governance (ESG) framework and development. ICSSR Gov of India.
• Co-Program Director: Executive Education Programme for the Frontline Foresters of Maharashtra Government on Effective Communication Skills (19th to 23rd May 2025 and June 23rd to June 27th 2025)

Conferences/Workshops organization 

• 11th Humanistic Management Conference, titled 'Leadership for Heritage, Legacy & Humanistic Management, in collaboration with The Humanistic Management Network, Geneva Switzerland, on the 27th of October, 2023 at IIM Nagpur.
• National one-week Online Workshop, ‘Innovation and Entrepreneurship Acumen in Engineering Education’, 5th to 9th October, 2020 at IIIT Nagpur.
• Interdisciplinary National Conference on ‘Contours of Gender Justice’ at Maharashtra National Law University, 2nd March, 2019.
• One day workshop organized jointly with MSME-DI, and Bank of Baroda, ‘Credit Facility for Start-ups, Innovation and Entrepreneurship opportunities’ on 7 May 2022.
• Worked as webinar coordinator for ‘Accelerators/Incubation - Opportunities for Students & Faculties - Early Stage Entrepreneurs’ on 3 July 2021, as part of quarter 4 activity of the Institute’s Innovation Cell (IIC) of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Nagpur.
• Webinar coordinator for ‘Accelerators/Incubation - Opportunities for Students & Faculties - Early Stage Entrepreneurs’ on 3 July 2021, as part of quarter 4 activity of the Institute’s Innovation Cell (IIC) of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Nagpur.
• Worked as organizing member in International Seminar on ‘Institution, Structure and Organization in Globalizing India’, with special focus on science and technology, economy and society at IIT Bombay- 20th and 21st January 2012.
• Worked as organizing member in ‘The Road Not Taken’: Explorations in Narrative Refusals, Disnarration, and Counterfactual Histories’ refereed conference from 1st to 2nd March 2013, at IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India.
• Worked as organizing member in VIII Annual Conference, Forum for Global Knowledge Sharing, at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, October 2013

Conference session chair

• Session 5a: Commodifying Beauty Ideals, 3rd Global Conference - Beauty: Exploring Critical Issues, Oxford, United Kingdom. September 2013.
• Technical Session - Child Abuse, One Day Seminar, “Working Together for Protection of Children” at Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur. April 20, 2017
• 3rd International Conference on “Stakeholder Wellbeing Through Value Creation” at S.P.Mandali's Prin. L.N.Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (WeSchool) Mumbai Campus in Virtual Mode, on 27th January, 2022

Delivered Lectures:

• ‘Global Environmental Issues and Industries Response to it’ ‘Career Progression In-Service Training Programme’ a National level training programme organized MSME-DI, on 1 March 2020.
• “Ethics, Innovation, and Organizational Culture: Prerequisites for business success in today's World” at AICTE Training and Learning [ATAL] Academy Sponsored one-week online Faculty Development Program [FDP] on ‘Electrospinning Nanofibers: Science, Technology, and Applications’ from 12-16 July 2021.

I have served at the following positions of responsibilities at different institutes.

Area-Chairperson- HASS IIM Nagpur

Member of Academic Council, Maharashtra National Law University Nagpur (2017-19)

Head- The Center for Gender Studies MNLU Nagpur (2017-19)

Convener- Cultural Committee MNLU Nagpur (2018-19)

Member- Faculty IT Committee, Library Committee, Scholarship Committee,

Moderation Committee at MNLU Nagpur (2017-19)

Member-Academic Discipline Enquiry Committee and Anti-Ragging Squad MNLU Nagpur (2017-19)

Member editorial board of university journal, Contemporary Law Review (2017-19)

Member-The Committee for Revenue Generation and International Collaboration (2019-20) IIIT Nagpur,

Member- The Committee for compilation of Annual Report (2019-20) IIIT Nagpur

Convener- Cultural Committee (2019-22) IIIT Nagpur

Faculty coordinator for TantraFiesta 2019 events. IIIT Nagpur