MRSI Initiatives: Driving Innovation, Collaboration and Industry Excellence

MRSI celebrated a proud achievement as Garvita Chauhan (Borderless Access) and Aditya Singh (Kantar), in collaboration with Chhanv Foundation, received ESOMAR's prestigious Research Got Talent Award for their paper 'Life Beyond the Burn'. Their research highlighted the resilience and rehabilitation of acid attack survivors, demonstrating how research can create meaningful social impact.

The programme invites researchers and students aged 18–35 to address critical societal issues including gender equality, education, sustainability, health, inclusion and social welfare. The winning team will represent India at the ESOMAR Congress 2027.

This initiative continues to highlight how research can create meaningful change and support organizations working towards a better society.

To watch the full interview with Garvita & Aditya please click here: https://shorturl.at/hm3Bs

To mark International Market Research Day, MRSI hosted a two-day webinar series (27th-28th April 2026), featuring industry leaders from research, marketing, technology and analytics. Discussions explored AI, media measurement, consumer behaviour, startup innovation and the future of insights.

Across four sessions, speakers emphasised that while AI is transforming research, human judgement, critical thinking and storytelling remain essential for generating meaningful business impact. The event reinforced MRSI's commitment to continuous learning and industry dialogue

One of the flagship sessions, "Future of Insights & Market Research in an Era of Rapid Transformation," alongside "Rethinking Measurement in a Fragmented Media Landscape and Attention Economy," examined how artificial intelligence, evolving consumer journeys, expanding data ecosystems, and media fragmentation are reshaping the role of insights in driving brand growth and marketing effectiveness. Senior leaders from Hindustan Unilever Limited, Fractal Analytics, Kantar, Danone, ITC Ltd., Amazon India, TAM Media Research, and Madison World shared valuable perspectives on balancing technological innovation with human judgment, adapting measurement frameworks, and recognising the growing importance of attention, context, and cultural relevance in research.

Another standout session, "Young Trailblazers: Powering Next-Gen Thinking in MR," showcased the perspectives of emerging professionals from Borderless Access, Kantar, and Dragonfly Market Research. The discussion highlighted how the next generation of researchers is bringing fresh perspectives, curiosity, purpose-driven thinking, and responsible approaches to AI-enabled research. Speakers also emphasised the importance of mentorship, continuous learning, diversity of thought, and preserving a human-centric approach as the industry embraces technological transformation.

MRSI also hosted "Research and Insights in Startups – A Radical New Playbook," a thought-provoking session exploring how startups are redefining the role of research in fast-paced business environments. Featuring leaders from Honasa Consumer Ltd., Sprintstudio.ai, Atomberg, Convosight, and Spark Sensory, the discussion examined the shift from episodic research to continuous consumer engagement, the growing influence of digital communities and real-time data, and the need for agile, iterative decision-making.

While AI and emerging technologies are accelerating analysis and providing richer consumer signals, speakers unanimously reinforced that human interpretation, critical thinking, and compelling storytelling remain indispensable for transforming data into actionable business insights. The conversation also highlighted how startups are leveraging social listening, e-commerce ecosystems, consumer immersion, and niche market opportunities to remain agile and deeply consumer centric.

Collectively, the webinar series provided a dynamic platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and meaningful dialogue, reaffirming MRSI's commitment to advancing the research and insights profession. By bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and emerging talent, the initiative underscored the vital role of insights in helping organisations navigate rapid change and make more informed, impactful decisions.

To watch the webinar series, visit the IMRD 2026 Playlist.

MRSI Sports League: Building Community Beyond the Workplace

The inaugural MRSI Sports League – Cricket Edition brought together ten member organisations and more than 150 participants in a celebration of teamwork, inclusion and community spirit. The league's emphasis on mixed-gender participation highlighted MRSI's commitment to diversity while creating valuable networking opportunities beyond the workplace.

December 2025 marked a landmark moment for India's market research and insights community with the successful launch of the inaugural MRSI Sports League – Cricket Edition in Gurugram. More than just a sporting tournament, the event celebrated teamwork, collaboration, inclusion, and the strong sense of community that extends beyond the workplace.

Hosted at Sports Cube, Darbaripur, the tournament brought together 10 MRSI member organisations and over 150 participants, representing Toluna, Kantar, Ipsos, InnovateMR, Kadence, HBG Knowledge, Knowledge Excel, Mindforce Research, Unimrkt, and VTION. Reinforcing MRSI's commitment to diversity and inclusion, each team fielded a minimum of two women players in every match, making inclusivity a defining feature of the league.

Played over two action-packed weekends, the tournament showcased exceptional sportsmanship, healthy competition, and outstanding team spirit. Following a series of closely contested matches, Toluna Titans emerged as the inaugural champions, while Kantar Kommanders XI finished as runners-up

Individual performances were also recognised, with the following honours:

• Ajay Rawat (Toluna Titans) – Player of the Series & Best Batsman
• Ritesh Singh (Toluna Titans) – Best Wicketkeeper
• Manoj Singh Rawat (Kantar Kommanders XI) – Best Bowler

The success of the inaugural Sports League has laid a strong foundation for future sporting initiatives, creating valuable opportunities for networking, collaboration, and stronger community engagement across the industry. MRSI extends its sincere appreciation to all participating teams, partners, players, volunteers, and supporters whose enthusiasm and commitment made this landmark event possible.

Following the success of the cricket tournament, MRSI announced its Badminton Edition, further strengthening industry engagement.

The MRSI Sports League – Badminton Edition will be held on 8–9 August at Khar Gymkhana, Mumbai. Members are encouraged to participate in what promises to be another exciting weekend of sport, networking, and camaraderie.

As the MRSI Sports League continues to grow, it reflects the Society's commitment to fostering meaningful connections, promoting inclusion, and strengthening the bonds that unite the research and insights community—both on and off the field.
https://www.mrsi.co.in/mrsicms/tournament/TournamentAction

MRSI Golden Key Awards 2025: Celebrating Excellence in Research and Insights

The 7th edition of the MRSI Golden Key Awards, held on March 6, 2026 in Mumbai, was a spectacular celebration of excellence, innovation, and the transformative power of research and insights. Bringing together leaders from across the market research, analytics, marketing, and business communities, the evening honoured the individuals and teams whose work continues to shape business success through meaningful consumer understanding.

One of the highlights of the evening was an inspiring fireside conversation, "The Craft of Quiet Brilliance" featuring National Award-winning actor Vikrant Massey as the event's Insightful Speaker. In conversation with Shafali Arora, Vikrant shared candid reflections on his journey from television to becoming one of India's most acclaimed actors, speaking about resilience, authenticity, and the courage to make conscious choices. Drawing thoughtful parallels between the art of subtle storytelling in cinema and the craft of uncovering meaningful consumer insights, his session resonated deeply with the audience and served as a fitting and inspiring conclusion to the evening.

Instituted in 2019, the MRSI Golden Key Awards has emerged as one of the industry's most prestigious recognitions, celebrating the often behind-the-scenes work of researchers and insights professionals who drive strategic business growth. This year's awards showcased outstanding achievements across categories spanning business impact, innovation, technology, analytics, client servicing, storytelling, and emerging talent.

Among the notable winners were Kantar for Best Operations Team of the Year, Flipkart Internet Pvt. Ltd. for Best Business Impact Through Analytics, Third Eye Integrated Services Pvt. Ltd. for Best Client Servicing Team and Best Use of AI, while Hindustan Unilever Ltd. received multiple honours for its continued leadership in insight-led innovation.

A defining moment of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to B.V. Pradeep, recognising his exceptional contribution to the research and insights profession over more than four decades. A pioneer in advancing consumer-centric thinking and transforming market research into a strategic business function, his legacy has had a profound impact on both the Indian and global research landscape.

The event also reflected the increasingly global and future-focused nature of the insights profession, an evolution exemplified by leaders such as Anne-Sophie Damelincourt, President of ESOMAR, a leading consultant and executive with more than 25 years of experience across both the client and supplier sides. Founder and Owner of Blue Lemon Insight & Strategy, she is widely recognised for her strategic, action-oriented leadership and her strong advocacy for ethics, diversity, and the collective interests of the research community.

The event was made possible through the generous support of industry partners. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. served as the Champion Partner, while Kantar, Nestlé India, and ITC Ltd. partnered across the Impact, People, and Innovation award categories respectively. The event was further enriched by the support of Toluna, Amazon, and VTION as Inspiration Partners, reflecting the industry's shared commitment to advancing research excellence.

The 7th Golden Key Awards once again reaffirmed MRSI's commitment to recognising outstanding contributions to the research and insights profession and celebrating the people and organisations that continue to raise the bar for innovation, collaboration, and business impact.

For more details on MRSI’s Golden Key Awards, visit www.mrsi.co.in

MRSI Masterclass at GoaFest 2026: The Reset Consumer – Understanding the New Psychology of Choice

As part of its ongoing commitment to advancing industry knowledge and thought leadership, MRSI hosted an engaging masterclass at GoaFest 2026 on 22 May at Cidade de Goa. Titled "The Reset Consumer: Understanding the New Psychology of Choice," the session was led by Param Venkataraman, Co-founder, 3 Big Things, and Prakash Sharma, Behavioural Strategist and Co-founder, 1001 Stories. Through practical examples and interactive exercises, participants learned how context, framing and emotional cues influence behaviour and how these insights can inform better business decisions

The masterclass explored how consumer decision-making is increasingly influenced not only by information but also by context, behavioural cues, emotional triggers, and the way choices are designed and presented. Drawing on compelling examples from healthcare, smoking cessation, and everyday consumer behaviour, the speakers illustrated how perceptions of value, trust, and action are shaped more by mental framing, social validation, and emotional reassurance than by rational logic alone.

A central theme of the session was the concept of the "third path" an approach that helps consumers move beyond difficult binary choices by creating alternatives that are practical, relatable, and emotionally achievable. The discussion highlighted the role of behavioural design, simplified choice architecture, visible progress markers, and consumer-centric systems in enabling more intuitive and effective decision-making.

The session concluded with an interactive solution-design exercise, where participants applied behavioural science frameworks to real-world consumer challenges. Combining practical insights with hands-on learning, the masterclass provided participants with a deeper understanding of the evolving psychology of consumer choice and reinforced the growing importance of behavioural science in shaping meaningful consumer engagement and driving better business outcomes.

34th Annual MRSI Seminar: The Next Human

MRSI announced its 34th Annual Seminar, themed 'The Next Human'. The seminar will be held on 13th- 14th October 2026 at The Taj Lands End, Mumbai, India.

As artificial intelligence increasingly influences how people think, decide, interact, and consume, the seminar will explore the emergence of a new kind of consumer and the evolving role of researchers in understanding this rapidly changing landscape. Through thought-provoking papers, experiments, and discussions, participants will help chart the future of insights and market research in an AI-enabled world.

We encourage industry professionals, researchers, and thought leaders to contribute their perspectives and be part of this important conversation.

Explore more moments from across the MRSI community. Click the link below to view the complete photo gallery.
https://www.mrsi.co.in/gallery.html

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