CENTRE FOR INDIAN WISDOM AND MANAGEMENT

About the Initiative

The Centre for Indian Wisdom and Management at MDI Murshidabad is dedicated to promoting genuine indigenous research rooted in a Bharatiya mindset. Recognizing that much of Indian management education follows the North American model, the Centre emphasizes a process of decolonization to cultivate scholars with original ideas rather than mere followers of Western scientific paradigms. In line with National Education Policy 2020, the centre through carefully designed programs, workshops, and seminars facilitates inquiry based on ancient Indian wisdom and places moral soundness at the core of management practice.

Meaning of Indian Wisdom

Indian wisdom draws on a vast repository of generative knowledge, ranging from the Vedas, Puranas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Tattvarthsutra in Jainism, Tripitakas in Buddhism, the Guru Granth Sahib in Sikhism, and various systems of Indian philosophy, Arthashastra, Tirukkural, Nitishatkam, and more. These texts, rooted in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Pali and other classical Indian languages, offer significant insights into governance, leadership, motivation, economics, ethics, work-excellence, decision making, planning, and social responsibility. Indian wisdom emphasizes the means rather than merely the ends, implying that refining processes naturally leads to excellence in outcomes.

The Centre’s Objectives

1. Promote Indigenous Perspectives: Develop and disseminate theories of management and related disciplines based on India’s intellectual traditions.
2. Encourage Decolonized Scholarship: Lead research that challenges dominant paradigms, ensuring the Bharatiya mindset informs curricular design and pedagogical methods.
3. Ethical and Sustainable Frameworks: Embed moral considerations into business and management practices, in line with Indian philosophical teachings.
4. Interdisciplinary Exchange: Facilitate interactions with fields such as Indian psychology, sociology, anthropology, and economics to enrich management scholarship

Key Activities

• Research Programs: Support doctoral and faculty research rooted in Indian texts and philosophies, ensuring that indigenous frameworks gain prominence.
• Workshops and Seminars: Offer regular sessions on classical Indian wisdom, management models, and cultural insights to shape well-rounded professionals and scholars.
• Publications: Generate case studies, working papers, and research articles highlighting Indian management principles.
• Collaborations and Dialogues: Collaborate with experts and institutions to expand the understanding of Indian wisdom and its applications to modern challenges.

Activities and Research Output

• Case Studies on Indian Management: Document and analyse success stories from Indian enterprises to illustrate culturally specific strategies.
• Curriculum Development: Integrate Indian principles into MBA and executive education, bridging gaps between theory and practice.
• Multidisciplinary Research Projects: Encourage researchers to draw upon Indian philosophy, psychology, and social sciences to formulate new theories.
• Conference Proceedings and Journals: Publish insights and findings that arise from the Centre’s work, adding to the broader discourse on ethical and sustainable management.

Mentors, Speakers, and Members

The Centre collaborates with a diverse pool of scholars, thought leaders, and practitioners who share a passion for Bharatiya perspectives. These mentors and speakers come from academia, industry, and various cultural backgrounds. Their combined expertise guides the Centre’s research agenda and ensures a holistic approach to understanding and applying Indian wisdom in contemporary management. Through its focus on decolonization and promotion of authentic indigenous scholarship, the Centre for Indian Wisdom and Management at MDI Murshidabad aims to shape a new generation of researchers, educators, and managers who stand firmly on Bharatiya foundations while addressing global challenges.

Strategic Alignment

The centre will facilitate in the implementation of new education policy 2020 that promotes indigenous models in the field of human behaviour, management, finance, economics etc. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 places a significant emphasis on incorporating “Indian Wisdom” or “Indian Knowledge Systems” (IKS) into the curriculum, aiming to integrate traditional Indian wisdom and practices into modern education while fostering a sense of cultural identity and pride within students; this includes elements like philosophy, arts, sciences, and social practices developed within India’s rich heritage.

Consulting and Training Assignments

The centre will make efforts provide training programs to the corporate world drawn from traditional Indian wisdom and will provide solution to several managerial problems rooted in Indian scriptures.