8th of August marked a very special occasion for the Goa Institute of Management Studies. Faculty members and students gathered together on campus to celebrate GIM day. The date was important because it was the 25th anniversary of the premier B-school for management studies. GIM is known for its fantastic courses and imparting of knowledge to the country’s future corporate leaders. And this special occasion called for hosting a very special guest. His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the campus and gave the keynote address.
Only India, the land of ‘ahimsa’ has the ability to combine ancient Indian knowledge with modern education: Dalai Lama
The Dalai Lama visited the Goa Institute of Management Studies as part of GIM day celebrations. Mingling with the faculty and students, he shared some light moments with all present. His Holiness was also in town to be the keynote speaker on the occasion. The topic at hand: Today’s Relevance of India’s Ancient Knowledge.
Speaking at the event, the Dalai Lama said that India was the only country that could possibly strike a perfect balance between its rich, traditional knowledge and modern education. “India has a culture deeply rooted in tradition and knowledge. The land of ahimsa’s cauldron of traditional knowledge includes the art of meditation, compassion, secularism and more”, he said. According to him, the seed was planted at the time of British rule but India has taken further steps to achieve this perfect balance.
He said that there is an urgent need to talk and debate more on a range of subjects. This would help students at GIM to learn, analyze and gain new experiences. “We need more people to come together and talk and debate on aspects linked to India’s ancient knowledge such as ahimsa and compassion. We also need to find ways to reduce conflict amongst ourselves” he urged the aspiring managers of corporate India.
Padma Shri Fr. Romuald D’Souza, Founder Director, GIM, along with Ajit Parulekar, Director, GIM, was pleased to have his Holiness at the event. Said Father Romuald, “Today, a long-standing dream has turned into reality. We are honored to have His Holiness the Dalai Lama amidst us today. Ethics and value-based learning have always been at the core of what GIM stands forever since the day it was founded 25 years ago”.
Added Ajit Parulekar, Director, GIM, “In this celebratory year I’d like to announce that we have forged a new learning partnership with The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). We will also be initiating a new programme where the faculty of GIM will be trained in specific skill sets and will work closely with primary education centers in Goa to lay emphasis on ethics and emotional learning at an early age.”
Read more here.
An Interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama
What was your biggest fear?
The day was 17th March 1959. I had to face a severe crisis when the Chinese turned aggressive and despite my best attempts I failed to calm the situation. I did a lot of thinking and asked opinions of the people around me. That’s when I decided to escape. It was a very frightful escape. I didn’t even know if I would survive the night. I had to cross a river in the dead of night. But at the break of dawn, I was alive and managed to escape. At 16 I lost my freedom. At 24 I lost my country. But we keep our determination alive. I had a lot of interaction `with Pandit Nehru. He told me the US will never go to war with China.
What if all people in the world were to become monks?
If even one-third of the people in the world become monks, its best to adopt birth control. But on a more serious note, population and global warming are real concerns which need to be addressed by leaders across the globe.
Why is it difficult to accept negative emotions compared to positive emotions?
All destructive emotions are not based on reason and wisdom, hence difficult to accept. Positive emotions are much more powerful than negative.
What were the thoughts that went through your mind when you were chosen to be the 14th Dalai Lama?
I was barely a few years old when the search party arrived at my home to inform my family that I would be the next Dalai Lama. At the time I was a young toddler and I was excited. I ran towards them and recognized them due to what I remembered from my past life. Today China is more interested in the next Dalai Lama than me because for them it’s more of a political decision. My focus each day is to live life meaningfully every single day.
Information credit
Goa Institute of Management Studies
ItsGoa/AUG/KDGP
