Dr. R. Gayathri is a distinguished academician, researcher, and administrator with over 26 years of experience in teaching, research, and academic leadership in the fields of Commerce, Finance, Marketing, and International Business. She is currently serving as Associate Professor in PG Commerce with International Business at NGM College, Pollachi, and previously served as the Head of the Department of PG Commerce for more than a decade.
She has made significant contributions to institutional development through several key leadership roles, in various Core Committees such NAAC and Autonomous and in Board of Studies . Her leadership has been instrumental in promoting quality assurance, curriculum development, academic governance, and institutional excellence.
An accomplished research supervisor, Dr. Gayathri has successfully guided seven M.Phil. scholars and seven Ph.D. scholars. Her research focuses on digitalization, financial inclusion, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, and sustainable economic development.
As Principal Investigator, she has secured more than ₹15 lakh in competitive research funding from the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi. Her funded projects include studies on the Impact of Digitalization on Business Development (2018–2019), Digital Financial Inclusion and Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment in Western Tamil Nadu (2023), and The Role of Stand-Up India in Enhancing Economic Empowerment and Work-Life Harmony among Women Entrepreneurs (2025).
She has an outstanding record of research dissemination, having presented more than 50 research papers at national seminars and conferences. She has published over 30 research articles in UGC CARE-listed, peer-reviewed national, and international journals, reflecting her sustained contribution to scholarly research. She has also authored and edited four ISBN books and published more than 20 conference proceedings and book chapters, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge in Commerce and Management.
She has successfully organized several prestigious ICSSR-sponsored national seminars and workshops addressing contemporary socio-economic issues. These include the National Seminar on “Envisioning a Self-Reliant Rural India for Sustainable Economic Development” (2023), the Workshop on “Implication of Digital Financial Inclusion on Rural Women Economic Empowerment in Western Tamil Nadu” (2024), and the National Seminar on “Harnessing Artificial Intelligence, Innovation and Technology: A Pathway to Economic Transformation and Sustainable Development in India” (2024). These initiatives provided valuable platforms for academic interaction, policy discussions, and interdisciplinary research.
Through her excellence in teaching, research, academic administration, and funded research, Dr. R. Gayathri has established herself as a dedicated educator and researcher committed to advancing higher education and contributing meaningful solutions to contemporary socio-economic challenges.