SPJIMR NURTURES SOCIALLY SENSITIVE MANAGERS

Works on striking a balance between innovation and societal impact.

- Ajita Shashidhar

FIRST YEAR post-graduate diploma in management (PGDM) students of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's SPJIMR, Chahak Garg and Anushka Murli, spend two hours every week with a student of a municipal school. They mentor these students (called sitaras) in academics and try to ensure their emotional well-being. It is compulsory for every first-year student to be part of this experiential learning programme called Abhyudaya. The aim is to inculcate social sensitivity and understanding of urban poverty.

While Chahak says this has made him empathetic, Anushka says the community immersion experience has been a huge help. "You are going into a context most of us are not familiar with. Becoming a part of their lives teaches us to be comfortable being uncomfortable," says Anushka. In a world where change and ambiguity are constant, ability to face uncomfortable situations or unprecedented disruptions is a great quality.