Integral Education

The “Women in Leadership: Breaking the Glass Ceiling – Indian Style” event was held on 20th September 2024 at the Anantapur Campus. Organized by the Department of Management and Commerce, the event brought together prominent women leaders from diverse fields.

Thank you, Speakers and Panelists:

• Mrs. Subhasri Sriram, Managing Director & CEO, Shriram Capital Pvt. Ltd.
• Mrs. Rajashree Natarajan, Champion for FLN program, Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini, and Former CEO, Cognizant Foundation
• Mrs. Rajeshwari Natarajan, Managing Director, Deloitte India (Offices of US)
• Mrs. Saipriya Viswanathan, Senior Manager, Devices Services, Trust and Privacy, Amazon
• Mrs. Phani Keerthi Y, Global Mobilization Manager, Accenture
• Mrs. Sai Geetha M N, Senior Director of Engineering, Enterprise Data & Analytics, Giant Eagle Inc.
• Ms. Tarini Iyengar, Enterprise Architect, Unisys
• Ms. Shraddha S. Jaitly, Chief General Manager, Finance, BPCL, Kochi Refinery

The event highlighted key themes like mentorship, overcoming societal stigmas, skill development, and networking, offering participants valuable insights on breaking external and internal barriers in leadership. The workshop, attended by around 200 students, provided a platform for meaningful interactions between students and industry leaders. It concluded with a panel discussion and a valedictory address, inspiring the next generation of women leaders.

View Report: 

View Photos: 

Watch Recording:

Morning Session: https://www.youtube.com/live/79XxggIWp60.

Afternoon Session: https://www.youtube.com/live/ZnkUdKgGu3c

Sri Akash Sai S.M, a final-year postgraduate student from the Department of Chemistry, SSSIHL, earned recognition for his outstanding presentation at the Online International Symposium on Current Trends in Advanced Materials 2024. The event was organized by the Department of Chemistry, VIT-AP University’s School of Advanced Sciences, in collaboration with the American Chemical Society, and took place from 26th to 31st August 2024.

During the symposium, Sri Akash Sai received special mention for his insightful research on “Ruddlesden-Popper Phases of LaNiO₃ Perovskite Oxides and Their Application in Supercapacitors.” His work explores the innovative application of these perovskite oxides in supercapacitors, a cutting-edge technology in energy storage. His research was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Kumar Sai Smaran and Sri Undavalli Venkata Gopi.

The symposium featured renowned scientists and researchers from across the globe, who gathered to discuss the latest trends and breakthroughs in materials science and chemistry. Esteemed speakers included Prof. Kazuo Umemura (Tokyo University of Science, Japan), Prof. Sabu Thomas (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam), Prof. Rachel A. Oliver (University of Cambridge, UK), and Prof. Partha Sarathi Mukherjee (IISc, Bangalore). The poster presentation competition attracted 125 participants from various institutions worldwide.

India observes the National Sports Day on August 29, honoring hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his birth anniversary.

The National Sports Day celebrations across the Prasanthi Nilayam, Brindavan, and Anantapur campuses of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning showcased a blend of sportsmanship and learning. At Prasanthi Nilayam, a series of events including cricket, football, basketball, and races took place from 25-31 August 2024, with enthusiastic participation from students and faculty. The celebrations concluded with a prize distribution ceremony recognizing the winners across the sporting events. Similarly, the Brindavan campus held competitions in badminton, tennis, and table tennis, from 27-31 August 2024 where students demonstrated remarkable skills and sportsmanship, with several finals providing thrilling moments for the participants and spectators alike.

At the Anantapur campus, the focus shifted to sports nutrition with a program titled “Optimizing Athletic Performance through Nutrition & AI,” featuring talks by experts like Dr. Geetanjali Bhide and Ms. Stuti Pahuja on the 29^th of August. These sessions offered insights into the importance of nutrition and emerging technologies like AI in enhancing athletic performance. The event highlighted the institute’s commitment to promoting holistic well-being through a combination of physical activities and educational workshops.

View Detailed Report

View Photos

The Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at SSSIHL celebrated National Nutrition Week on September 11th, 2024, under the theme “Nutritious Diet for Everyone,” as set by the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The event’s guest of honor, Dr. Subba Rao Gavaravarapu, Scientist ‘F’ and Head of the Nutrition Information, Communication, and Health Education (NICHE) division at NIN, ICMR, delivered a comprehensive presentation on “Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024.” His session highlighted the evolving nutritional needs of the Indian population and introduced students to new tools such as the Nutrition Atlas and updated food labeling guidelines, which represent significant strides in public health nutrition. These advancements aim to empower individuals to make informed dietary choices.

The talk was interactive and informative, helping students grasp the critical role of a balanced diet in maintaining overall health. A community outreach initiative followed, featuring a panel discussion titled “Nutritious Diet for All,” led by department faculty and members of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). During the session, ICDS members raised questions regarding nutrition for various health conditions and deficiencies, with the panelists offering expert insights on appropriate diets for vulnerable populations.

The celebrations also featured a series of engaging club activities that blended education with entertainment, ensuring that learning about nutrition was both enjoyable and impactful for the students.

View Detailed Report

Prof. U Suma, from the Department of Management and Commerce, and her research student, Mr. Sai Naveen R, represented Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) at the prestigious 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, held at Chicago, Illinois from 9-13, August 2024.

Their research, titled “Rationalizing Vulnerability in Leadership,” was presented in a forum that brought together distinguished academics, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the globe.

The theme of this year’s meeting, “Innovating for the Future: Policy, Purpose, and Organization,” focused on the need for business strategies to evolve in a fast-paced world. Participants were introduced to cutting-edge trends in management research, ranging from novel ideas to advanced methodologies and tools shaping the future of the discipline.

The key highlights of the conference included exposure to global insights allowing participants the opportunity to engage with the latest research and innovations in management, gaining insights from scholars and practitioner researchers worldwide, networking opportunities facilitating meaningful conversations, and exploring possibilities for future collaboration and constructive feedback on their work from peers and mentors, enhancing the depth and direction of their research.

Mr. Sai Naveen also had the unique opportunity to participate in the Doctoral Student Consortium, organized by the Academy’s Division of Organizational Behavior, Change, and Development (DIG). He benefited from interactions with global scholars and received one-on-one mentoring from experts in the field, further enriching his academic journey.

This experience served as a pivotal moment for Mr. Naveen’s PhD journey, fostering both intellectual and professional growth. It reaffirmed the significance of management research in shaping the future of global leadership and organizational change.

Special thanks are due to SSSIHL alumni, Prof. Surya Prakash Pati (Professor of OB & HR, IIM Kozhikode) and Prof. Sai Chittaranjan Kalubandi (Professor of Strategy, IIM Bangalore), whose guidance and support enhanced the quality of this research and facilitated critical networking opportunities during the meeting.

The final year MBA students from the Brindavan Campus of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning undertook an enriching industrial visit to Chennai from August 11th to 15th, 2024. Their journey began with a spiritual visit to the Guindy Shirdi Sai temple, followed by a session at Sundaram.

During the visit, the students explored several leading companies, gaining insights into business operations and industrial processes. At Carborundum Universal Limited, they learned about abrasives manufacturing and TQM practices. The visit to ZF Rane Automotive provided a hands-on understanding of power steering and assembly lines, with a focus on quality standards and strategic business planning tools. At Chennai Petroleum Corporation, students were introduced to refining processes, gaining a deep understanding of the petrochemical industry.

The trip concluded with networking opportunities, where alumni shared their experiences, inspiring students for their future careers. This industrial visit offered the students a blend of technical knowledge, business strategies, and networking, making it a memorable learning experience.

The report delves into the details of each visit and its impact on the student’s development.

View Report

View Photos

The 39th MBA Day was celebrated enthusiastically on 21st August 2024 at the Brindavan Campus of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL). This event marked a significant occasion as we welcomed back our esteemed alumni from the batch of 1992-1994. The day was filled with nostalgia, insightful discussions, and heartfelt interactions between our alumni and current students, particularly the freshers, who gained invaluable perspectives on navigating the competitive business world.

The event commenced with a welcome address from the head of the Department of Management and Commerce, Dr. Sayee Manohar Krishnamurthy. This was followed by an inspiring inaugural address by Prof. B. Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor of SSSIHL.

We were honored to have our distinguished Guests of Honour, Sri Alok Ohrie, President & MD, Dell Technologies, India, and Sri R. J. Rathnakar, Managing Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, who shared their profound insights on leadership and values in the corporate world.

Our alumni, Sri Pushkaraj Gumaste, Managing Director and Head of Corporate Banking, Asia Pacific & Middle East, Barclays Bank PLC, and Sri V. V. Eashwar Prasad, Head of Solutioning and Service Readiness, Ericsson India Global Services Pvt. Ltd., captivated the audience with their reflections on how the teachings of SSSIHL have shaped their professional journeys and contributed to their success.

The event was a resounding success, reinforcing the significance of SSSIHL’s values-based education in fostering ethical and capable leaders. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our speakers and participants for making the 39th MBA Day a memorable occasion.

View Report
View Recording
View Photos

The Department of Management and Commerce at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Brindavan Campus, successfully hosted a comprehensive session titled “C-Suite Insights on Enterprise Risk Management” on August 9, 2024. This day-long event was meticulously designed to provide MBA and final-year B. Com (Hons.) students with an in-depth understanding of the complex domain of Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).

The event commenced with an inaugural session led by Shri Rajeev Rajan, Associate Professor at the Department of Management and Commerce, who extended a warm welcome to all participants. This was followed by the inaugural address delivered by Shri Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, setting a reflective tone for the day’s proceedings.

The first expert session featured insightful presentations by Mr. Satya Pramod, CEO of KayEss Square Consulting, and Mr. Sunil Shenoy, Director at KayEss Square Consulting. They offered valuable perspectives on the practical aspects of ERM in the consulting industry.

Following this, Ms. Hema Nevatia, CFO and Global Shared Services Leader at Allstate India, and Mr. Nagaraj, Finance Controller at Allstate India, shared their extensive experiences in managing financial risks within a global corporation. The next expert session was led by Mr. Shrivathsa, Global Head of Internal Audit at Wipro Enterprises [P] Ltd., who shed light on the critical role of internal audits in risk management.

The final expert session was conducted by Ms. Sandhya Sriram, Group CFO of Narayana Healthcare, who provided a unique perspective on managing risks in the healthcare industry, emphasizing the importance of strategic financial planning.

The morning session concluded with a panel discussion moderated by CA V Srinavasa Raghavan, bringing together all the distinguished speakers for a dynamic and engaging dialogue on various facets of risk management.

The afternoon session was dedicated to a series of case study discussions, moderated by CA V Srinavasa Raghavan, allowing students to apply their newly acquired knowledge in practical scenarios.

The event was a resounding success, significantly enriching the academic environment and equipping students with valuable insights into Enterprise Risk Management.

For More Details:

View Detailed Report
View Photos
View Recording 

The Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality serves as an induction programme for all students and teachers of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning to expose students of the University to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Bharat. It orients students into Bhagawan Baba’s educational philosophy and gives them deep, first-hand insights into how they can directly benefit from this unique institution.

The genesis of the event dates back to the early seventies when Bhagawan Baba organized Summer Courses in Indian Culture and Spirituality for the benefit of students. The course then was usually three to four weeks long and would typically consist of a series of lectures on Indian culture, the essence of the scriptures and other spiritual topics delivered by learned scholars, senior devotees and men of esteem. The highlight however was the daily discourse by Baba Himself, delivered typically in the evening.

In 2011, Bhagawan willed that the Summer Course be reinitiated in a shorter format of two-and-a-half days and which is now an annual event at SSSIHL at the beginning of each academic year that the Students and Teachers of the University eagerly look forward to participate, experience and learn.

The Summer Course was and is an effective way to inspire young minds to follow a life of good values and character. The event also marked the beginning of the academic year for students and teachers of all four campuses of SSSIHL.

Enclosed is a detailed report on Summer Course 2024:

SSSIHL Anantapur Campus

Report & Pics | Schedule

SSSIHL Brindavan Campus

Report & Pics | Schedule

SSSIHL Prasanthi Nilayam and Muddenahalli Campus

Report & Pics | Schedule