Includes parallel sessions; choose the sessions you wish to attend.
19 October 12:00 - 20 October 12:00 · CEST / CAT (UTC+2)
Most sessions last 90 minutes, with 10-minute breaks. The opening session lasts two hours; other durations are shown below. All listed sessions are confirmed; the timing of A Dharma Compass is tentative.
Raysa Geaquinto RochaVU Amsterdam · The Open University. Researches spirituality and organisational practices for more humane, sustainable business.Sharda NandramConference Chair and Professor of Hindu Spirituality and Society at VU Amsterdam, connecting Dharmic wisdom with global citizenship.
Speakers
Dr. Gábor László KovácsCorvinus University of Budapest · Dr. Gábor László Kovács contributes to Spirituality in Management.Roland Ferenc SzilasCorvinus University of Budapest · Roland Ferenc Szilas contributes to Spirituality in Management.Prof. Munya SarucheraRelational leadership and process facilitator associated with Stellenbosch University, with more than 30 years of experience.Barbara NussbaumFounder of Finding Us in Music, exploring belonging, shared meaning and social flourishing through music and dialogue.Nicola RobinsCo-founder at Incite, consultant, speaker and author helping leaders navigate sustainability transitions in uncertainty.
Speaker profiles
Dr Gábor László Kovács
Dr Gábor László Kovács is an Associate Professor at Corvinus University of Budapest, where his research brings together business ethics, spirituality and economic thought. He earned his PhD at Corvinus in 2018 and also trained in engineering management and Buddhist religious education. His research interests include Buddhist economics, Catholic social teaching and Gross National Happiness. He teaches business ethics, economics and religion, progressive business models, and happiness and economics. He has led research on applying Gross National Happiness at the community level. His editorial work includes serving as Book Review Editor of the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion and Associate Editor of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics. His background offers a perspective on how spiritual traditions can inform economic priorities and managerial judgement.
Dr Roland Ferenc Szilas
Dr Roland Ferenc Szilas is an Associate Professor in organisational behaviour and human resource development at Corvinus University of Budapest. He received his PhD from Corvinus in 2013 and holds qualifications in international management, mental health and organisational development. Before his academic career, he worked with Procter & Gamble in regional learning and development and as an HR business partner. His teaching covers management, human resource management, and stress and organisational health. His research examines healthy workplaces, work stress, organisational justice and ethical leadership. He has led research on workplace stress and organisational justice and participated in studies of employee wellbeing and the integration of employees with disabilities. His work connects ethical management with the quality of everyday working life.
Prof Munya Saruchera
Prof Munya Saruchera is Director of the Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and became an Associate Professor in July 2026. His professional background combines academic work with applied experience outside the university. He has helped guide the centre’s strategic development and its move towards a broader focus on inclusive health management. His work includes community engagement, social impact and collaboration across disciplines. He previously chaired the transformation committee of the university’s Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. He has also held fellowships through Stellenbosch University’s Research and Innovation Strategic Excellence programme and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals. His experience brings an institutional and community perspective to questions of leadership, inclusion and social responsibility.
Barbara Nussbaum
Barbara Nussbaum is an author, educator and facilitator whose work connects African wisdom, music and organisational learning. Born in Zimbabwe and based in South Africa, she developed Finding Us in Music, a group method that uses music and storytelling to deepen listening and understanding among participants. Her work draws on Ubuntu and its emphasis on shared humanity and relationships. She co-authored Sawubona Africa: Embracing Four Worlds in South African Management with Ronnie Lessem, and Personal Growth African Style with Sudhanshu Palsule and Velaphi Mkhize. She has presented lectures and workshops in Africa, the United States and the Netherlands, and contributed to the Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation. Her contribution to this session brings attention to belonging, collective wellbeing and the human relationships within organisations.
Nicola Robins
Nicola Robins is a co-founder of Incite, a sustainability consultancy based in Cape Town, and a Senior Associate of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Her work combines sustainability, complexity science and Indigenous knowledge, drawing on three decades of professional practice across Africa and extensive experience in the Ngoma tradition of Southern Africa. She works with organisational leaders on judgement, decision making and maintaining coherence under pressure. She holds a master’s degree in Industrial Ecology from Yale University and an honours degree in Impact Assessment from the University of Cape Town. She also teaches at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business and Trinity College Dublin. Her book, Diviner Mind: How Organisations Can Learn from the Indigenous Science of Uncertainty, examines organisational learning in uncertain conditions.
No session scheduled
19 Oct 14:10 - 15:10 CEST / CAT19 Oct 17:40 - 18:40 IST19 Oct 23:10 - 20 Oct 00:10 AEDT19 Oct 08:10 - 09:10 EDT19 Oct 05:10 - 06:10 PDT
Raysa Geaquinto RochaVU Amsterdam · The Open University. Researches spirituality and organisational practices for more humane, sustainable business.Elham MalikElham Malik co-moderates MSR Paper Presentations alongside Raysa Geaquinto Rocha.
Speakers
Priyanka DuttinBanasthali Vidyapith, India. Presenting: Knowing, Being and Acting: Svadharma as an Ontological Architecture for Higher Education.Sudarsana VenugopalakrishnaninPhD Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai. Presenting: Echoes of the Thunder: A Comparative Study of Ethical Praxis in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land.Commodore Sunil KumarinRetired. Presenting: Dharma as the Core of Responsible Leadership.Nisha PandeyinAdvisor, Department of Development Studies, Vivekananda Global University. Presenting: From Dharma to Public Policy: A Research Framework for Reading the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa in Contemporary Governance.Prof Ramya VenkateswaranIIM Calcutta. Presenting: Indigenous management: Possibilities in research and andragogy.Dr Siddhartha SaxenaSP Jain London School of Management. Presenting: Managed by algorithm, searching for meaning: workplace spirituality under algorithmic management.Dr. Sadhna SargamInstitute of Management, Nirma University. First author and presenter: Wisdom in Leadership: A Mindful Approach towards Responsibility. Co-author: Prof. Anita Mendiratta.Dr Shreya KatyayaniIIT BHU. Presenting: Faith in Exile: Girmitiya Worlds across Kala Pani.Puja JhaIIT BHU. Presenting: Cognitive Polarity through Samkhya's and Yoga Darshana's perspective.Aparna SinghIIT BHU. Presenting: Dharma, Kingship, and Ritual Sovereignty: Governance as a Spiritual Order.
Speaker profiles
Priyanka Dutt
Priyanka Dutt is a researcher affiliated with Banasthali Vidyapith whose work engages with Bharatiya ideas of leadership, governance and Svadharma. Her published research includes The Concept of Swadharma and Effect on Leadership and Food and Leadership Construction. She has also co-authored work on indigenous concepts of public administration and corporate social responsibility in the Indian context. At this conference, she presents Knowing, Being and Acting: Svadharma as an Ontological Architecture for Higher Education. The presentation places Svadharma within a discussion of education, connecting questions of knowledge, identity and action with the purpose of higher learning.
Sudarsana Venugopalakrishnan
Sudarsana Venugopalakrishnan is a PhD Research Scholar in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Mumbai and a faculty member at Yogaarthi School of Indic Studies. Her scholarly work engages with Indian philosophical traditions, particularly Samkhya, Yoga and Vedanta. She co-authored Ethics and Value System of Samkhya Yoga, which examines these traditions in relation to ethical life, and has published work on cosmogony in Vedanta and Samkhya Yoga. Her conference paper compares ethical praxis in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and T S Eliot's The Waste Land. This contribution brings philosophical and literary inquiry together around questions of conduct and human experience.
Commodore Sunil Kumar
Commodore Sunil Kumar is a retired officer participating in the conference's academic exchange on management, spirituality and religion. His paper, Dharma as the Core of Responsible Leadership, examines the relationship between Dharma and the responsibilities of leadership. The contribution places questions of duty, conduct and responsibility at the centre of the discussion. It adds a perspective from a retired officer to a session that brings together research on education, governance, workplace spirituality and Bharatiya philosophical traditions.
Nisha Pandey
Dr Nisha Pandey is Academic Advisor in the Department of Development Studies at Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur. She has served as Director of the Gujarat Institute of Development Research and is associated with policy research at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini. Her academic engagements connect development studies, public policy and Bharatiya knowledge systems. She has also contributed to the organisation of interdisciplinary academic exchanges on Indian knowledge traditions. In this session, her presentation develops a research framework for reading the Valmiki Ramayana in contemporary governance. It brings her development and policy perspective into a discussion of how classical texts can inform the study of public responsibility and institutions.
Prof Ramya Venkateswaran
Prof Ramya Tarakad Venkateswaran is Professor of Strategic Management at IIM Calcutta. She completed the Fellow Programme in Management in Corporate Strategy and Policy at IIM Bangalore, following earlier education in software enterprise management and computer science. Before joining academia, she worked in the technology sector with organisations including Wipro, Cisco and Sasken. Her teaching covers strategic management, strategy execution, international business and doctoral research methods. Her publications examine indigenous Indian management, cultural context and the historical foundations of management thought in India. She has served in leadership roles within the Academy of Management's Management, Spirituality and Religion Division. Her conference paper explores possibilities for indigenous management in research and andragogy.
Dr Siddhartha Saxena
Dr Siddhartha Saxena is Senior Lecturer and Deputy Programme Director for the BBA at SP Jain London School of Management. His academic expertise spans organisational behaviour, human resource management and technology. His experience includes teaching, research, programme administration and consulting, with earlier academic work at Ahmedabad University and research at Heriot Watt University. He completed the Global Faculty Development Programme at the Wharton School in 2020 and received the Aspen Institute's Ideas Worth Teaching Award that year. He has developed courses on the future of work, people analytics and organisational behaviour. His research examines technology and human behaviour, including algorithms and artificial intelligence. His conference paper addresses workplace spirituality and the search for meaning under algorithmic management.
Dr. Sadhna Sargam
Dr Sadhna Sargam is Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management at the Institute of Management, Nirma University. She earned her PhD in organisational behaviour and human resource management from the Shailesh J Mehta School of Management at IIT Bombay. Before entering academia, she gained seven years of corporate experience with L&T Construction and StockHolding Corporation of India. She teaches organisational behaviour, human resource management, cross cultural management, and organisation design, development and change. Her research focuses on responsible leadership and mindfulness, and she has presented and published work in these areas. Her paper, Wisdom in Leadership: A Mindful Approach towards Responsibility, is co-authored with Prof Anita Mendiratta of Keshav Mahavidyalaya, University of Delhi.
Dr Shreya Katyayani
Dr Shreya Katyayani is associated with the Department of Humanistic Studies at IIT BHU, Varanasi. She holds a bachelor's degree with honours in political science from Patna Women's College and a postgraduate degree in political science from Banaras Hindu University. Her research examines the history of Indian indentured labourers and the Girmitiya system, connecting political and historical inquiry with questions of migration and cultural experience. Her conference paper, Faith in Exile: Girmitiya Worlds across Kala Pani, examines faith within these migrant worlds. She brings a research perspective on the experiences through which Indian communities carried and sustained cultural and spiritual life beyond India.
Puja Jha
Puja Jha is a researcher affiliated with the Department of Humanistic Studies at IIT BHU, Varanasi. Her work engages with Bharatiya philosophical understandings of the mind and emotional experience. She co-authored From Stillness to Struggle: The Role of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas in Shaping Emotional Experience, published in 2025, which considers the interaction of the three Gunas in human experience. Her conference presentation, Cognitive Polarity through Samkhya's and Yoga Darshana's Perspective, continues this engagement with Samkhya and Yoga. Her contribution places philosophical accounts of cognition and self understanding within the session's broader conversation on Dharma and lived experience.
Aparna Singh
Aparna Singh is affiliated with IIT BHU and participates in the conference's paper presentations on Dharma, management and spirituality. Her paper, Dharma, Kingship, and Ritual Sovereignty: Governance as a Spiritual Order, examines the relationship between governance and spiritual order. It brings questions of kingship, authority and responsibility into the academic discussion of Dharma. Her contribution connects the study of political institutions with the cultural and spiritual ideas through which governance has been understood in Indian traditions.
Sharda NandramCo-author, Rethinking the UniversityConference Chair and Professor of Hindu Spirituality and Society at VU Amsterdam, connecting Dharmic wisdom with global citizenship.
In conversation
Puneet K. BindlishPuneet K. Bindlish works at VU Amsterdam on spirituality, Hinduism and leadership and is co-author of Rethinking the University.Ramakrishna HosurNMR scientist, former UM-DAE CEBS director and author of When Science Meets Spirituality.
Speaker profiles
Puneet K. Bindlish
Puneet K. Bindlish works at VU Amsterdam on spirituality, Hinduism and leadership and is co-author of Rethinking the University.
Ramakrishna Hosur
Prof Ramakrishna V Hosur is a biophysical scientist known for his research in nuclear magnetic resonance, molecular biophysics and biophysical chemistry. He earned his PhD in chemistry at TIFR through the University of Mumbai in 1979 and undertook postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich with Kurt Wuthrich, also collaborating with Richard Ernst. He served as Director of the UM DAE Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences from 2009 to 2017 and led TIFR's National Facility for High Field NMR. He received the Padma Shri in 2014. His publications include A Graduate Course in NMR Spectroscopy and When Science Meets Spirituality. His experience combines scientific research, institution building and reflection on the relationship between science and spiritual inquiry.
19 Oct 15:20 - 16:50 CEST / CAT19 Oct 18:50 - 20:20 IST20 Oct 00:20 - 01:50 AEDT19 Oct 09:20 - 10:50 EDT19 Oct 06:20 - 07:50 PDT
Dipti ThuseDharma Civilization Foundation (DCF) · Dipti Thuse contributes to the Dharma Civilization Foundation’s work on education, society and the application of dharmic perspectives to contemporary challenges.
Speakers
Nilesh OakBhima LLC · Nilesh Oak contributes to Astronomy and cosmology of the Epics- Anubhav and Anubhuti.
Speaker profiles
Nilesh Oak
Nilesh Nilkanth Oak is an author and independent researcher whose work examines astronomical references in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. His academic background includes bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering and an Executive MBA. His books include When Did the Mahabharata War Happen, The Historic Rama and Bhishma Nirvana. He also serves as researcher and adjunct faculty at the Institute of Advanced Sciences in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. He speaks to university students and wider audiences about the antiquity of Indian civilisation and the methods used to interpret references in the epics. In this session, he brings his research approach to the relationship between textual interpretation, astronomy, cosmology and lived understanding.
19 Oct 17:00 - 18:30 CEST / CAT19 Oct 20:30 - 22:00 IST20 Oct 02:00 - 03:30 AEDT19 Oct 11:00 - 12:30 EDT19 Oct 08:00 - 09:30 PDT
Anil MaheshwariAnil Maheshwari works at the intersection of management, spirituality, consciousness and education.
Speakers
Jeby CherianBlubirch · Contributor to the conversation on Living Dharma through Conscious Leadership.Sri. Raghu AnanthanarayanBehavioural scientist, author and organisational consultant who brings yoga and Indian psychology into leadership development.Prasad KaipaAuthor and leadership coach; co-author of From Smart to Wise, connecting business leadership with Indian spiritual wisdom.
Speaker profiles
Jeby Cherian
Jeby Cherian is a senior business leader associated with Blubirch, a technology company working on returns management and reverse supply chains. His leadership experience includes serving as Managing Partner of IBM's consulting business in India and holding roles in business strategy and organisational operations. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. His professional work connects technology, commercial judgement and the management of complex business processes. At Blubirch, this includes the use of artificial intelligence to improve decisions about returned products and unsold inventory. His contribution to conscious leadership draws on practical experience of leading businesses, managing change and making decisions across organisational functions.
Sri. Raghu Ananthanarayan
Sri Raghu Ananthanarayan is a behavioural scientist, organisational consultant and yoga teacher whose work connects Indian psychology with leadership and organisational development. He was mentored by J Krishnamurti, Yogacharya Krishnamacharya and Pulin K Garg. He co-founded the Sumedhas Academy of Human Context and the Barefoot Academy of Governance, and has worked with organisations on alignment, leadership and change. His books include Antaranga Yoga, Learning Through Yoga, The Totally Aligned Organization and Leadership Dharma. Together with his wife Sashi, he mentors seekers at Ritambhara Ashram in the Nilgiris. His approach places self inquiry and the discovery of one's Dharma within the practical challenges faced by individuals, groups and institutions.
Prasad Kaipa
Dr Prasad Kaipa is an author, educator and leadership coach who connects management with Indian wisdom and scientific perspectives. He holds a PhD in physics from IIT Madras and previously taught at the University of Utah. His professional experience includes work at Apple in technology advisory, international product marketing and research. He founded the Centre for Leadership, Innovation and Change at the Indian School of Business and co-founded the TiE Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Institute. He co-authored From Smart to Wise with Navi Radjou, exploring wise leadership through the Bhagavad Gita and interviews with business leaders. His work spans innovation, change management, executive coaching and inner transformation, with an emphasis on the quality of judgement and purposeful action.
Saumya ShuklaKathak Artist, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) empanelled Teacher & Founder of Amsterdam Kathak Festival & The Baithak Lab
Speakers
Aditya Kumar SinhaExecutive Director, C-DAC Mumbai; joins the dialogue between Natyashastra, artificial intelligence and robotics.Upasana TendulkarDancing Tales · Upasana Tendulkar contributes to Living Dharma through Natyashastra and AI & Robotics.
Speaker profiles
Aditya Kumar Sinha
Aditya Kumar Sinha is Executive Director of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, C-DAC Mumbai. His work spans research and development, international technical collaboration, capacity building and quality management. As Technical Advisor to projects under the Ministry of External Affairs, he has managed teams working across numerous countries. His professional engagements include advanced computing, AgriTech and quantum computing, alongside publications and technical presentations. He chaired the committee for establishing a semiconductor based Quantum Computing Reference Facility in Bengaluru. His educational background includes Ranchi University, Jadavpur University and MNNIT Allahabad. In this session, he brings an advanced technology perspective to the discussion of Natyashastra, artificial intelligence and robotics.
Upasana Tendulkar
Upasana Tendulkar is the founder of Dancing Tales, an initiative that connects dance and movement with education, corporate learning and personal development. She earned her Visharad certification under Dr Reema Nadkarni Wagh and holds an MBA from Cardiff Business School. Her approach takes inspiration from Natyashastra, using expression, movement and storytelling to make ideas accessible to different audiences. As a visiting faculty member, she has worked on integrating movement into educational disciplines and collaborated on Indian Knowledge Systems initiatives to improve classroom experiences. Through Project Leela, she develops experiences combining art, science and spirituality. Her work includes workshops for individuals, organisations and communities, bringing classical artistic knowledge into contemporary settings.
19 Oct 18:40 - 20:10 CEST / CAT19 Oct 22:10 - 23:40 IST20 Oct 03:40 - 05:10 AEDT19 Oct 12:40 - 14:10 EDT19 Oct 09:40 - 11:10 PDT
Ngoc-Tran PhamConfirmed moderator of the meditation workshop, guiding the conversation with Prejaas Kavish Tewarie and Gaetan Mourmant.
Speakers
Prejaas Kavish TewarieContributor to the conversation on Meditation Workshop.Gaetan MourmantEducator and data-analysis specialist, joining the workshop to explore meditation within Living Dharma.
Speaker profiles
Prejaas Kavish Tewarie
Dr Prejaas Kavish Tewarie is a neuroscience researcher associated with Université Laval's CERVO Brain Research Centre in Canada, working in clinical and cognitive neuroscience. His research investigates the mechanisms through which meditation may be associated with changes in brain structure, function and networks. He studies physiological and behavioural factors that may explain differences in how people respond to meditation, including research on novice meditators. His wider publications address brain connectivity, electrophysiological activity and disorders of consciousness. His work also examines whether neuromodulation could support responses to meditation. He brings a research perspective to the workshop's exploration of attention, mental regulation and consciousness, connecting meditative practice with questions that neuroscience seeks to investigate.
Gaetan Mourmant
Dr Gaetan Mourmant is an academic associated with Iéseg School of Management whose work spans information systems, entrepreneurship and organisational culture. He holds jointly supervised doctorates in management sciences from Paris Dauphine University and in information systems from Georgia State University. His research interests include new information technologies and grounded theory methodology. He has published in the European Journal of Information Systems, Grounded Theory Review and the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, and has presented at major management and information systems conferences. Alongside his academic work, he pursues entrepreneurial activities. His contribution to the meditation workshop brings together experience in teaching, research and the study of spirituality within organisational life.
Puneet K. BindlishPuneet K. Bindlish works at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on spirituality, Hinduism and leadership.
Speakers
Rajen GuptaRetired Professor - MDI Gurgaon & IIM-Lucknow.Dharam BhawukDharam Bhawuk contributes to Doing Science through Dharmic Consciousness.
Speaker profiles
Rajen Gupta
Prof Rajen Gupta is a retired professor of Human Behaviour and Organisation Development with extensive experience at MDI Gurgaon and IIM Lucknow. He earned his first degree in electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur and completed his doctorate in management at IIM Ahmedabad under Prof Udai Pareek. Before entering academia, he worked in banking and corporate human resource development. He later served as Research Advisor at IIM Sirmaur and as a visiting professor at Rotterdam School of Management. His research and consulting address organisation development, action research and the relationship between Indian culture and management. His publications include Implementing HRD: Action Research into the Process and the co-edited Qualitative Research in Management. He is a founding member of the National HRD Network and Strategic Management Forum.
Dharam Bhawuk
Prof Dharam P S Bhawuk is Professor of Management and Culture and Community Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Shidler College of Business. He earned his PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and his MBA at the University of Hawaii. His scholarship spans cross cultural psychology, intercultural training, indigenous management and Indian psychology. He authored Spirituality and Indian Psychology: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita and co-edited Indigenous Indian Management and the Cambridge Handbook of Intercultural Training. His work examines how cultural and spiritual traditions can contribute to theory, research methods and organisational practice. He brings this scholarly background to the discussion of science through Dharmic consciousness.
19 Oct 20:20 - 21:50 CEST / CAT19 Oct 23:50 - 20 Oct 01:20 IST20 Oct 05:20 - 06:50 AEDT19 Oct 14:20 - 15:50 EDT19 Oct 11:20 - 12:50 PDT
Raysa Geaquinto RochaVU Amsterdam · The Open University. Researches spirituality and organisational practices for more humane, sustainable business.
Speakers
Radha SharmaRadha Sharma joins the conversation on Spirituality and Sustainability.Vikram PattarkineVikram Pattarkine joins the conversation on Spirituality and Sustainability.
Speaker profiles
Radha Sharma
Prof Radha R Sharma is a management scholar whose work spans organisational behaviour, human resource development, responsible management and sustainability. She has held senior academic positions at MDI Gurgaon, including Dean of Research and Centres of Excellence and the Hero MotoCorp Chair Professorship. Her international academic engagements include the ICCR Chair at HHL Graduate School of Management in Germany and visiting roles at European institutions. Her books include Handbook of Sustainable Development, Managing for Responsibility, HRM for Organizational Sustainability and Executive Burnout. Her research examines emotional intelligence, wellbeing, spirituality and leadership. She brings a management perspective to the relationship between sustainability, organisational conduct and the responsibilities institutions have towards people and society.
Vikram Pattarkine
Dr Vikram Pattarkine is founder and Chief Executive Officer of PEACE USA, an environmental consulting practice. He is a chemical, environmental and process engineer with more than three decades of international experience in consulting, research, technology development, manufacturing and training. He holds a PhD in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in chemical engineering from Nagpur University. His earlier roles include leading the Environment and Natural Resources Management practice at Tata Consultancy Services. His professional work addresses nutrient management, energy conservation and renewable energy. Alongside engineering, he studies the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga and Vedanta and seeks to apply their principles in daily life. His contribution connects environmental practice with spiritual understanding and responsible living.
Shrikant PalkarShrikant Palkar is President of the Dharma Civilization Foundation.Aadit KapadiaAadit Kapadia is an engineer and columnist associated with MyIndMakers, writing on politics, strategic affairs and Indo-American policy.
Speakers
Praveen ChaturvediPrachyam · Contributor to the conversation on Living Dharma through Media.Lalit BhusalAward-winning filmmaker and EU Climate Pact Ambassador; founder of My Name Is Climate and co-founder of DAMROO Foundation International.
Speaker profiles
Praveen Chaturvedi
Praveen Chaturvedi is a filmmaker and cultural entrepreneur, and the founder of Prachyam, a digital platform for films and programmes on Indian civilisation and traditions. Before his work in cinema, he served as a Merchant Navy captain. His documentary work includes Water Is Elixir, produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Indian Knowledge Systems Division, which explores traditional water conservation practices. His film and interview work addresses Indian history, cultural knowledge and contemporary social questions. He uses audiovisual storytelling to communicate research and civilisational ideas to wider audiences. His contribution to this session brings practical experience in media production and the representation of Indian cultural narratives through contemporary formats.
Lalit Bhusal
Lalit Bhusal is a filmmaker, journalist and European Climate Pact Ambassador whose work combines communication, education and public engagement. He founded the My Name Is Climate Foundation to connect personal awareness with responsibility towards the planet. His activities include organising film festivals and public panels, as well as engaging business leaders on sustainability commitments. He is also associated with DAMROO Foundation International. His filmmaking addresses social challenges, using human stories to make wider issues understandable to audiences. In the Living Dharma through Media session, he brings a perspective on how films and communication can connect individual experience with social and environmental responsibility, encouraging reflection through storytelling and public dialogue.
19 Oct 22:00 - 23:30 CEST / CAT20 Oct 01:30 - 03:00 IST20 Oct 07:00 - 08:30 AEDT19 Oct 16:00 - 17:30 EDT19 Oct 13:00 - 14:30 PDT
Dr Chandra Shekhar Mayanil is a neuroscientist, educator and author whose research background includes developmental neurobiology, brain development and pediatric neurosurgery. He served as Professor and Director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Research Program at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. His scientific publications include work on neural development and folate related mechanisms. Alongside his research, he has pursued long term Yoga and meditation practice and explores ways of interpreting yogic techniques through neuroscience. He authored The Gravity of Gratitude and shares reflections through his Yogic Realization channel. His session on Yogic Neurosciences of Hanuman Chalisa Pranayama presents his interpretation of the relationship between yogic practice, gratitude and brain science.
Shrikant PalkarShrikant Palkar is President of the Dharma Civilization Foundation.
Speakers
Ajay ShahParticipation to be confirmedInvited hackathon contributor; participation and further profile details are awaiting confirmation.Dr. Biplav SrivastavaBiplav Srivastava is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Carolina’s AI Institute.Puneet K. BindlishPuneet K. Bindlish works at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam on spirituality, Hinduism and leadership.
Speaker profiles
Ajay Shah
Ajay Shah is listed as an invited contributor to the Living Dharma Hackathon. His participation remains subject to confirmation.
Dr. Biplav Srivastava
Dr Biplav Srivastava is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Carolina and a member of its AI Institute. He joined the university after two decades in industrial research at IBM, where he worked as a Research Scientist, Distinguished Data Scientist and Master Inventor. His research interests include trusted artificial intelligence, neuro symbolic computing, collaborative assistance and applications to smart cities using open and sensor data. His work examines how AI systems can support people in practical decision making and service delivery. He brings this combination of industrial and academic experience to the Living Dharma Hackathon, contributing expertise in developing useful AI applications and considering the trustworthiness of technological solutions.
Puneet K. Bindlish
Dr Puneet K Bindlish is Assistant Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, working on Hindu spirituality, leadership and Yoga. He completed his PhD in organisational behaviour at MDI Gurgaon, with doctoral research on an integrative conceptualisation of leadership. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in Yoga and a bachelor's degree in mining engineering from IIT BHU. His scholarship connects Bharatiya philosophical traditions with questions of organisation, education and technology. His work includes integrative intelligence and approaches to leadership that draw on spiritual understanding. His teaching engages with the application of these traditions in contemporary society. He brings this interdisciplinary background to the hackathon's exploration of how Dharmic principles can inform practical innovation.
20 Oct 01:20 - 02:50 CEST / CAT20 Oct 04:50 - 06:20 IST20 Oct 10:20 - 11:50 AEDT19 Oct 19:20 - 20:50 EDT19 Oct 16:20 - 17:50 PDT
Pallavi JoshiPallavi Joshi joins the online session on dharmic parenting, education and intergenerational narratives as moderator.
Speakers
Deepa SalemAuthor of Airavata: Dharma Activity Book, introducing children to dharma through stories, puzzles and creative activities.Ankur JoshiBanasthali Vidyapith contributor exploring Indian knowledge traditions in education, parenting and management.Gomathi VenkatachalamAssociated with Anaadi Foundation & Gurukulam, contributing to conversations on Indian knowledge systems and learning.
Speaker profiles
Deepa Salem
Deepa Bhaskaran Salem is an author and student of Hindu Dharma and Advaita Vedanta. Her writing and speaking address the Itihasas, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita, parenting and mental health. She conducts workshops for children and adults, drawing on insights from Sanatana Dharma. Her books include Adideva, which explores stories behind names of Shiva, and Airavata: Dharma Activity Book, which introduces children to Dharma through creative activities. Her professional background includes management consulting and marketing leadership, and she runs a technology marketing consultancy in the United States. She brings experience in communicating classical knowledge to contemporary families, connecting stories, practical learning and spiritual understanding in children's education.
Ankur Joshi
Dr Ankur Joshi is an academic, author, researcher and trainer at FMS WISDOM, Banasthali Vidyapith. He completed the Fellow Programme at MDI Gurugram in Public Policy and Governance. His doctoral work studied the Gurukul education system and its relevance to contemporary education. His research brings together Bharatiya knowledge systems, indigenous management, public policy, governance and social entrepreneurship. Through Shastriya Prabandhan, he examines leadership, institutions and human development using Bharatiya categories and cultural experience. He has designed and taught courses on Indian ethos, indigenous management systems and research methodology, and conducts workshops and faculty development programmes. His contribution to this panel connects Gurukul education, character development and experiential learning with parenting and intergenerational transmission of values.
Gomathi Venkatachalam
Gomathi Venkatachalam is Chief Executive Officer of Anaadi Foundation, associated with its work in Gurukulam education and Indian knowledge systems. Her public engagements include programmes for students, educators and institutional leaders on Indian knowledge traditions and their relevance to contemporary learning. She has spoken on Panchakosha and participated in discussions on building educational ecosystems beyond conventional campus boundaries. Her involvement with Anaadi brings a practical institutional perspective to the integration of cultural knowledge, learning and wellbeing. In this panel, she contributes to the conversation on parenting and intergenerational narratives through the experience of Gurukulam education and engagement with schools, teachers and learners.
20 Oct 03:00 - 04:30 CEST / CAT20 Oct 06:30 - 08:00 IST20 Oct 12:00 - 13:30 AEDT19 Oct 21:00 - 22:30 EDT19 Oct 18:00 - 19:30 PDT
Shrikant PalkarShrikant Palkar is President of the Dharma Civilization Foundation.Dipti ThuseDharma Civilization Foundation (DCF) · Dipti Thuse contributes to the Dharma Civilization Foundation’s work on education, society and the application of dharmic perspectives to contemporary challenges.
Speakers
Dr. Badri Narayanan GopalakrishnanBadri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan is an economist and strategy leader whose work spans international trade, public policy, sustainability and economic modelling.Muneet DhimanMuneet Dhiman is the Founder and Kulapati of Vidyakshetra Gurukulam.Ami GanatraAmi Ganatra is an author, management professional and student of Sanskrit and Indian knowledge systems.
Speaker profiles
Dr. Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan
Dr Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan is an economist whose research uses quantitative and interdisciplinary models to examine international trade, environmental and energy policy, and public health. He is known for contributions to the Global Trade Analysis Project dataset and model extensions at Purdue University. His research and advisory work have informed policy discussions on trade agreements, technology regulation and sustainability. He has worked with international organisations and consulting firms and has published extensively on economic modelling and policy. His methods include computable general equilibrium models, econometrics and network science. He brings this analytical background to the session's consideration of how economic choices relate to wider social responsibilities and the purposes of development.
Muneet Dhiman
Muneet Dhiman is Founder and Kulapati of Vidyakshetra Gurukulam, an educational initiative that brings Bharatiya Samskriti and Gurukul pedagogy into children's learning. The institution emerged from years of study of educational approaches and was founded in 2016. Its model combines academic subjects, Kalas and practical skills with a Bharatiya view of life. Its educational vision includes Panchakoshatmika Vikas, character development, the preparation of Acharyas and an interdependent community. The approach attends to physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development through learning and daily practices. He brings the experience of building an educational institution to the discussion of Dharma, culture and the purpose of education.
Ami Ganatra
Ami Ganatra is an author, management professional and alumna of IIM Ahmedabad. She is also a certified Yoga instructor and a student of Sanskrit and Indian knowledge systems. Her books include Mahabharata Unravelled, Ramayana Unravelled and Why Are We This Way. Her writing brings close engagement with the classical texts into an accessible form for contemporary readers, paying attention to the complexity of characters, choices and responsibilities in the epics. Her professional and scholarly interests connect management with cultural understanding and the study of human conduct. She contributes to this session through a perspective on how India's knowledge traditions can inform learning, judgement and the responsibilities expressed in economic and social life.
20 Oct 04:40 - 06:10 CEST / CAT20 Oct 08:10 - 09:40 IST20 Oct 13:40 - 15:10 AEDT19 Oct 22:40 - 20 Oct 00:10 EDT19 Oct 19:40 - 21:10 PDT
Anil MaheshwariAnil Maheshwari works at the intersection of management, spirituality, consciousness and education.Rajen GuptaParticipation to be confirmedRetired Professor - MDI Gurgaon & IIM-Lucknow.
Speaker profiles
Anil Maheshwari
Dr Anil Maheshwari is a management academic associated with Maharishi International University whose work connects information systems, data analytics, consciousness and spirituality. He holds an electrical engineering degree from IIT Delhi, an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a PhD from Case Western Reserve University. His professional background includes leadership roles at IBM and experience in consulting, marketing and programme management. He has taught at several universities and authored Business Intelligence and Data Mining Made Accessible. His scholarship and teaching bring technological and managerial understanding into dialogue with consciousness and personal development. In this session, he contributes to the discussion of future directions for management, spirituality and religion research in India.
Rajen Gupta
Prof Rajen Gupta is a retired professor of Human Behaviour and Organisation Development with extensive experience at MDI Gurgaon and IIM Lucknow. He earned his first degree in electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur and completed his doctorate in management at IIM Ahmedabad under Prof Udai Pareek. Before entering academia, he worked in banking and corporate human resource development. He later served as Research Advisor at IIM Sirmaur and as a visiting professor at Rotterdam School of Management. His research and consulting address organisation development, action research and the relationship between Indian culture and management. His publications include Implementing HRD: Action Research into the Process and the co-edited Qualitative Research in Management. He is a founding member of the National HRD Network and Strategic Management Forum. His participation in this session is awaiting confirmation.
Raja KanuriRaja Kanuri moderates Aligning Technology with Dharma.
Speakers
Radhika MittalRadhika Mittal contributes to Aligning Technology with Dharma.Shyam Krishna KumarShyam Krishna Kumar contributes to Aligning Technology with Dharma.Raghava KrishnaRaghava Krishna contributes to Aligning Technology with Dharma.
Speaker profiles
Radhika Mittal
Dr Radhika Mittal is Programme Manager and Impact Lead for ESDiT, the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies research programme. Her responsibilities cover strategy, vision, partnerships and impact, with the programme's secretariat situated within the Philosophy Section at the University of Twente. Her work connects interdisciplinary research with engagement beyond academia. She also participates in public conversations with scholars on topics including the climate movement, emotions, risk and technology ethics. Her contribution brings a perspective on the relationship between technological change, research and its social relevance. In this session, she joins the discussion of how ethical reflection and Dharmic understanding can inform the development and use of technology.
Shyam Krishna Kumar
Shyam Krishnakumar is Executive Director and Co-founder of The Pranava Institute, where he leads research advisory work. His work examines India's digital transformation, regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies, cybersecurity and technology ethics. He provides research and advisory perspectives on areas such as data and platform regulation, digital markets, semiconductor manufacturing and telecommunications. He is a computer science graduate and holds a master's degree in political science with a specialisation in international relations. He served as visiting faculty at the Daksha Fellowship, teaching conceptual foundations in technology and public policy. His contribution connects technological understanding with governance, regulation and India's civilisational perspectives.
Raghava Krishna
Raghava Krishna is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bṛhat. His professional experience spans about 25 years across game development, learning and entrepreneurship. He has led creative product development teams and worked on learning design and organisational culture. Before establishing Bṛhat, he co-founded Rashtram School of Public Leadership and served as its Associate Dean for Academics. Bṛhat's work includes Indian knowledge systems, education, cultural research and leadership, alongside institutional consulting and learning programmes. His background brings together the experience of technology and creative industries with educational institution building. He contributes to the conversation on technology and Dharma through questions of cultural understanding, human development and the purposes that guide innovation.
20 Oct 06:20 - 07:50 CEST / CAT20 Oct 09:50 - 11:20 IST20 Oct 15:20 - 16:50 AEDT20 Oct 00:20 - 01:50 EDT19 Oct 21:20 - 22:50 PDT
Titiksha VashishthaTitiksha Vashishtha moderates the conversation on dharmic living, narratives and storytelling.
Speakers
Bharat DashBharat Dash contributes to Dharmic Living and the role of narratives, story telling.Dr. Vikrant Singh TomarDr. Vikrant Singh Tomar contributes to Dharmic Living and the role of narratives, story telling.
Speaker profiles
Bharat Dash
Dr Bharat Dash is a management educator and trainer who uses Panchatantra narratives to connect personal development with leadership and organisational practice. He serves as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Eastern Knowledge Systems at Sri Sri University and is an IKS Master Trainer in Nitishastra and storytelling pedagogy. His qualifications include a PhD in Nitishastra and Panchatantra, degrees in marketing management and economics, and training in business design. Before entering academia, he worked with Infosys, CitiusTech and HCL Infosystems. He has conducted workshops and faculty development programmes across educational and professional settings. Through Katha Pratha, he communicates lessons from Indian classics to contemporary learners, teachers and leaders.
Dr. Vikrant Singh Tomar
Dr Vikrant Singh Tomar is Director of UMS India, a management consultant, trainer and author working at the intersection of Indian knowledge systems, governance and leadership. His professional engagements include capacity building for public institutions, defence personnel, organisations and other groups. He is Convenor of United Consciousness Global and has contributed to international initiatives on Yoga and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. His work places conscience and responsibility within leadership and institutional development. He authored Rule the World as Krishna Did, drawing on the Bhagavad Gita for contemporary management and life. In this session, he brings experience in communicating Bharatiya philosophical ideas through teaching, training and narratives that relate classical knowledge to current choices.
20 Oct 08:00 - 09:30 CEST / CAT20 Oct 11:30 - 13:00 IST20 Oct 17:00 - 18:30 AEDT20 Oct 02:00 - 03:30 EDT19 Oct 23:00 - 20 Oct 00:30 PDT
Shruti KanhaiShruti Kanhai moderates Udaya’s interactive workshop on Dharma, Karma, Seva and Abhyasa, helping participants develop a personal compass for purposeful leadership.
Speakers
Presenters to be announced
Speaker profiles
The profile introduction will be added when available.
Ankur JoshiBanasthali Vidyapith contributor exploring Indian knowledge traditions in education, parenting and management.
Speakers
Dr. Tushar Dashora (video) Dr. Tushar Dashora contributes to Living Dharma and Ayurveda: Well-Being's Spiritual dimension.Mala KapadiaMala Kapadia contributes to Living Dharma and Ayurveda: Well-Being's Spiritual dimension.
Speaker profiles
Dr. Tushar Dashora
Dr Tushar Dashora is a pediatrician and neonatologist whose work also engages with parenting, emotional intelligence and spiritual perspectives on family life. He earned his MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and his MD in pediatrics from RNT Medical College, Udaipur. His further training includes adolescent medicine and a fellowship in neonatology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. He conducts sessions for parents on emotional intelligence and has explored Garbha Samskara practices with his wife, Dr Smita Dashora. His book Spiritual Secrets of Pregnancy and Childbirth examines traditional practices and their interpretation alongside medical understanding. He contributes to this conference through a video presentation on the spiritual dimension of wellbeing.
Mala Kapadia
Prof Mala Kapadia is Director of Special Projects at Siddhanta Knowledge Foundation and a scholar and practitioner working on Indian knowledge systems, psychology and wellbeing. Her experience spans research, education, journalism, human resources and consulting. She served as Principal Investigator for a Ministry of Education Indian Knowledge Systems project on wellbeing and happiness, developing an Ayurveda based framework informed by Hitayu and Sukhayu. She has taught at SP Jain School of Global Management across its Singapore, Dubai, Sydney and Mumbai campuses and previously directed the Wellbeing Centre at Rashtram School of Public Leadership. Her work connects Bharatiya understandings of human flourishing with research, institutional practice and contemporary approaches to wellbeing.
20 Oct 09:40 - 11:10 CEST / CAT20 Oct 13:10 - 14:40 IST20 Oct 18:40 - 20:10 AEDT20 Oct 03:40 - 05:10 EDT20 Oct 00:40 - 02:10 PDT
Priyanka DuttBanasthali Vidyapith contributor exploring Indian knowledge traditions in education, parenting and management.
Speakers
Harsh Purohit (video) Banasthali Vidyapith · Harsh Purohit contributes to Dharma and Financial Well Being | Mandirs.Sandeep SinghSandeep Singh contributes to Dharma and Financial Well Being | Mandirs.
Speaker profiles
Harsh Purohit
Prof Harsh Purohit is Dean and Professor of Finance at FMS WISDOM, Banasthali Vidyapith. His work includes teaching, research and institutional initiatives in finance, management and financial education. He has developed Bharatiya models of financial and digital literacy and contributed to research on financial inclusion and the effectiveness of financial education. His publications also examine intellectual capital and financial performance. His academic work connects practical financial understanding with questions of values and social responsibility. Through Banasthali's Centre for Financial Planning, Training and Research for Women, his engagements include research and training in financial literacy. He joins this session through a video contribution on Dharma and financial wellbeing.
Sandeep Singh
Sandeep Singh is an author, speaker and researcher whose work examines Indian business history and the Indian way of management. His professional engagements include teaching these themes at management institutes, writing columns and participating in public discussions. He has authored books on a range of subjects and developed a Temple Economics series examining the economic role of mandirs. He has also created a museum on Indian business history. His work connects historical inquiry with the institutional and cultural settings in which economic activity takes place. In this session, he brings attention to mandirs as community institutions and to the relationship between Dharma, financial wellbeing and economic life.
All times are local to the dates shown. CEST (Netherlands) and CAT (Central Africa) are UTC+2; IST UTC+5:30; AEDT UTC+11; EDT UTC-4; PDT UTC-7.
Sessions and speakers
Confirmed
19 Oct · 12:00 - 14:00 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
Spirituality in Management
Explore spiritual values, responsible leadership and the ways we care for one another in organisations and communities.
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 15:30 - 17:30Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 19 Oct 21:00 - 23:00US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 06:00 - 08:00US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 03:00 - 05:00
Dr Gábor László Kovács is an Associate Professor at Corvinus University of Budapest, where his research brings together business ethics, spirituality and economic thought. He earned his PhD at Corvinus in 2018 and also trained in engineering management and Buddhist religious education. His research interests include Buddhist economics, Catholic social teaching and Gross National Happiness. He teaches business ethics, economics and religion, progressive business models, and happiness and economics. He has led research on applying Gross National Happiness at the community level. His editorial work includes serving as Book Review Editor of the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion and Associate Editor of the Journal of Buddhist Ethics. His background offers a perspective on how spiritual traditions can inform economic priorities and managerial judgement.
Dr Roland Ferenc Szilas
Dr Roland Ferenc Szilas is an Associate Professor in organisational behaviour and human resource development at Corvinus University of Budapest. He received his PhD from Corvinus in 2013 and holds qualifications in international management, mental health and organisational development. Before his academic career, he worked with Procter & Gamble in regional learning and development and as an HR business partner. His teaching covers management, human resource management, and stress and organisational health. His research examines healthy workplaces, work stress, organisational justice and ethical leadership. He has led research on workplace stress and organisational justice and participated in studies of employee wellbeing and the integration of employees with disabilities. His work connects ethical management with the quality of everyday working life.
Prof Munya Saruchera
Prof Munya Saruchera is Director of the Africa Centre for Inclusive Health Management at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and became an Associate Professor in July 2026. His professional background combines academic work with applied experience outside the university. He has helped guide the centre’s strategic development and its move towards a broader focus on inclusive health management. His work includes community engagement, social impact and collaboration across disciplines. He previously chaired the transformation committee of the university’s Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. He has also held fellowships through Stellenbosch University’s Research and Innovation Strategic Excellence programme and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals. His experience brings an institutional and community perspective to questions of leadership, inclusion and social responsibility.
Barbara Nussbaum
Barbara Nussbaum is an author, educator and facilitator whose work connects African wisdom, music and organisational learning. Born in Zimbabwe and based in South Africa, she developed Finding Us in Music, a group method that uses music and storytelling to deepen listening and understanding among participants. Her work draws on Ubuntu and its emphasis on shared humanity and relationships. She co-authored Sawubona Africa: Embracing Four Worlds in South African Management with Ronnie Lessem, and Personal Growth African Style with Sudhanshu Palsule and Velaphi Mkhize. She has presented lectures and workshops in Africa, the United States and the Netherlands, and contributed to the Handbook of Personal and Organizational Transformation. Her contribution to this session brings attention to belonging, collective wellbeing and the human relationships within organisations.
Nicola Robins
Nicola Robins is a co-founder of Incite, a sustainability consultancy based in Cape Town, and a Senior Associate of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Her work combines sustainability, complexity science and Indigenous knowledge, drawing on three decades of professional practice across Africa and extensive experience in the Ngoma tradition of Southern Africa. She works with organisational leaders on judgement, decision making and maintaining coherence under pressure. She holds a master’s degree in Industrial Ecology from Yale University and an honours degree in Impact Assessment from the University of Cape Town. She also teaches at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business and Trinity College Dublin. Her book, Diviner Mind: How Organisations Can Learn from the Indigenous Science of Uncertainty, examines organisational learning in uncertain conditions.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 14:10 - 15:10 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Epistemic Dharma and Scientific Education in a University
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 17:40 - 18:40Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 19 Oct 23:10 - 20 Oct 00:10US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 08:10 - 09:10US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 05:10 - 06:10
Puneet K. Bindlish works at VU Amsterdam on spirituality, Hinduism and leadership and is co-author of Rethinking the University.
Ramakrishna Hosur
Prof Ramakrishna V Hosur is a biophysical scientist known for his research in nuclear magnetic resonance, molecular biophysics and biophysical chemistry. He earned his PhD in chemistry at TIFR through the University of Mumbai in 1979 and undertook postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich with Kurt Wuthrich, also collaborating with Richard Ernst. He served as Director of the UM DAE Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences from 2009 to 2017 and led TIFR's National Facility for High Field NMR. He received the Padma Shri in 2014. His publications include A Graduate Course in NMR Spectroscopy and When Science Meets Spirituality. His experience combines scientific research, institution building and reflection on the relationship between science and spiritual inquiry.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 14:10 - 16:50 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
MSR Paper Presentations
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 17:40 - 20:20Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 19 Oct 23:10 - 20 Oct 01:50US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 08:10 - 10:50US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 05:10 - 07:50
PhD Research Scholar, Department of Philosophy, University of Mumbai. Presenting: Echoes of the Thunder: A Comparative Study of Ethical Praxis in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land.
Advisor, Department of Development Studies, Vivekananda Global University. Presenting: From Dharma to Public Policy: A Research Framework for Reading the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa in Contemporary Governance.
Institute of Management, Nirma University. First author and presenter: Wisdom in Leadership: A Mindful Approach towards Responsibility. Co-author: Prof. Anita Mendiratta.
Wisdom in Leadership: A Mindful Approach towards Responsibility
Priyanka Dutt is a researcher affiliated with Banasthali Vidyapith whose work engages with Bharatiya ideas of leadership, governance and Svadharma. Her published research includes The Concept of Swadharma and Effect on Leadership and Food and Leadership Construction. She has also co-authored work on indigenous concepts of public administration and corporate social responsibility in the Indian context. At this conference, she presents Knowing, Being and Acting: Svadharma as an Ontological Architecture for Higher Education. The presentation places Svadharma within a discussion of education, connecting questions of knowledge, identity and action with the purpose of higher learning.
Sudarsana Venugopalakrishnan
Sudarsana Venugopalakrishnan is a PhD Research Scholar in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Mumbai and a faculty member at Yogaarthi School of Indic Studies. Her scholarly work engages with Indian philosophical traditions, particularly Samkhya, Yoga and Vedanta. She co-authored Ethics and Value System of Samkhya Yoga, which examines these traditions in relation to ethical life, and has published work on cosmogony in Vedanta and Samkhya Yoga. Her conference paper compares ethical praxis in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and T S Eliot's The Waste Land. This contribution brings philosophical and literary inquiry together around questions of conduct and human experience.
Commodore Sunil Kumar
Commodore Sunil Kumar is a retired officer participating in the conference's academic exchange on management, spirituality and religion. His paper, Dharma as the Core of Responsible Leadership, examines the relationship between Dharma and the responsibilities of leadership. The contribution places questions of duty, conduct and responsibility at the centre of the discussion. It adds a perspective from a retired officer to a session that brings together research on education, governance, workplace spirituality and Bharatiya philosophical traditions.
Nisha Pandey
Dr Nisha Pandey is Academic Advisor in the Department of Development Studies at Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur. She has served as Director of the Gujarat Institute of Development Research and is associated with policy research at Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini. Her academic engagements connect development studies, public policy and Bharatiya knowledge systems. She has also contributed to the organisation of interdisciplinary academic exchanges on Indian knowledge traditions. In this session, her presentation develops a research framework for reading the Valmiki Ramayana in contemporary governance. It brings her development and policy perspective into a discussion of how classical texts can inform the study of public responsibility and institutions.
Prof Ramya Venkateswaran
Prof Ramya Tarakad Venkateswaran is Professor of Strategic Management at IIM Calcutta. She completed the Fellow Programme in Management in Corporate Strategy and Policy at IIM Bangalore, following earlier education in software enterprise management and computer science. Before joining academia, she worked in the technology sector with organisations including Wipro, Cisco and Sasken. Her teaching covers strategic management, strategy execution, international business and doctoral research methods. Her publications examine indigenous Indian management, cultural context and the historical foundations of management thought in India. She has served in leadership roles within the Academy of Management's Management, Spirituality and Religion Division. Her conference paper explores possibilities for indigenous management in research and andragogy.
Dr Siddhartha Saxena
Dr Siddhartha Saxena is Senior Lecturer and Deputy Programme Director for the BBA at SP Jain London School of Management. His academic expertise spans organisational behaviour, human resource management and technology. His experience includes teaching, research, programme administration and consulting, with earlier academic work at Ahmedabad University and research at Heriot Watt University. He completed the Global Faculty Development Programme at the Wharton School in 2020 and received the Aspen Institute's Ideas Worth Teaching Award that year. He has developed courses on the future of work, people analytics and organisational behaviour. His research examines technology and human behaviour, including algorithms and artificial intelligence. His conference paper addresses workplace spirituality and the search for meaning under algorithmic management.
Dr. Sadhna Sargam
Dr Sadhna Sargam is Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management at the Institute of Management, Nirma University. She earned her PhD in organisational behaviour and human resource management from the Shailesh J Mehta School of Management at IIT Bombay. Before entering academia, she gained seven years of corporate experience with L&T Construction and StockHolding Corporation of India. She teaches organisational behaviour, human resource management, cross cultural management, and organisation design, development and change. Her research focuses on responsible leadership and mindfulness, and she has presented and published work in these areas. Her paper, Wisdom in Leadership: A Mindful Approach towards Responsibility, is co-authored with Prof Anita Mendiratta of Keshav Mahavidyalaya, University of Delhi.
Dr Shreya Katyayani
Dr Shreya Katyayani is associated with the Department of Humanistic Studies at IIT BHU, Varanasi. She holds a bachelor's degree with honours in political science from Patna Women's College and a postgraduate degree in political science from Banaras Hindu University. Her research examines the history of Indian indentured labourers and the Girmitiya system, connecting political and historical inquiry with questions of migration and cultural experience. Her conference paper, Faith in Exile: Girmitiya Worlds across Kala Pani, examines faith within these migrant worlds. She brings a research perspective on the experiences through which Indian communities carried and sustained cultural and spiritual life beyond India.
Puja Jha
Puja Jha is a researcher affiliated with the Department of Humanistic Studies at IIT BHU, Varanasi. Her work engages with Bharatiya philosophical understandings of the mind and emotional experience. She co-authored From Stillness to Struggle: The Role of Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas in Shaping Emotional Experience, published in 2025, which considers the interaction of the three Gunas in human experience. Her conference presentation, Cognitive Polarity through Samkhya's and Yoga Darshana's Perspective, continues this engagement with Samkhya and Yoga. Her contribution places philosophical accounts of cognition and self understanding within the session's broader conversation on Dharma and lived experience.
Aparna Singh
Aparna Singh is affiliated with IIT BHU and participates in the conference's paper presentations on Dharma, management and spirituality. Her paper, Dharma, Kingship, and Ritual Sovereignty: Governance as a Spiritual Order, examines the relationship between governance and spiritual order. It brings questions of kingship, authority and responsibility into the academic discussion of Dharma. Her contribution connects the study of political institutions with the cultural and spiritual ideas through which governance has been understood in Indian traditions.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 15:20 - 16:50 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Astronomy and cosmology of the Epics- Anubhav and Anubhuti
Explore how cosmological knowledge, observation and the understanding of time can illuminate dharmic thought and its relevance to contemporary life.
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 18:50 - 20:20Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 00:20 - 01:50US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 09:20 - 10:50US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 06:20 - 07:50
Dharma Civilization Foundation (DCF) · Dipti Thuse contributes to the Dharma Civilization Foundation’s work on education, society and the application of dharmic perspectives to contemporary challenges.
Nilesh Nilkanth Oak is an author and independent researcher whose work examines astronomical references in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. His academic background includes bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering and an Executive MBA. His books include When Did the Mahabharata War Happen, The Historic Rama and Bhishma Nirvana. He also serves as researcher and adjunct faculty at the Institute of Advanced Sciences in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. He speaks to university students and wider audiences about the antiquity of Indian civilisation and the methods used to interpret references in the epics. In this session, he brings his research approach to the relationship between textual interpretation, astronomy, cosmology and lived understanding.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 17:00 - 18:30 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
Living Dharma through Conscious Leadership
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 20:30 - 22:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 02:00 - 03:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 11:00 - 12:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 08:00 - 09:30
Jeby Cherian is a senior business leader associated with Blubirch, a technology company working on returns management and reverse supply chains. His leadership experience includes serving as Managing Partner of IBM's consulting business in India and holding roles in business strategy and organisational operations. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. His professional work connects technology, commercial judgement and the management of complex business processes. At Blubirch, this includes the use of artificial intelligence to improve decisions about returned products and unsold inventory. His contribution to conscious leadership draws on practical experience of leading businesses, managing change and making decisions across organisational functions.
Sri. Raghu Ananthanarayan
Sri Raghu Ananthanarayan is a behavioural scientist, organisational consultant and yoga teacher whose work connects Indian psychology with leadership and organisational development. He was mentored by J Krishnamurti, Yogacharya Krishnamacharya and Pulin K Garg. He co-founded the Sumedhas Academy of Human Context and the Barefoot Academy of Governance, and has worked with organisations on alignment, leadership and change. His books include Antaranga Yoga, Learning Through Yoga, The Totally Aligned Organization and Leadership Dharma. Together with his wife Sashi, he mentors seekers at Ritambhara Ashram in the Nilgiris. His approach places self inquiry and the discovery of one's Dharma within the practical challenges faced by individuals, groups and institutions.
Prasad Kaipa
Dr Prasad Kaipa is an author, educator and leadership coach who connects management with Indian wisdom and scientific perspectives. He holds a PhD in physics from IIT Madras and previously taught at the University of Utah. His professional experience includes work at Apple in technology advisory, international product marketing and research. He founded the Centre for Leadership, Innovation and Change at the Indian School of Business and co-founded the TiE Silicon Valley Entrepreneur Institute. He co-authored From Smart to Wise with Navi Radjou, exploring wise leadership through the Bhagavad Gita and interviews with business leaders. His work spans innovation, change management, executive coaching and inner transformation, with an emphasis on the quality of judgement and purposeful action.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 17:00 - 18:30 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Living Dharma through Natyashastra and AI & Robotics
A meeting of classical performing arts and emerging technology, through Natyashastra, AI and robotics.
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 20:30 - 22:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 02:00 - 03:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 11:00 - 12:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 08:00 - 09:30
Aditya Kumar Sinha is Executive Director of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, C-DAC Mumbai. His work spans research and development, international technical collaboration, capacity building and quality management. As Technical Advisor to projects under the Ministry of External Affairs, he has managed teams working across numerous countries. His professional engagements include advanced computing, AgriTech and quantum computing, alongside publications and technical presentations. He chaired the committee for establishing a semiconductor based Quantum Computing Reference Facility in Bengaluru. His educational background includes Ranchi University, Jadavpur University and MNNIT Allahabad. In this session, he brings an advanced technology perspective to the discussion of Natyashastra, artificial intelligence and robotics.
Upasana Tendulkar
Upasana Tendulkar is the founder of Dancing Tales, an initiative that connects dance and movement with education, corporate learning and personal development. She earned her Visharad certification under Dr Reema Nadkarni Wagh and holds an MBA from Cardiff Business School. Her approach takes inspiration from Natyashastra, using expression, movement and storytelling to make ideas accessible to different audiences. As a visiting faculty member, she has worked on integrating movement into educational disciplines and collaborated on Indian Knowledge Systems initiatives to improve classroom experiences. Through Project Leela, she develops experiences combining art, science and spirituality. Her work includes workshops for individuals, organisations and communities, bringing classical artistic knowledge into contemporary settings.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 18:40 - 20:10 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Doing Science through Dharmic Consciousness
A conversation on scientific inquiry, consciousness and the ways dharmic perspectives can enrich how knowledge is pursued and applied.
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 22:10 - 23:40Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 03:40 - 05:10US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 12:40 - 14:10US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 09:40 - 11:10
Prof Rajen Gupta is a retired professor of Human Behaviour and Organisation Development with extensive experience at MDI Gurgaon and IIM Lucknow. He earned his first degree in electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur and completed his doctorate in management at IIM Ahmedabad under Prof Udai Pareek. Before entering academia, he worked in banking and corporate human resource development. He later served as Research Advisor at IIM Sirmaur and as a visiting professor at Rotterdam School of Management. His research and consulting address organisation development, action research and the relationship between Indian culture and management. His publications include Implementing HRD: Action Research into the Process and the co-edited Qualitative Research in Management. He is a founding member of the National HRD Network and Strategic Management Forum.
Dharam Bhawuk
Prof Dharam P S Bhawuk is Professor of Management and Culture and Community Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa's Shidler College of Business. He earned his PhD at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and his MBA at the University of Hawaii. His scholarship spans cross cultural psychology, intercultural training, indigenous management and Indian psychology. He authored Spirituality and Indian Psychology: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita and co-edited Indigenous Indian Management and the Cambridge Handbook of Intercultural Training. His work examines how cultural and spiritual traditions can contribute to theory, research methods and organisational practice. He brings this scholarly background to the discussion of science through Dharmic consciousness.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 18:40 - 20:10 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
Meditation Workshop
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 22:10 - 23:40Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 03:40 - 05:10US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 12:40 - 14:10US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 09:40 - 11:10
Dr Prejaas Kavish Tewarie is a neuroscience researcher associated with Université Laval's CERVO Brain Research Centre in Canada, working in clinical and cognitive neuroscience. His research investigates the mechanisms through which meditation may be associated with changes in brain structure, function and networks. He studies physiological and behavioural factors that may explain differences in how people respond to meditation, including research on novice meditators. His wider publications address brain connectivity, electrophysiological activity and disorders of consciousness. His work also examines whether neuromodulation could support responses to meditation. He brings a research perspective to the workshop's exploration of attention, mental regulation and consciousness, connecting meditative practice with questions that neuroscience seeks to investigate.
Gaetan Mourmant
Dr Gaetan Mourmant is an academic associated with Iéseg School of Management whose work spans information systems, entrepreneurship and organisational culture. He holds jointly supervised doctorates in management sciences from Paris Dauphine University and in information systems from Georgia State University. His research interests include new information technologies and grounded theory methodology. He has published in the European Journal of Information Systems, Grounded Theory Review and the Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, and has presented at major management and information systems conferences. Alongside his academic work, he pursues entrepreneurial activities. His contribution to the meditation workshop brings together experience in teaching, research and the study of spirituality within organisational life.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 20:20 - 21:50 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Living Dharma through Media
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 23:50 - 20 Oct 01:20Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 05:20 - 06:50US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 14:20 - 15:50US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 11:20 - 12:50
Praveen Chaturvedi is a filmmaker and cultural entrepreneur, and the founder of Prachyam, a digital platform for films and programmes on Indian civilisation and traditions. Before his work in cinema, he served as a Merchant Navy captain. His documentary work includes Water Is Elixir, produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Education's Indian Knowledge Systems Division, which explores traditional water conservation practices. His film and interview work addresses Indian history, cultural knowledge and contemporary social questions. He uses audiovisual storytelling to communicate research and civilisational ideas to wider audiences. His contribution to this session brings practical experience in media production and the representation of Indian cultural narratives through contemporary formats.
Lalit Bhusal
Lalit Bhusal is a filmmaker, journalist and European Climate Pact Ambassador whose work combines communication, education and public engagement. He founded the My Name Is Climate Foundation to connect personal awareness with responsibility towards the planet. His activities include organising film festivals and public panels, as well as engaging business leaders on sustainability commitments. He is also associated with DAMROO Foundation International. His filmmaking addresses social challenges, using human stories to make wider issues understandable to audiences. In the Living Dharma through Media session, he brings a perspective on how films and communication can connect individual experience with social and environmental responsibility, encouraging reflection through storytelling and public dialogue.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 20:20 - 21:50 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
Spirituality and Sustainability
Explore the relationship between spirituality and sustainability, and its implications for responsible living and management.
India Standard Time IST 19 Oct 23:50 - 20 Oct 01:20Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 05:20 - 06:50US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 14:20 - 15:50US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 11:20 - 12:50
Prof Radha R Sharma is a management scholar whose work spans organisational behaviour, human resource development, responsible management and sustainability. She has held senior academic positions at MDI Gurgaon, including Dean of Research and Centres of Excellence and the Hero MotoCorp Chair Professorship. Her international academic engagements include the ICCR Chair at HHL Graduate School of Management in Germany and visiting roles at European institutions. Her books include Handbook of Sustainable Development, Managing for Responsibility, HRM for Organizational Sustainability and Executive Burnout. Her research examines emotional intelligence, wellbeing, spirituality and leadership. She brings a management perspective to the relationship between sustainability, organisational conduct and the responsibilities institutions have towards people and society.
Vikram Pattarkine
Dr Vikram Pattarkine is founder and Chief Executive Officer of PEACE USA, an environmental consulting practice. He is a chemical, environmental and process engineer with more than three decades of international experience in consulting, research, technology development, manufacturing and training. He holds a PhD in environmental engineering from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in chemical engineering from Nagpur University. His earlier roles include leading the Environment and Natural Resources Management practice at Tata Consultancy Services. His professional work addresses nutrient management, energy conservation and renewable energy. Alongside engineering, he studies the Bhagavad Gita, Yoga and Vedanta and seeks to apply their principles in daily life. His contribution connects environmental practice with spiritual understanding and responsible living.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 22:00 - 23:30 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Living Dharma Hackathon
An interactive, solution-oriented session that turns Living Dharma principles into practical ideas for contemporary challenges through responsible innovation and collaborative problem-solving.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 01:30 - 03:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 07:00 - 08:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 16:00 - 17:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 13:00 - 14:30
Ajay Shah is listed as an invited contributor to the Living Dharma Hackathon. His participation remains subject to confirmation.
Dr. Biplav Srivastava
Dr Biplav Srivastava is Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Carolina and a member of its AI Institute. He joined the university after two decades in industrial research at IBM, where he worked as a Research Scientist, Distinguished Data Scientist and Master Inventor. His research interests include trusted artificial intelligence, neuro symbolic computing, collaborative assistance and applications to smart cities using open and sensor data. His work examines how AI systems can support people in practical decision making and service delivery. He brings this combination of industrial and academic experience to the Living Dharma Hackathon, contributing expertise in developing useful AI applications and considering the trustworthiness of technological solutions.
Puneet K. Bindlish
Dr Puneet K Bindlish is Assistant Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, working on Hindu spirituality, leadership and Yoga. He completed his PhD in organisational behaviour at MDI Gurgaon, with doctoral research on an integrative conceptualisation of leadership. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in Yoga and a bachelor's degree in mining engineering from IIT BHU. His scholarship connects Bharatiya philosophical traditions with questions of organisation, education and technology. His work includes integrative intelligence and approaches to leadership that draw on spiritual understanding. His teaching engages with the application of these traditions in contemporary society. He brings this interdisciplinary background to the hackathon's exploration of how Dharmic principles can inform practical innovation.
Confirmed
19 Oct · 22:00 - 23:30 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
Living Dharma and Neurosciences
Featuring “Yogic Neurosciences of Hanuman Chalisa Pranayama” by Dr. Chandra Shekhar Mayanil, moderated by Ankur Joshi.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 01:30 - 03:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 07:00 - 08:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 16:00 - 17:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 13:00 - 14:30
Dr Chandra Shekhar Mayanil is a neuroscientist, educator and author whose research background includes developmental neurobiology, brain development and pediatric neurosurgery. He served as Professor and Director of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Research Program at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. His scientific publications include work on neural development and folate related mechanisms. Alongside his research, he has pursued long term Yoga and meditation practice and explores ways of interpreting yogic techniques through neuroscience. He authored The Gravity of Gratitude and shares reflections through his Yogic Realization channel. His session on Yogic Neurosciences of Hanuman Chalisa Pranayama presents his interpretation of the relationship between yogic practice, gratitude and brain science.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 01:20 - 02:50 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Dharmic Parenting, Education and intergenerational narratives
Reflect on dharma in family life, education and the stories shared between generations.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 04:50 - 06:20Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 10:20 - 11:50US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 19:20 - 20:50US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 16:20 - 17:50
Deepa Bhaskaran Salem is an author and student of Hindu Dharma and Advaita Vedanta. Her writing and speaking address the Itihasas, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita, parenting and mental health. She conducts workshops for children and adults, drawing on insights from Sanatana Dharma. Her books include Adideva, which explores stories behind names of Shiva, and Airavata: Dharma Activity Book, which introduces children to Dharma through creative activities. Her professional background includes management consulting and marketing leadership, and she runs a technology marketing consultancy in the United States. She brings experience in communicating classical knowledge to contemporary families, connecting stories, practical learning and spiritual understanding in children's education.
Ankur Joshi
Dr Ankur Joshi is an academic, author, researcher and trainer at FMS WISDOM, Banasthali Vidyapith. He completed the Fellow Programme at MDI Gurugram in Public Policy and Governance. His doctoral work studied the Gurukul education system and its relevance to contemporary education. His research brings together Bharatiya knowledge systems, indigenous management, public policy, governance and social entrepreneurship. Through Shastriya Prabandhan, he examines leadership, institutions and human development using Bharatiya categories and cultural experience. He has designed and taught courses on Indian ethos, indigenous management systems and research methodology, and conducts workshops and faculty development programmes. His contribution to this panel connects Gurukul education, character development and experiential learning with parenting and intergenerational transmission of values.
Gomathi Venkatachalam
Gomathi Venkatachalam is Chief Executive Officer of Anaadi Foundation, associated with its work in Gurukulam education and Indian knowledge systems. Her public engagements include programmes for students, educators and institutional leaders on Indian knowledge traditions and their relevance to contemporary learning. She has spoken on Panchakosha and participated in discussions on building educational ecosystems beyond conventional campus boundaries. Her involvement with Anaadi brings a practical institutional perspective to the integration of cultural knowledge, learning and wellbeing. In this panel, she contributes to the conversation on parenting and intergenerational narratives through the experience of Gurukulam education and engagement with schools, teachers and learners.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 03:00 - 04:30 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Living Dharma through Economics and Education
Explore how dharmic values can inform economic thought, education and the development of responsible, capable and community-minded citizens.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 06:30 - 08:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 12:00 - 13:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 21:00 - 22:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 18:00 - 19:30
Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan is an economist and strategy leader whose work spans international trade, public policy, sustainability and economic modelling.
Dharma Civilization Foundation (DCF) · Dipti Thuse contributes to the Dharma Civilization Foundation’s work on education, society and the application of dharmic perspectives to contemporary challenges.
Dr Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan is an economist whose research uses quantitative and interdisciplinary models to examine international trade, environmental and energy policy, and public health. He is known for contributions to the Global Trade Analysis Project dataset and model extensions at Purdue University. His research and advisory work have informed policy discussions on trade agreements, technology regulation and sustainability. He has worked with international organisations and consulting firms and has published extensively on economic modelling and policy. His methods include computable general equilibrium models, econometrics and network science. He brings this analytical background to the session's consideration of how economic choices relate to wider social responsibilities and the purposes of development.
Muneet Dhiman
Muneet Dhiman is Founder and Kulapati of Vidyakshetra Gurukulam, an educational initiative that brings Bharatiya Samskriti and Gurukul pedagogy into children's learning. The institution emerged from years of study of educational approaches and was founded in 2016. Its model combines academic subjects, Kalas and practical skills with a Bharatiya view of life. Its educational vision includes Panchakoshatmika Vikas, character development, the preparation of Acharyas and an interdependent community. The approach attends to physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development through learning and daily practices. He brings the experience of building an educational institution to the discussion of Dharma, culture and the purpose of education.
Ami Ganatra
Ami Ganatra is an author, management professional and alumna of IIM Ahmedabad. She is also a certified Yoga instructor and a student of Sanskrit and Indian knowledge systems. Her books include Mahabharata Unravelled, Ramayana Unravelled and Why Are We This Way. Her writing brings close engagement with the classical texts into an accessible form for contemporary readers, paying attention to the complexity of characters, choices and responsibilities in the epics. Her professional and scholarly interests connect management with cultural understanding and the study of human conduct. She contributes to this session through a perspective on how India's knowledge traditions can inform learning, judgement and the responsibilities expressed in economic and social life.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 04:40 - 06:10 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Aligning Technology with Dharma
Consider how dharmic values can inform the choices we make about technology.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 08:10 - 09:40Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 13:40 - 15:10US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 22:40 - 20 Oct 00:10US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 19:40 - 21:10
Dr Radhika Mittal is Programme Manager and Impact Lead for ESDiT, the Ethics of Socially Disruptive Technologies research programme. Her responsibilities cover strategy, vision, partnerships and impact, with the programme's secretariat situated within the Philosophy Section at the University of Twente. Her work connects interdisciplinary research with engagement beyond academia. She also participates in public conversations with scholars on topics including the climate movement, emotions, risk and technology ethics. Her contribution brings a perspective on the relationship between technological change, research and its social relevance. In this session, she joins the discussion of how ethical reflection and Dharmic understanding can inform the development and use of technology.
Shyam Krishna Kumar
Shyam Krishnakumar is Executive Director and Co-founder of The Pranava Institute, where he leads research advisory work. His work examines India's digital transformation, regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies, cybersecurity and technology ethics. He provides research and advisory perspectives on areas such as data and platform regulation, digital markets, semiconductor manufacturing and telecommunications. He is a computer science graduate and holds a master's degree in political science with a specialisation in international relations. He served as visiting faculty at the Daksha Fellowship, teaching conceptual foundations in technology and public policy. His contribution connects technological understanding with governance, regulation and India's civilisational perspectives.
Raghava Krishna
Raghava Krishna is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bṛhat. His professional experience spans about 25 years across game development, learning and entrepreneurship. He has led creative product development teams and worked on learning design and organisational culture. Before establishing Bṛhat, he co-founded Rashtram School of Public Leadership and served as its Associate Dean for Academics. Bṛhat's work includes Indian knowledge systems, education, cultural research and leadership, alongside institutional consulting and learning programmes. His background brings together the experience of technology and creative industries with educational institution building. He contributes to the conversation on technology and Dharma through questions of cultural understanding, human development and the purposes that guide innovation.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 04:40 - 06:10 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
Future of MSR Oriented Research in India
Explore the future of management, spirituality and religion (MSR) research in India.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 08:10 - 09:40Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 13:40 - 15:10US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 19 Oct 22:40 - 20 Oct 00:10US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 19:40 - 21:10
Dr Anil Maheshwari is a management academic associated with Maharishi International University whose work connects information systems, data analytics, consciousness and spirituality. He holds an electrical engineering degree from IIT Delhi, an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad and a PhD from Case Western Reserve University. His professional background includes leadership roles at IBM and experience in consulting, marketing and programme management. He has taught at several universities and authored Business Intelligence and Data Mining Made Accessible. His scholarship and teaching bring technological and managerial understanding into dialogue with consciousness and personal development. In this session, he contributes to the discussion of future directions for management, spirituality and religion research in India.
Rajen Gupta
Prof Rajen Gupta is a retired professor of Human Behaviour and Organisation Development with extensive experience at MDI Gurgaon and IIM Lucknow. He earned his first degree in electrical engineering at IIT Kanpur and completed his doctorate in management at IIM Ahmedabad under Prof Udai Pareek. Before entering academia, he worked in banking and corporate human resource development. He later served as Research Advisor at IIM Sirmaur and as a visiting professor at Rotterdam School of Management. His research and consulting address organisation development, action research and the relationship between Indian culture and management. His publications include Implementing HRD: Action Research into the Process and the co-edited Qualitative Research in Management. He is a founding member of the National HRD Network and Strategic Management Forum. His participation in this session is awaiting confirmation.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 06:20 - 07:50 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Dharmic Living and the role of narratives, story telling
Discover the place of stories and shared narratives in living dharma.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 09:50 - 11:20Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 15:20 - 16:50US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 20 Oct 00:20 - 01:50US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 21:20 - 22:50
Dr Bharat Dash is a management educator and trainer who uses Panchatantra narratives to connect personal development with leadership and organisational practice. He serves as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Eastern Knowledge Systems at Sri Sri University and is an IKS Master Trainer in Nitishastra and storytelling pedagogy. His qualifications include a PhD in Nitishastra and Panchatantra, degrees in marketing management and economics, and training in business design. Before entering academia, he worked with Infosys, CitiusTech and HCL Infosystems. He has conducted workshops and faculty development programmes across educational and professional settings. Through Katha Pratha, he communicates lessons from Indian classics to contemporary learners, teachers and leaders.
Dr. Vikrant Singh Tomar
Dr Vikrant Singh Tomar is Director of UMS India, a management consultant, trainer and author working at the intersection of Indian knowledge systems, governance and leadership. His professional engagements include capacity building for public institutions, defence personnel, organisations and other groups. He is Convenor of United Consciousness Global and has contributed to international initiatives on Yoga and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. His work places conscience and responsibility within leadership and institutional development. He authored Rule the World as Krishna Did, drawing on the Bhagavad Gita for contemporary management and life. In this session, he brings experience in communicating Bharatiya philosophical ideas through teaching, training and narratives that relate classical knowledge to current choices.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 08:00 - 09:30 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Living Dharma and Ayurveda: Well-Being's Spiritual dimension
Explore the spiritual dimension of well-being through Ayurveda and everyday life.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 11:30 - 13:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 17:00 - 18:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 20 Oct 02:00 - 03:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 23:00 - 20 Oct 00:30
Dr Tushar Dashora is a pediatrician and neonatologist whose work also engages with parenting, emotional intelligence and spiritual perspectives on family life. He earned his MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and his MD in pediatrics from RNT Medical College, Udaipur. His further training includes adolescent medicine and a fellowship in neonatology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences. He conducts sessions for parents on emotional intelligence and has explored Garbha Samskara practices with his wife, Dr Smita Dashora. His book Spiritual Secrets of Pregnancy and Childbirth examines traditional practices and their interpretation alongside medical understanding. He contributes to this conference through a video presentation on the spiritual dimension of wellbeing.
Mala Kapadia
Prof Mala Kapadia is Director of Special Projects at Siddhanta Knowledge Foundation and a scholar and practitioner working on Indian knowledge systems, psychology and wellbeing. Her experience spans research, education, journalism, human resources and consulting. She served as Principal Investigator for a Ministry of Education Indian Knowledge Systems project on wellbeing and happiness, developing an Ayurveda based framework informed by Hitayu and Sukhayu. She has taught at SP Jain School of Global Management across its Singapore, Dubai, Sydney and Mumbai campuses and previously directed the Wellbeing Centre at Rashtram School of Public Leadership. Her work connects Bharatiya understandings of human flourishing with research, institutional practice and contemporary approaches to wellbeing.
Time tentative
20 Oct · 08:00 - 09:30 CEST / CAT
Special track on Living Dharma - Spirituality in Management
A Dharma Compass
An interactive Udaya workshop: explore Dharma, Karma, Seva and Abhyasa and develop your own Dharma Compass for purposeful leadership.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 11:30 - 13:00Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 17:00 - 18:30US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 20 Oct 02:00 - 03:30US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 19 Oct 23:00 - 20 Oct 00:30
Shruti Kanhai moderates Udaya’s interactive workshop on Dharma, Karma, Seva and Abhyasa, helping participants develop a personal compass for purposeful leadership.
The profile introduction will be added when available.
Confirmed
20 Oct · 09:40 - 11:10 CEST / CAT
Main conference track
Dharma and Financial Well Being | Mandirs
A conversation on dharma, financial well-being and the role of mandirs.
India Standard Time IST 20 Oct 13:10 - 14:40Australian Eastern Daylight Time AEDT 20 Oct 18:40 - 20:10US Eastern Daylight Time EDT 20 Oct 03:40 - 05:10US Pacific Daylight Time PDT 20 Oct 00:40 - 02:10
Prof Harsh Purohit is Dean and Professor of Finance at FMS WISDOM, Banasthali Vidyapith. His work includes teaching, research and institutional initiatives in finance, management and financial education. He has developed Bharatiya models of financial and digital literacy and contributed to research on financial inclusion and the effectiveness of financial education. His publications also examine intellectual capital and financial performance. His academic work connects practical financial understanding with questions of values and social responsibility. Through Banasthali's Centre for Financial Planning, Training and Research for Women, his engagements include research and training in financial literacy. He joins this session through a video contribution on Dharma and financial wellbeing.
Sandeep Singh
Sandeep Singh is an author, speaker and researcher whose work examines Indian business history and the Indian way of management. His professional engagements include teaching these themes at management institutes, writing columns and participating in public discussions. He has authored books on a range of subjects and developed a Temple Economics series examining the economic role of mandirs. He has also created a museum on Indian business history. His work connects historical inquiry with the institutional and cultural settings in which economic activity takes place. In this session, he brings attention to mandirs as community institutions and to the relationship between Dharma, financial wellbeing and economic life.
The online programme window ends at 12:00 CEST/CAT on 20 October. Details for 11:10-12:00 are to be announced.
