What fills a person with pride for their city? Is it the fact that it’s where you grew up, or is it the values the city embodies through its culture, the behaviour of its residents, or a combination of all these elements? As for me, I grew up in Pune, which has been my home throughout …
Just two days ago, on March 8th, we celebrated International Women’s Day, which got me thinking about what truly empowers women. India has a long history of women who have embodied empowerment, such as Rani Lakshmi Bai, Savitribai Phule, and Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi, the first female physician in India. There have been countless other women …
I recently had the privilege of leading the Indian delegation of Vice Chancellors of Indian Universities to Australia, where we engaged in discussions on collaborations with Australian universities. As an educationist, I fully understand the immense benefits of these international partnerships. However, this experience made me wonder—do students truly recognize the value of such collaborations? When …
University campuses are typically buzzing with energy, but as February and March approach, they take on a worn, quiet atmosphere. Students often retreat to their rooms, libraries, or study spaces, preparing for their upcoming exams. In India, the Board Examinations—specifically the 10th and 12th-grade exams—are often seen as the most stressful events in a student’s life. …
As I see the students on the Symbiosis campus, I ask myself, “What role do universities play in their lives?” I often find the answer to be “an all-encompassing one!” Yes, the university where the student is studying and residing becomes the home where the student gains life skills and an arena for innovation through creativity. …
We will be celebrating Makar Sankranthi this week, albeit under different names in the various states of India. However, the significant factor that connects this festival everywhere is that it is a harvest festival and we celebrate it with so much fun and gaiety, as it is the first festival of the year. It is a …
The new year began with a focus on spiritual growth. We visited the Tirumala Devasthana in Tirupati, where we had the blessed opportunity to receive darshan of Tirupati Balaji. Prior to that, we explored another ancient and beautiful temple, the Sri Kalahasti Temple in Andhra Pradesh, which has stood for over a thousand years. This temple …
Last Monday, I wrote about the importance of reading books, and today I’d like to share my thoughts on one of my recent reads, Genome to Om. Recently, the National Book Trust organized the Pune Book Mahotsav, one of the largest book festivals in India. Held at Fergusson College, it was a wonderful opportunity for me …
I absolutely love reading books! Recently, Pune hosted both the Pune Pustak Mahotsav and the Pune International Literary Festival, where I had the honour of being invited as a speaker. Not long ago, I was also invited to participate in a book discussion on Yuval Noah Harari’s latest work, Nexus. It’s fascinating to explore his perspective …
A magnanimous event took place in Dubai on the 14th of November, and it was one that matched Dubai’s image of holding a place on the world’s glitterati map. This was the grand inauguration of Symbiosis International University’s first international campus. The event reached new heights with the esteemed presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak …