To commemorate Professor Adiseshiah's cosmopolitanism, a Visiting Professorial Chair has been instituted whereby a scholar of distinction is invited to MIDS. The Visiting Professor is expected to deliver a couple of lectures / seminars and contribute to the Institute's publications.

2003:

Dr Y Subbarayalu, formerly Professor of Archaeology at Tamil University, Thanjavur. He delivered lectures on Socio-economic formation in Tamil Nadu 5th - 16th C.A.D  I & II on 10-11 November 2003.

2002:

a) Professor Kaushik Basu, Cornell University. He visited the Institute in 24th July 2002 and a lecture on Rationality, games and social moves. Another lecture on The politics and economics of child labour on July 25th 2002.

b) Professor Uma Chakravarthy was the first Malcolm Adiseshiah visiting professor and spent two weeks in January - Februay 2002. She gave a seminar and a public lecture in addition to having consultations with the faculty.