Mercia Selva Malar Justin has 30 plus years of teaching experience at higher education level, both at national and international Higher Education institutions, and serves as Associate Professor at Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore, India. She has taught at various colleges and business schools like, CMS College of Science and Commerce, SCMS-COCHIN, LEAD College of Management, ECMIT (Dubai) and Wollongong University (Dubai). She earned her doctoral degree in Commerce from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University based on the thesis titled, ‘Foreign exchange exposure and risk management in the hotel industry’. She has been part of the international research team on ‘Microfinance – Gender perspectives’ funded by DFID-DelPHE. She has authored three books viz. Foreign exchange exposure and risk management in the hotel industry, ‘Aspire to be a great teacher’, ‘A daughter’s tribute to a godly father’ and edited 2 books. She has published in national and international journals. She won the National Trailblazers Triumph Award for her book Aspire to be a great teacher in 2023. She is a PRIME Graduate of JCI University. She received the NFP Scholarship of the Netherlands Government and completed her Diploma in Housing and Urban Development specializing in FDI and City Financing, from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. She is the recipient of the Jagadish Gandhi Silver Medal for General Proficiency of ISSR, Runner-up Outstanding New Jaycee of JCI-India, Distinguished Educator and Scholar Award of NFED. She is passionate about teaching Business Ethics, CSR, ESG and Impact Investing. She is committed to the achievement of UN SDGs and women leadership across the globe. Joycia Thorat is a Postdoctoral Fellow, the University of KwaZulu Natal Durban, SA, supported by the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (July -August 2023). She has been working for past 24 years with Church's Auxiliary for Social Action ,India in various capacities , which is a member of Act Alliance Geneva , a faith and rights based network. She is currently the Gender policy and Thematic Advisor as well the Project Officer of CASA .She was the former chair of Act International - Capacity Development Initiative, former Co-Chair of Act Alliance Advisory Group on Advocacy & Gender community of practices, (Asia -Pacific) ..She is a coach with the Act Advocacy Academy, Copenhagen ,member of Ecumenical Diakonia Reference Group of the World Council of Churches ,Chairperson of Program Commitee, YWCA of India Dr. Thorat is passionate about the study of Gender, Leadership and SDGs and presented and published many related articles and papers .She has worked extensively with communities at the grassroots harnessing women's potential for leadership for a just and peaceful world.. Her Doctoral Thesis is interdisciplinary (Criminology -Psychology) on the topic 'Gender differences, leadership style and contribution to social justice: A study of global ecumenical leaders' Dr. Thorat strongly believes feminist leadership is critical for achieving SDGs by 2030 and to ensure no one is left behind. She is an ecumenical grassroots activist.

Mercia Selva Malar Justin has 30 plus years of teaching experience at higher education level, both at national and international Higher Education institutions, and serves as Associate Professor at Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Bangalore, India. She has taught at various colleges and business schools like, CMS College of Science and Commerce, SCMS-COCHIN, LEAD College of Management, ECMIT (Dubai) and Wollongong University (Dubai). She earned her doctoral degree in Commerce from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University based on the thesis titled, ‘Foreign exchange exposure and risk management in the hotel industry’. She has been part of the international research team on ‘Microfinance – Gender perspectives’ funded by DFID-DelPHE. She has authored three books viz. Foreign exchange exposure and risk management in the hotel industry, ‘Aspire to be a great teacher’, ‘A daughter’s tribute to a godly father’ and edited 2 books. She has published in national and international journals. She won the National Trailblazers Triumph Award for her book Aspire to be a great teacher in 2023. She is a PRIME Graduate of JCI University. She received the NFP Scholarship of the Netherlands Government and completed her Diploma in Housing and Urban Development specializing in FDI and City Financing, from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. She is the recipient of the Jagadish Gandhi Silver Medal for General Proficiency of ISSR, Runner-up Outstanding New Jaycee of JCI-India, Distinguished Educator and Scholar Award of NFED. She is passionate about teaching Business Ethics, CSR, ESG and Impact Investing. She is committed to the achievement of UN SDGs and women leadership across the globe. Joycia Thorat is a Postdoctoral Fellow, the University of KwaZulu Natal Durban, SA, supported by the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (July -August 2023). She has been working for past 24 years with Church's Auxiliary for Social Action ,India in various capacities , which is a member of Act Alliance Geneva , a faith and rights based network. She is currently the Gender policy and Thematic Advisor as well the Project Officer of CASA .She was the former chair of Act International - Capacity Development Initiative, former Co-Chair of Act Alliance Advisory Group on Advocacy & Gender community of practices, (Asia -Pacific) ..She is a coach with the Act Advocacy Academy, Copenhagen ,member of Ecumenical Diakonia Reference Group of the World Council of Churches ,Chairperson of Program Commitee, YWCA of India Dr. Thorat is passionate about the study of Gender, Leadership and SDGs and presented and published many related articles and papers .She has worked extensively with communities at the grassroots harnessing women's potential for leadership for a just and peaceful world.. Her Doctoral Thesis is interdisciplinary (Criminology -Psychology) on the topic 'Gender differences, leadership style and contribution to social justice: A study of global ecumenical leaders' Dr. Thorat strongly believes feminist leadership is critical for achieving SDGs by 2030 and to ensure no one is left behind. She is an ecumenical grassroots activist.