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A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of being a panelist in a webinar titled “Careers That Enable Science: Research & Program Management in India.” It was sponsored by INPARMA, (Indian Network for Program and Research Managers & Administrators).
It was an inspiring experience
India has always been a land of ideas. From ancient centers of learning to modern laboratories pushing the boundaries of science, curiosity and discovery have long been part of the nation’s intellectual DNA. Today, India stands at the threshold of a new chapter in that journey, one where research is not only expanding in scale and ambition, but also becoming more organized, collaborative, and globally connected.
From the webinar, I witnessed that, across India, a quiet transformation is underway. Research Management, once an invisible function, is emerging as a powerful force that enables innovation to flourish.
The Invisible Infrastructure Behind Great Research
At its core, research management is about creating systems that allow science to move from idea to impact. Modern research ecosystems are complex. Researchers navigate multiple grants, partnerships, and reporting requirements while striving to advance knowledge in their fields.
Research Managers act as the architects of research ecosystems designing frameworks that allow scientific creativity to thrive.
In this increasingly complex and transformative environment, one truth is clear:
Great Research Needs Great Systems to Support It.
This is where research management plays a pivotal role. Research managers create administrative structures so that researchers can move their great ideas from concept to impact. The activities they carry out are vital:
- Grant discovery. Finding great funding opportunities for researchers.
- Helping principal investigators create dynamite proposals for sponsors.
- Developing efficient and mighty systems to streamline the administration of grant lifecycle: Pre-Award to Post-Award to Close-Out
- Accurate and vigilant accounting of how every rupee it used.
- Research integrity. Ensuring that research is safe, ethical, and compliant.
- Discover relevant funding opportunities efficiently
- Coordinate proposal development across departments
- Track project progress and reporting obligations
- Ensure transparency and accountability in research funding
- Share funding opportunities with principal investigators across campus.
- Manage complex research workflows for sponsored research -collecting proposals before sending them on to sponsors.
- Manage internal grant competitions, especially ones for early career researchers, but also for travel and equipment requests.
While this work happens only behind the scenes, its impact is profound. By removing administrative friction, research managers allow researchers to focus on what they do best: discovering, inventing, and solving the world’s toughest challenges.
What is Happening in India
Across universities and research institutes, funding opportunities in India are growing. National missions are encouraging collaboration across disciplines. Large projects now bring together dozens of researchers working toward shared goals in areas such as health, sustainability, engineering, and digital technologies.
This expansion is a sign of confidence in India’s scientific future. But it also brings new complexity. Institutions are recognizing the need for organized research management systems that help them:
Many institutions are also beginning to ask an important question: How can we build systems that help research scale effectively?
A New Generation of Research Professionals
Encouragingly, a new generation of research management professionals is stepping forward to meet this moment in India.
Many come from scientific backgrounds themselves. In fact, a large proportion of research management leaders in India hold PhDs or advanced research degrees. They understand the rhythm of academic research and the motivations that drive researchers.
At the same time, they bring critical capabilities in organization, communication, and strategic program management, skills that help institutions operate more efficiently and with greater impact.
Their work is helping Indian institutions move toward global best practices in research administration.
Technology as an Enabler for Faster Movement, Better Collaboration and Greater Achievement
Technology is also becoming an important ally in this transformation.
As research ecosystems increase in size and complexity, manual processes with endless email threads, spreadsheets, and fragmented workflows can slow progress and create unnecessary barriers. Digital platforms are now helping institutions modernize these processes, bringing clarity, transparency, and efficiency to the way research programs are managed.
This is where platforms like InfoReady can play an important role in the evolving research landscape.
InfoReady provides universities and research organizations with a platform to:
By automating these activities and bringing them into a single, transparent system, institutions can reduce administrative burden and improve decision-making.
The result is simple but transformative.
Less Friction. More Focus on Discovery.
When researchers spend less time navigating administrative hurdles, they gain more time to explore ideas, collaborate across disciplines, and pursue breakthroughs that matter.
The rise of research management in India reflects a deeper shift in how innovation happens. Scientific excellence will always remain the foundation. But the systems that support research, the people, processes, and technology, are becoming equally important.
Together, they create conditions where bold ideas can flourish.
India already has extraordinary talent, a vibrant academic community, and a strong spirit of curiosity. As research management continues to grow and modern tools enable more efficient collaboration, the country’s research ecosystem will become even more powerful.
The seeds have been planted.
The ecosystem is evolving.
And across India, research management is helping innovation bloom.
Eric Jacobson serves as President of InfoReady, a world leader in administrative workflow software for research institutions. His greatest joy is chatting with leaders in higher education about what they do and how information technology can help to accelerate it. For over 30 years, Eric has helped to lead innovative software and technology companies. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
