Dalai Lama Unveils IIM Bodh Gaya

Bodh Gaya : Tuesday, January 14th 2020 will be a day forever etched in the history of Indian Institute of Management, Bodh Gaya as the day the institute played host to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama who visited the campus premises of the college to interact with the students. It was an utmost honour for the institute which is one of the youngest IIMs and prides itself as ‘The Enlightening IIM’ to be graced by the presence of His Holiness. In attendance for this auspicious event were many distinguished personalities of Gaya and all other parts of Bihar, representatives of esteemed educational institutes of the state, media persons from reputed media organizations, and of course, the students and staff of IIM Bodh Gaya.
The event began at 9:00 am in the IIM Bodh Gaya campus, with the Dr Vinita Sahay, Director, IIM Bodh Gaya welcoming His Holiness. This was followed by a tree plantation event. His Holiness planted the sapling of a Bodhi tree (peepul tree) in honour of the great Mahabodhi and Bodh Gaya, the Land of Enlightenment. Next, the Director felicitated His Holiness. In her welcome speech, Dr Sahay spoke of the place IIM Bodh Gaya is carving out for itself, being in this holy land and how the institute strives to strike the right balance between modern technical learnings and classical knowledge for the right development for the future leaders that are the students of IIM Bodh Gaya.
The Dalai Lama began his speech with a blessing for the students of IIM Bodh Gaya and all other attendees. His Holiness shared his blessed insights on Classical Indian Thought and Its Relevance in the Modern World. He observed that although human beings ultimately seek happiness, most of our problems are our creation. War and other forms of organized violence are unique to humans, and these issues which reached the pinnacle in the 20th Century must not be repeated in the 21st. He highlighted the age-old practices of Ahimsa (non-violence) and Karuna (tolerance) and how relevant they are in countering these issues. According to His Holiness, India is the living example of how different cultures can live together in harmony. In his speech he also spoke of the crucial role education plays in the mental and spiritual development of an individual. He suggested some works of great Indian thinkers and of ancient practices which could help the students achieve the balance between professional success and personal peace. This was followed by the students and teachers of IIM Bodh Gaya asking His Holiness various questions to which He provided enlightening and though-provoking answers in the simplest of words.
After his speech, His Holiness granted the college a new identity by unveiling the logo of IIM Bodh Gaya. The very identity of IIM Bodh Gaya shall be forever adorned by the grace and blessings of the Dalai Lama. The logo was designed by Chandrashekar Saswade of National Institute of Design, Bengaluru Campus. (It represents the Buddhist stupas as resonant waves, and the leaf of the Mahabodhi Tree lies at the centre of the structure.) The new logo shall be part of all official documents and webpages or social media handles associated with IIM Bodh Gaya from this day forth.
The students of IIM Bodh Gaya made the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by seeking answers of questions regarding spiritualism, and the greater truths of life that have always evaded them. The enlightening words of His Holiness dispelled the shrouds of doubts and confusion among the students and they found a new outlook and appreciation towards life and the world. The students gained the ability to look beyond the difficulties of the base material world and grasp the finer joys of life. The audience left for the day with a newfound serenity feeling wiser and blessed.
The event was coordinated by the Media & PR Cell of IIM Bodh Gaya, along with the faculty members and various clubs and committees of the college.