Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Faculty Publications Article Faculty Publications -Articles Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Manigandan, R.; Balaji, Vaishnavi; Supriya, R.; Priya, A. Shakti; Parthasarathi, N. Title A name given to the resource Intellectual capital independent directors and leverage as determinants of sustainable growth in Indian pharmaceutical companies listed in the NSE NIFTY pharma index Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 01-01-2026 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Discover Sustainability;Volume;7;Issue;1;Article No.;114; Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-02546-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-02546-2</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028453171?origin=resultslist" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028453171?origin=resultslist</a> Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Manigandan R., SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Vadapalani Campus, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 600026, India; Balaji V., Department of Management Studies, Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore, 560078, India; Supriya R., School of Business and Management, Christ University, Yeshwanthpur Campus, Karnataka, Bangalore, 560073, India; Priya A.S., VIT Business School, VIT Vellore, Tamil Nadu, Vellore, 632014, India; Parthasarathi N., School of Commerce &amp; Management Studies, SCMS_PG, Dayananda Sagar University, Kudlu Gate Campus, Karnataka, Bangalore, 560068, India Description An account of the resource This research investigates how Intellectual Capital (IC) influences the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) of Indian pharmaceutical firms that are part of the NSE NIFTY Pharma index. This study delves deeper into the moderating influence of Independent Directors and examines the control effect of Leverage (Debt-Equity Ratio) on this relationship. A descriptive research design was utilized, employing panel data from FY 2015 to FY 2024. The dataset was obtained from the Prowess database (CMIE), and the Two-Step System GMM method was utilized with STATA 18 to guarantee a thorough econometric analysis. The findings indicate that Intellectual Capital (IC) plays a crucial role in enhancing SGR, thereby reinforcing the Resource-Based View (RBV). Independent Directors effectively moderate this relationship, strengthening Agency Theory. Nonetheless, leverage has a detrimental effect on SGR, consistent with Pecking Order Theory. Pharmaceutical companies ought to allocate resources towards Intellectual Capital, enhance corporate governance, and uphold appropriate debt levels to ensure sustained long-term growth. This study effectively combines IC, corporate governance, and financial leverage in the Indian pharmaceutical sector, providing valuable concrete insights for policymakers, academics, and industry experts. The Author(s) 2026. Subject The topic of the resource Independent directors; Intellectual capital; Leverage; NSE NIFTY pharma index; Pharmaceutical companies; Sustainable growth Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Springer Nature Relation A related resource ISSN: 26629984; Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Article Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Open Access; Gold Open Access Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource online