Katha Pratha

A couple of weeks ago, the story reached an important milestone when the Adani Group hosted the three-day Indology Conclave.

It became a meeting point of minds—new, experienced, and veteran—coming together to share and showcase ideas, insights, and creative expressions rooted in Indian Knowledge Systems and their relevance today.

Legendary figures in their respective fields delivered powerful sessions, younger participants demonstrated refreshing creativity, and artists from across the country added energy and depth to the experience. Inspiring lectures by senior bureaucrats, corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, professors, and thinkers helped connect many dots across disciplines.

On a personal note, I had the opportunity to speak on 'Panchatantra and Management' alongside my mitra and erudite scholar, Vinayak Rajat Bhat. The story and the discussion resonated with a remarkably diverse audience—from PhD scholars and professors to IIT directors and business leaders. The thoughtful questions that followed made the session even more meaningful.

Gratitude to the Adani Group for hosting this platform and taking a strong corporate lead in the IKS space; to the IKS Division and Prof. Ganthi Murthy for the opportunity; to B.S. Rao for steering the event with such clarity; to Vinayak ji for being a constant collaborator; and to the many bright minds who enriched the entire three-day experience. A special acknowledgment to Sriram ji and Hanumanth Reddy for their tremendous work behind the scenes.

The conclave has set the tone for a three-way engagement for IKS—across Corporate, Academia, and Bureaucracy. Looking forward to seeing more meaningful action, both on stage and on the ground.

¦ Nitishashtra for the New Age Mangers ¦

A few days ago, I had the opportunity to address the new batch of PGDM students at the N. L. Dalmia Institute of Management Studies and Research, Mumbai, on the theme - for .

The students came from across the country—North, South, East, and West—bringing with them a diversity of experiences and perspectives. Yet, it was fascinating to see how effortlessly they connected with the ancient tales of and the timeless lessons of Nitishastra embedded within them.

Their curiosity, reflections, and questions reaffirmed a deep truth—that the principles of management and have long existed in our own tradition, only expressed then in a language of stories, symbols, and wisdom.

Always a fulfilling experience to witness young minds find relevance and joy in India’s heritage of applied .

A big thanks to the institute for the invitation and special thanks to Dr. Nazia for taking the efforts to arrange the talk.

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking at Green Talks, an inspiring initiative by the Adani Group to promote social entrepreneurship in India.

It was heartening to see young, sharp minds connect with stories from the and engage curiously with the elements of embedded within. Moments like these reaffirm the belief that .

A special privilege was to be personally introduced to Shri Gautam Adani and to interact with his dynamic team led by B.S. Rao

The icing on the cake was meeting the legendary Ram Charan ji, receiving a signed copy of his book, and imbibing a timeless life lesson from him — “Keep it straight and simple.”

Overall, a space of learning, sharing, and inspiration.

¦ The Bhagavad Gita Through Five Voices ¦

When I was invited to deliver a lecture for the event at the United School of Business Management, I was a little surprised by the organisers’ request — “You should talk on the .”

Surprised, because I had never spoken on this revered text at any major platform, though I have often discussed it at length with colleagues and students.

It is a different text altogether. Personally, I never like to treat it as “different,” but the general religious tag attached to it has always made me a little hesitant to present it before an audience. is, in some ways, easier — no sacredness, no rigid attachment to characters, flexible plots — allowing me to add my own elements and steps, much like someone who enjoys performing dances while admiring the precision of the ones.

Even with my apprehensions, Dr. Debashis of USBM convinced me to take the bold step.

I chose to approach it as a — to look at the Gita through the flow of and of five personalities in its first discourse: Arjuna, Krishna, Sanjaya, Dhritarashtra, and Vyasa.

Each offered a powerful lens:

as the seeker

as the mentor

as the communicator

as the confused leader

as the visionary

Together, they remind that the Gita is not only a spiritual dialogue but also a guide to the many roles we play in life — as students, teachers, leaders, storytellers, and reformers.

This approach made it a little easier for me. I truly enjoyed preparing for the session and delivering it over two hours. Fortunately, it was well received by the learned professors and experienced trainers.

The conversations that followed were deeply satisfying — reaffirming that the Gita remains , always helping us reflect, question, and act with clarity in our own battlefields of today.

I am far, very far, from being called a scholar of the Gita. Yet, having listened to its discourses more than a hundred times over the past few decades, the student in me continues to delight in its wisdom, while the teacher in me just had the privilege of tasting its essence

¦ Mis-shelved Masterpiece ¦

At the airport bookstore today, I noticed something familiar—the placed in the children’s section, right at the bottom shelf. And this wasn't the comics version of the book.

Few years ago, I too would have accepted that placement. Today, after years of engaging with it deeply and seeing its relevance to leaders and professionals, I can’t help but feel differently. The elements in it get easily overpowered by the colorful animal .

Each time I see it categorized only as “children’s reading,” or get a casual request to take sessions for school , I feel a quiet reminder of how much still remains to be . And I’m hopeful that, in time, this treasure will continue to move up and find its rightful place—not just on higher shelves, but in the of we adults who need its insights the most.

And I wonder, how many other works are waiting to be rediscovered?

| The Real |

On the eve of Teacher’s Day, sharing an experience that can only be called a privilege. A teacher was invited to speak in memory of one of the greatest teachers of modern times through the work of a legendary teacher of the world.

This week, I had the honor of delivering the Sarvepalli (SRK) Memorial Lecture at the historic Govt. College of , founded in 1877, where SRK himself once worked in the department.

As schoolchildren, many of us knew the answer to “In whose name is Teacher’s Day celebrated?” Yet very few had the curiosity or the chance to go deeper and ask “Why?”

Preparing for this lecture gave me the opportunity to revisit some of SRK’s works, philosophy, and ideas. A few that can resonate with any education policy across time are:
-Education must be holistic, the intellect, heart, and soul.
-Education is not merely the transmission of information, but the building of with wisdom.
-A good teacher never stops .
-Teaching is the highest privilege—where the teacher becomes a for society.
-Education is defined by the teacher–student (a personal favorite).

These ideas validated many of my own convictions and opened new pathways of thought.

For my lecture, I chose the theme “ – Unlocking the Potentials of ”, a subject close to my heart and deeply connected to my professional identity.
I found that SRK’s vision resonated powerfully with ’s Panchatantra. The enthusiastic response from students and the eagerness of teachers to apply these stories in their classrooms was a living testimony to that resonance.

Teaching, truly, is a beautiful . And legends like SRK and Acharya Vishnusharma remind us why it is among the highest one can hold.

Happy Teacher's Day!

Reimagining Classrooms | FDP at C.V. Raman Global University

Had the opportunity to conduct a workshop on Teaching for the faculty members of C.V. Global University, Bhubaneswar.

It was a delight to engage the participants in insightful discussions on present-day classroom needs and explore approaches that teachers can adopt to make their core work more enriching and fulfilling.

Grateful to Dr. Jyoti Mishra for the excellent arrangements, and to all the faculty members for their active participation and the warm appreciation shared post-workshop.

| Ranchi Resonance |

Small is raw. Small is . Small is beautiful.

By many modern standards, is considered a small city — one that has come into its own after the formation of Jharkhand, of which it is the capital.

I had the privilege of being one of the speakers at the Indian Knowledge Systems ( ) workshop hosted by Ranchi University. Invited to speak on the , I also took the opportunity to conduct a session on . Both were warmly received by the university’s faculty, whose curiosity and thoughtful questions made the interactions truly enriching.

And then, there was Ranchi itself.

The city was a warm host. The welcome dance was filled with grace and authenticity — simple yet deeply touching. The food felt like it came straight from a mother’s kitchen — , flavourful, and comforting.

What truly surprised and inspired us — me and my co-speaker Vinayak ji — was the early morning culture. Parks and roads were full of young boys and girls training with discipline and energy, almost like army drills. One side of the road was reserved for walking, bustling with people of all age groups. We were told that among them were and officers, and even a minister in the current state government.

A special thanks to Dr. Kishore, Assistant Professor at Ranchi University, who took us around the city, bringing it alive through — of tribal heritage, weather patterns, colonial history, and of course, a certain Mr. MSD.

There’s something surreal in the of small cities. Ranchi brought it all together in a vibrant palette of experience.

Thanks to Dr. Smriti Singh, the organizer of the event, for the invitation and for taking all the efforts to make the event achieve its goal.

Looking forward to returning.

Bibek Debroy- A teacher at heart.

"This man has an amazing mind, perfectly suited to being a teacher." Just two months ago, I shared this thought with a dear friend, who agreed without a second thought. The mind we were talking about belonged to Bibek Debroy—a man who wore many hats with grace and distinction. His sharp intellect and crystal-clear clarity of thought left an indelible impression on me almost instantly. It was rare to find someone who could communicate so effectively; his words always seemed to cut through the noise and reach the truth. Simple, Sharp, and Straight—these were his hallmarks.

From a personal perspective, I saw Bibek Debroy as a teacher at heart, one who never hesitated to share his knowledge and inspire those around him. The revitalization of Indian Knowledge Systems ( ) owes something to him, without a doubt. The Mahabharata shall remain my favorite story for a long, long time, and Bibek Debroy will be a teacher I shall remember throughout my life.

Though he lived a highly fulfilling life, it’s this teacher in him that I would have wished to see with us for a few more years. Even so, his legacy will live on in the many lives he touched and transformed.