BENGALURU, KARNATAKA, INDIA, June 2026 — HR TODAY is proud to announce the appointment of Prof. Gopal Mahapatra to its Editorial Board. Recognized as one of India’s most respected HR thought leaders, leadership coaches, and organizational transformation practitioners, Prof. Mahapatra’s association represents a significant milestone in HR TODAY’s journey to strengthen global collaboration between academia and industry while advancing evidence-based management and thought leadership.
With over three and a half decades of distinguished contributions across academia, corporate leadership, and management consulting, Prof. Mahapatra has built an exceptional legacy of shaping organizations, developing leaders, mentoring executives, and influencing the evolution of the HR profession. His appointment reinforces HR TODAY’s commitment to bringing together some of the world’s most accomplished scholars and practitioners to address the future of work through collaborative research, knowledge creation, and global dialogue.
As a member of the Editorial Board, Prof. Mahapatra will play a strategic role in guiding HR TODAY’s editorial direction, fostering high-impact research, strengthening academic partnerships, and expanding international industry–academia initiatives. His expertise will also support the development of global research collaborations, practitioner case studies, executive education initiatives, leadership conversations, and cross-border knowledge-sharing projects that benefit HR professionals, business leaders, researchers, and educational institutions worldwide.
Currently serving as Professor of Practice, Organizational Behaviour & Human Resource Management (OB & HRM) at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore) and Chairperson of the OB & HRM Area, Prof. Mahapatra has played a pivotal role in shaping leadership education and executive development. His work has influenced countless professionals through MBA programmes, executive education, and leadership development initiatives.
Prior to joining IIM Bangalore, Prof. Mahapatra built an illustrious corporate career spanning senior leadership positions in Human Resources, Talent Development, Organization Development, Corporate Communication, and Management Services across multinational corporations and leading private and public sector enterprises. Throughout his corporate and consulting journey, he has successfully led large-scale organizational transformation initiatives, institutionalized leadership and talent management systems, strengthened organizational culture, and enabled sustainable business growth.
Widely admired for his ability to seamlessly integrate academic rigour with practical business application, Prof. Mahapatra has designed and delivered executive programmes on Strategic Leadership, Executive Coaching, Leadership Agility, Visioning, Change Management, Talent Management, Mentoring, Performance Management, Assessment Centres, and Strategic Human Resource Management. His current research and professional interests include Leadership Agility, Leader as a Coach, Mindfulness, and Managing Generation Z, areas that continue to shape contemporary leadership practice.
Prof. Mahapatra’s contributions extend well beyond the classroom. He has served as President of the National HRD Network (Bangalore Chapter) and has been associated with several prestigious academic councils, advisory boards, and professional institutions including the RBI Staff College, MICA, KIIT School of Management, XIM University, Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, and other leading business schools. As Founding Associate Editor of the South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management and through his continued editorial contributions to leading scholarly publications, he has played a vital role in advancing HR scholarship and management research in India and beyond.
The appointment of Prof. Mahapatra further strengthens HR TODAY’s growing network of globally respected scholars, industry leaders, researchers, and practitioners who are committed to shaping the future of work through collaboration, innovation, and impactful thought leadership. With his guidance and expertise, HR TODAY aims to further expand its international footprint through joint research, academic partnerships, executive forums, conferences, publications, and cross-border knowledge initiatives.
About HR TODAY
HR TODAY is a leading global HR journal and knowledge platform dedicated to advancing Human Resources, Leadership, Organization Development, Talent Management, Artificial Intelligence, and the Future of Work. Through its journal, research publications, executive interviews, podcasts, conferences, awards, and global collaborations, HR TODAY connects business leaders, HR professionals, researchers, policymakers, and academic institutions worldwide to promote evidence-based management and practical organizational excellence.
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