Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute of Management, Delhi
EducationWorld June 05 | EducationWorld
Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute of Management, Delhi has pioneered and operationalised a new paradigm vivek (wisdom) management inspired by the principles and values of India’s 5,000 year-old civilisation in B-school education Among the 950 privately promoted business management institutes operational in India, the Delhi-based Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute of Management (SriSIM) enjoys a unique status. Promoted by the Sringeri (Karnataka)-based Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, a religious trust which runs 12 education institutions across the country, SriSIM has pioneered and operationalised a new paradigm vivek (wisdom) management inspired by the principles and values of India’s 5,000 year-old civilisation in B-school education. Promoted in 1995, SriSIM’s mission is to “produce value-enriched managers to create corporate environments of excellence with the strategic intent of reviving the pristine glory of the Indian nation”. His holiness the Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham explains the rationale behind the promotion of SriSIM which offers a two-year postgraduate diploma programme in business management (PGDBM): “The success of any enterprise depends on how it develops its human resource and blends it with other resources such as money, machines etc, to achieve the ultimate objective of a peaceful and contented life for all human beings. Our ancient culture and vedas tell us how this can be achieved. Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute of Management has been started with the objective of inculcating ancient Indian values in modern managers. Our endeavour is to provide a proper blend of modern management techniques and established precepts to aspiring managers to enable them to become successful leaders in any walk of life they choose to serve society.” Given the institute’s objective of producing managers firmly grounded in Indian values and ethics, according to Dr. Mrithunjay B. Athreya, the highly regarded Harvard alumnus and former professor at IIM-Calcutta, and currently chairman of SriSIM’s governing council, it was necessary to define vivek (wisdom) management. The basic tenets of this new management philosophy include inculcation of the 4Ds- dedication, devotion, determination and discipline by following three golden principles of India’s learning heritage shravan, manan and nididhyasan i.e. listening, reflecting and experimenting. “Usual B-school curriculums focus exclusively on helping students acquire business and managerial skills. In SriSIM we have added wisdom and acquisition of Indian values because effective managers must be individuals of character, integrity, values and positive attitudes. Students are encouraged to accumulate wisdom from any source of Indian spiritual literature. The day at our institute begins with a meditation session of about 30 minutes and includes yoga, spiritual discourses from the Bhagvad Gita and Upanishads and often concludes with a devotional song. Such holistic education stimulates creativity, tolerance, team spirit, leadership and most importantly inner peace,” says Dr. Sai Ramachandran who has a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, was a former vice president of the All India Management Association and is currently vice-chairman of SriSIM. Undoubtedly the distinguishing characteristic of B-school education delivered at SriSIM is its novel and unapologetic blend of contemporary business theory and practice with India’s proven self development and spiritual traditions. Comments Dr. C. V. Ramanan, an alumnus of the…