An amalgamation of spirituality and business

To practice, preserve, and promote values in business, students of Management Development Institute (MDI) Gurgaon, especially those specialising in Human Resource (HR) visited Sri Aurobindo Ashram recently.

From working in the field to attending lectures on understanding the concept of managing work and life together, students, who aspire to become dynamic leaders of tomorrow, through this day-long visit got a view about the social, human and natural resource utilisation.

The students had their day scheduled as per the daily routine of the ashram. It started with 15 minutes self-reflection exercise at 6.30 a.m. where students practised meditation. This was followed by ‘Shramdaan’ where students worked in the field and garden. 

Speaking about his experience Amit Prakash, a second year student said, “To toil in the sun was the most humble experience which triggered many latent thoughts about our responsibility towards the society and happiness in general.” 

Even for his classmate Suvira, an hour of shramdaan helped her to relish the breakfast, realising and appreciating the efforts our hardworking farmers put into the soil.Thereafter, students attended a session by Dr Ramesh Bijlani, former doctor at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, on understanding the purpose of work and life, one’s roles and goals and building spirituality at the work place. 

Professor Avanish Kumar who was present along with the batch of students said, “The visit to the ashram was a self-driven process of retrospection and reformation for corporate social responsibility. While surviving in the competitive market, people often forget the values which form the basis of human co-existence and progress. This was a fruitful session to make students realise their social obligations and responsibilities and to become insightful and conscientious leaders of the business world. The essence was that the work is ‘spirituality’ and office is the place to practise it”.

The day continued with another shramdaan at the basement and in the kitchen where students sorted clothes, cleaned utensils and floor. They later, attended another session on ‘Understanding the Self in the Contemporary World’. This was followed by lunch and a meeting with Tara Didi, chief mentor of the ashram and a devout follower of the philosophies of Sri Aurobindo and Mother Mirra Alfassa.  

Another student, Gagandeep speaking about his day at the ashram said, “The day was unlike a typical B-school morning. It made us realise our potential, our capabilities and limitations. The visit introduced us to a completely new side of ourselves. We all knew this side dwelled within us but never explored it. The session somehow makes us feel well-equipped for the world outside now.” 

Markus Kuehlest from Germany, who is a part of the student exchange programme says, “I recognised one key HR issue – holistic empowerment approach for employees. Empowerment and engagement of employees means that employers see them as human beings and try to improve the happiness quotient.”
The event culminated with distribution of books based on the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.