Bombay Stock Exchange Hosts Landmark 'Dharmam Chara' Forum on Dharma and Development
In a significant convergence of spirituality and commerce, the historic Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) premises in Mumbai became the venue for a profound discussion on Tuesday. The 'Dharmam Chara' event, organized jointly by BSE and Sri Pratyaksha Trust, brought together religious leaders, corporate executives, and financial experts to explore the critical role of dharma in building Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
Spiritual Leadership Meets Corporate Governance
The gathering was presided over by Swami Vijayendra Saraswathi, the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, who emphasized the need for ethical foundations in national development. "Dharmam Chara" is an initiative by the Kanchi Peetam that regularly convenes religious scholars, chartered accountants, lawyers, medical professionals, and judges for meaningful dialogue.
Sundararaman Ramamurthy, Managing Director and CEO of BSE, set the tone with a welcome address delivered entirely in Sanskrit, complete with traditional shlokas. He passionately urged attendees to "speak the truth and walk the path of dharma" in both personal and professional spheres.
Corporate Perspectives on Dharma and Business Ethics
KR Sekar, Partner at Deloitte, presented a crucial distinction while displaying a map of India highlighting the Kanchi trust's activities. "The Sankaracharya's guiding principle is that there should be dharma in business. But there cannot be business in dharma," he stated, drawing clear boundaries between spiritual principles and commercial interests.
Former SEBI chairman M Damodaran, now Chairman of Excellence Enablers, drew direct parallels between dharmic principles and corporate governance frameworks. He argued compellingly that India cannot achieve developed nation status by 2047 without grounding its progress in ethical and religious learning, calling on every citizen to prioritize long-term national benefit over short-term individual gains.
Women's Leadership and Social Responsibility
Arundhati Bhattacharya, former SBI chairperson and current President & CEO of Salesforce for South Asia, addressed the intersection of dharma, values, and women's empowerment. She defined dharma as "doing good for humanity" and shared personal anecdotes about mentors who supported her during challenging career moments, which she described as acts of dharma. Bhattacharya challenged the audience with a reflective question: "Did I enable someone today or did I burden them with guilt?"
R Shankar Raman, President of Larsen & Toubro, discussed corporate social responsibility from an organizational perspective. He highlighted how CSR funds could be strategically deployed to address rural-urban disparities, noting that migration often creates income inequalities and communal tensions. "Service to humanity is service to God, and all corporates must contribute," he concluded, emphasizing the moral imperative for business involvement in social development.
Unity in Diversity and Final Reflections
V Shankar, Chairman of SIES, mapped dharma onto India's complex socioeconomic landscape, noting how 18 languages, 6,400 castes, 28 states, and eight union territories collectively form one unified Bharat that requires shared ethical foundations.
In his concluding remarks, Sankaracharya Vijayendra Saraswathi praised BSE for facilitating this exchange of ideas and feelings beyond mere financial transactions. He called for "a level of non-political leadership to execute tasks that government cannot or may not want to carry out" and reaffirmed that "Satyamev Jayate (truth alone triumphs) remains the only enduring currency in Viksit Bharat." The event underscored growing recognition that India's journey toward developed nation status by 2047 must be guided by both economic growth and ethical principles.
