The University of Hyderabad (UoH) community proudly celebrates the remarkable academic milestone of our alumnus, Praveen Punia, who is joining the prestigious Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University as an Assistant Professor of Marketing in June 2026.

Praveen recently earned his Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Houston, establishing himself as a rising scholar in quantitative marketing strategy, the creator economy, and employee retention strategies.

A Decorated Academic Journey

Praveen’s cutting-edge doctoral research utilizes advanced econometric modeling, causal machine learning, and game theory to solve complex market and organizational problems. His scholarly achievements have already earned significant national and international acclaim:

  • Top Dissertation Honors: His doctoral dissertation received the prestigious 2025 AMA Sales SIG Best Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Award.
  • Elite Publications & Revisions: The first essay of his dissertation was published in the MSI Working Paper Series. Furthermore, his groundbreaking paper on performance incentives and employee retention—winner of the Best Paper Award at the 2024 OFR Symposium—is currently under fourth-round revision at the top-tier Journal of Marketing Research.

The UoH Foundation: Interdisciplinary Breadth & Quantitative Depth

Before his success in the United States, Praveen spent five transformative years at UoH, completing his Integrated Master’s program in Financial Economics (2014-2019). Reflecting on his time on campus, Praveen attributes his research foundation to the unique academic structure and vibrant culture of UoH:

“The interdisciplinary exposure of the early years combined with the quantitative emphasis of the later years equipped me to approach problems through multiple lenses, which continues to shape how I think about problems today.”

Praveen fondly highlights five pillars that defined his UoH experience:

  1. Academic Balance: Merging a rich humanities foundation (history, philosophy, sociology) in the first three years with rigorous quantitative depth (econometrics, game theory, optimization) in the final two.
  2. Dedicated Mentorship: Professors who were genuinely invested in student growth and personal success.
  3. A Culture of Free Inquiry: A campus environment that encouraged open dialogue, intellectual honesty, and the freedom to challenge ideas.
  4. Vibrant Diversity: Living and learning alongside peers from every corner of India, teaching him to find unity within cultural differences.
  5. Lifelong Friendships: Late-night intellectual debates, shared struggles, and a steady network of friends who helped him The University of Hyderabad extends its warmest congratulations to Praveen Punia on this stellar appointment. His journey from the lecture halls of UoH Economics to a tenure-track faculty position in the United States stands as an inspiring testament to the power of curiosity, rigorous scholarship, and the enduring value of a UoH education.

We wish Praveen incredible success in his teaching and research career at Texas Tech University!