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 Delhi College of Engineering and University Business School, Chandigarh, and incumbent director of the institute: “Our unique personal enrichment programmes such as sadhana, blended with team management, problem solving and field oriented projects create an exciting learning environment for students. We have a team of highly qualified and experienced faculty, sophisticated library facilities and latest computer systems which facilitate the learning of modern management techniques together with character building Indian values. This mix of the contemporary and traditional is SriSIM’s unique selling proposition.”

Currently sited in Vasant Vihar in the heart of the national capital, the institute boasts well designed classrooms equipped with audio-visual aids and a full-fledged auditorium. The library houses 6,000 books, reports, CD ROMs, video/audio cassettes, some rare books on Indian scriptures and is a member of the DELNET (Developing Library Network), BCL (British Council Library) and MANLIBNET (Management Library Network). Students can access computerised catalogues of these networks through intranet. The institute also offers internet, digital publishing and printing facilities. However with the institute due to move to a new 2-acre state-of-the-art campus in Vasant Kunj, Delhi, students can expect additions to SriSIM’s learning and recreation facilities.

SriSIM admits 60 students annually. Admission is on the basis of management aptitude test (MAT) scores conducted by AIMA, group discussion and personal interview. Proficiency in the English language is a prerequisite and foreign students are required to furnish TOEFL scores. Admission notices are advertised in prominent daily newspapers in January for the academic session commencing July. At present, the institute offers residential accommodation only to women students. However, on the new campus, two separate hostels for male and female students have been constructed.

Now a decade old B-school with a growing reputation in industry, SriSIM enjoys an enviable 95 percent placement record. Among the companies which have recruited its students are blue-chip corporates such as ABN AMRO, American Express, British Telecom, Citibank and Cipla.

Though currently SriSIM, approved by the All India Council of Technical Education, offers only a two-year postgraduate diploma in business management, a curriculum expansion is on the cards. “We plan to introduce either a bachelor of business administration, part-time MBA or hospital and hospitality management courses. A decision to this effect will be taken by July this year,” says Ramachandran. 

Admission & fees

Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute of Management offers a full-time two-year postgraduate diploma in business management. Graduates in any discipline who have written AIMA’s Management Aptitude Test (MAT) are eligible to apply. Based on MAT scores, candidates are short listed for a group discussion and personal interview. NRI students are exempt from writing MAT

Fees. Rs.2 lakh per year for Indian and Rs. 3 lakh per year for NRI students

Affiliation. Approved by AICTE

For further information contact Sri Sringeri Sharada Institute of Management, Shankara Vidya Kendra, Paschimi Marg, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi-110057. Phone: 26140589, 26140597, 2614017. Website: www.srisim.org