INDICA is pleased to share the conclusion of the 11th IKS MetaRetreat on “Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) in Management” which was conducted from 20-23 Dec 2024. The MetaRetreat convened thought leaders, scholars, and practitioners for a deep exploration of Dharmic frameworks and their relevance to modern management/organizational life. Spanning three days, the retreat engaged participants in a structured reflection on the philosophical, structural, and ethical gaps in contemporary management and how IKS can offer sustainable, human-centric alternatives.
IKS envisions wellbeing as a collective goal—bridging the personal, social, and ecological—through integral approaches grounded in ethics, purpose, and spiritual growth. With increasing interest in value-based and consciousness-led leadership, the retreat addressed the need to reinterpret and reapply ancient wisdom for modern enterprise challenges.
The MetaRetreat was led by Prof. B. Mahadevan, (Retd) Professor, IIM Bangalore, as Acharya. Other distinguished members of the MetaRetreat were
- Dr. Prasad Kaipa, Co-Founder, Institute of Indic Wisdom
- Prof. Ramesh G, (Retd) Prof – IIMB, Director, Niti School of Public Policy
- Dr. Ramesh Kumar N, Retd. IAS, Director General, ASCI
- Dr. Ashish Pandey, Professor, SJMSOM, IIT Bombay
- Shri. Ramkumar Seshu, Founder – Born to Win
- Dr. Anurag Shukla, Director – IKS & Policy, Brhat
- Dr. Mala Kapadia, Director, Anadi Centre for Indigenous Knowledge Systems
- Shri. Sai Sambat, Co-Founder, Institute of Indic Wisdom
- Dr. Rajshekar Krishnan, Faculty of Management, Dayananda Sagar Institute of Management
- Dr. Suneetha Grandhi, Head of IKS, Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeetha
- Dr. Shruti Gupta, Independent Scholar, Marketing Management
- Prerna Wadikar, Independent Scholar, Sustainability Management
- Shri. Raj Gopalaswamy, Senior Management Executive, IT Industry
- Sh. Shivani Modi, Co-Founder, Seekr
- Shri. Ankur Jain, Co-Founder, Seekr
- Dimple Kaul – Director-Academic Programs, INDICA
Structured across multiple sessions—reflections, group explorations, presentations, and Naivedyam offerings—the program included visits to spiritual sites to ground intellectual inquiry in experiential wisdom, reinforcing the synthesis of thought and practice.
Initial discussions surfaced critical problems in modern management: fragmented purpose, absence of spiritual depth, and narrow performance metrics. In contrast, IKS offers concepts like Swadharma (intrinsic purpose), Yagna (collective sacrifice), and Poornatvam (wholeness) to inspire systemic change. It was recognized that contemporary management models, rooted in industrial-age paradigms, are increasingly inadequate in addressing human and ecological needs. Participants reflected on the absence of spiritual depth, ethical grounding, and intrinsic motivation in current management thought. In contrast, IKS offers a holistic, value-based alternative that integrates Swadharma (individual purpose), Yagna (collective effort), and Poornatvam (wholeness). Day 2 highlighted pressing issues in modern management, including toxic work cultures, mechanistic structures, and disconnected performance metrics.
Group reflections revealed that IKS could bridge these gaps by emphasizing ethical leadership, purpose-driven structures, and a deeper connection between individuals and organizational missions. Group work focused on four areas: startup evolution, structural balance, ethical leadership, and performance metrics. These culminated in practical models—such as the Swadharma-Swabhava alignment for strategy, Ashtalakshmi performance framework, and Indic startup lifecycle (Asti to Nashyate)—offering implementable insights.
The retreat culminated in a visionary proposal by Prof. Mahadevan: the development of a curated volume titled “Nuggets of Management from IKS.” This collection will offer conceptual frameworks, case studies, and implementation tools to reframe modern management through Indic wisdom. Core themes include organizational structure as living ecosystems, decentralization, inner leadership, and embedding Purusharthas into strategic goals.
The retreat reaffirmed that IKS is not an alternative but an evolution—replacing mechanistic, profit-driven models with holistic, purpose-led, and resilient systems. The way forward involves embedding Purusharthas into business goals, decentralizing leadership, and restoring joy and meaning in work. The MetaRetreat laid a foundational step toward developing Bharat-centric management models that are both ethically grounded and pragmatically effective.
Four thematic group presentations marked a major highlight:
- A five-layer model rooted in Swadharma, Sambandh, and Panchamahayagna, focusing on holistic organizational evolution.
- The Ashtalakshmi and Trishakti models for balanced, Dharmic performance metrics that blend individual, team, and organizational goals.
- Swadharma-Swabhava alignment model, grounded in Panchamahabhuta and Triguna, to align roles with natural inclinations.
- Spirituality, ethics, and long-term sustainability through concepts like Ananda Mimamsa, Advaita Bhava, and Dharmic resource stewardship.
The INDICA IKS MetaRetreat on “IKS in Management” catalyzed a vital conversation on how IKS can not only critique but constructively transform contemporary management practices. The dialogue has set the stage for deeper research, curriculum development, and institutional experimentation in crafting Bharat-centric, spiritually rooted, and globally relevant management models.
