An Economist in the World of Operations Research: How NPTEL Keeps Dr. Biswa Ranjan Mohanty Exploring New Fields 

Dr Biswaranjan Mohanty

‘Mathematics for Economics’, ‘Environmental and Resource Economics’, ‘Econometrics’, ‘Supply Chain Analytics’, ‘Inventory Management and Operations Research’ – Dr. Biswa Ranjan Mohanty’s NPTEL course list moves across several disciplines, bringing together subjects that inform his teaching and introduce him to areas beyond it. A Professor at Biju Patnaik Institute of IT and Management Studies (BIITM ), Bhubaneswar, he has completed 24 NPTEL certification courses since beginning his journey in 2023.

His association with NPTEL began with encouragement from his institution’s Director, Mr. Pratap Kumar Balabantray, who motivated faculty members to take up courses on the platform. Dr. Mohanty started with ‘Mathematics for Economics-I’ and ‘Principles of Economics’ in the July-December, 2023 semester. What followed was a growing interest that took him through Microeconomics, Managerial Economics, Economic Growth and Development, International Trade Theory and Empirics, and several other areas from the domain.

Over time, his choices extended beyond the aforementioned subject. He explored Project Management, Business and Sustainable Development, Supply Chain Analytics, Management of Inventory Systems, Operations and Revenue Analysis, Infrastructure Economics, and Operations Research. Each course offered him an opportunity to approach a subject from a different perspective. Rather than restricting himself to the subjects he regularly teaches, he has used NPTEL to explore the connections between different areas of knowledge.

This has also had a direct bearing on his work as a teacher. At BIITM , he handles subjects including Economics, Operations Management, Research Methodology and Quantitative Techniques. He finds NPTEL courses particularly useful in introducing him to new methods and concepts that he can bring into his teaching. The depth of the course content and the experience of faculty members from IITs have helped him revisit familiar subjects and understand them more thoroughly.

Not every course has been easy. Some courses have been challenging, but Dr. Mohanty sees difficulty as a natural part of learning. When he encounters a difficult concept, he reaches out to the course instructors and follows their suggestions for additional reading and textbooks. He values the clarity with which they explain concepts, particularly when he is working through unfamiliar material.His efforts have brought him several NPTEL recognitions, including Star awards across different categories and a domain recognition in Economics. He has also received recognitions such as NPTEL Enthusiast, Believer and Motivated Learner. Among his most memorable experiences have been his three visits to IIT Kharagpur between 2023 and 2026 to receive these awards. Each visit has given him an opportunity to celebrate his achievements and connect with the institution behind the courses he has been learning from.

NPTEL has also introduced him to opportunities in research.

He has made efforts to use these opportunities, extending his engagement with NPTEL beyond coursework and certification.

The encouragement from his own institution has been equally important. He acknowledges the support of Director Mr. Pratap Kumar Balabantray, Principal Dr. Mihir Ranjan Nayak and the institution’s NPTEL SPOC, Dr. Gobinda Chandra Panda . Their encouragement has extended to other faculty members as well, helping more people in the institution take up NPTEL courses.

He also hopes NPTEL will expand its offerings in Macroeconomics, Indian Economics and Public Finance, along with more courses in research. He feels these subjects would benefit both faculty members and students.

From his first two courses in Economics to his recent exploration of Operations Research, Dr. Mohanty’s choices reflect an interest that has continued to widen.

And there are still more areas he hopes to discover.

~written by Sania K J