Looking East – Indian Wisdom for Modern Management

The book is an exploration of the relevance of Indian classical wisdom in reorienting modern management. It highlights the urgent need for facilitating an internally directed spiritual dimension to business management, including management education as an alternative to instrumental rationality and extreme materialistic orientation in today’s profit-driven business world.
Indian Wisdom for Modern Management

The book presents spirituality or enlightened consciousness as the essence of a transformational or rather transcendental leader to improve the quality of work-life within by creating a humane and enduring organizational culture. It does this by drawing inspiration from modern Indian leaders like Rabindranath Tagore and Swami Vivekananda. It also offers insights into alternative sources and methods of learning in management and life from ancient Indian wisdom and selected European literature to infuse creativity, joy, meaning and purpose into work and life. The book facilitates East-West dialogue on value-based holistic management in a globalized business scenario. In the modern business paradigm dominated by western management principles and practices, the book attempts to offer an Indian model of management founded on spirituality, human values and sustainability to deal with the alarming crises in a pandemic- stricken world by suggesting alternative ways of thinking and living for a sane, happy and sustainable future for both our planet and people.



Book Release
Formal release of the Indian edition of my Book titled ‘Looking East: Indian Wisdom for Modern Management’ by Swami Suparnanandaji Maharaj, Revered Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (RMIC) in a Seminar at the auspicious Vivekananda Hall of RMIC Kolkata on October 6, 2023.
My book was also launched recently at the prestigious Shillong Literary Festival held in Ward’s Lake Shillong on November 15, 2023. Donald Wahlong, IAS, Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya and Padma Shri Patricia Mukhim, Editor Shillong Times were on stage to launch the Book along with my esteemed colleague Prof. Sanjeeb Kakoty who conducted the one hour book discussion in conversation with the author.
It was indeed an honour and delight to present a copy of my book to Mr. Conrad Sangma, Honourable Chief Minister of Meghalaya in his office in November last year.
Endorsments for the Book
“Sanjoy Mukherjee presents us with a collection of essays that reflect upon fundamental aspects of leadership and individual and collective evolvement while exploring non-conventional methods of learning. Underlying all of his reflections are concepts of spirituality and spiritual wisdom as developed by the author himself as well as by some of India’s most magnificent ‘thinkers’. I can highly recommend the book, particularly to academics and leaders in the ‘West’, who are open to inspiring and challenging views from an accomplished thinker-practitioner from the ‘East’.”
Peter Pruzan, Prof. Emeritus, Sc.D. & Ph.D., Dept. of Management, Politics & Philosophy, Copenhagen Business School
“At a time when the dominant neoliberal model - based on a paradigm increasingly questioned – is seen as leading us to a wall, the radical change needed finds in Sanjoy Mukherjee’s works a relevant and timely path. Learning from traditional practical wisdom, particularly from the East, he illustrates how leaders and managers can benefit from balancing an outside-directed behavior to an inner-directed existential search for meaning and purpose. The challenging journey in that direction obliges us to re-think responsibility, to give a spiritual turn to business management and to challenge the linear thinking and binary logic still so much emphasized in management education and training. The argument is convincing, well-chosen examples are illustrating. Today, S. Mukherjee’s experience is very precious not only for those in leadership positions but for all of us who realize the critical importance of the spiritual foundation to find meaning and purpose in our life. A seminal work.”
Henri-Claude de
BETTIGNIES
Emeritus Professor, INSEAD & Stanford Graduate School of Business
“I have known Professor Sanjoy Mukherjee for twenty years and continue to learn much from his ongoing intellectual engagement with unpacking the false dichotomies of “East” and “West,” materialism and spirituality, self and “other,” management studies and the Liberal Arts, and Silence and Speech. His commitment and his contribution are to help students, educators and practitioners recognize the interconnectedness and interdependence of each of these. In this rich collection of essays, the reader will find a variety of lenses and metaphors and paradigms for recognizing and building a holistic approach to work and life that allows us to find a deeper, richer and more sustainable satisfaction and sense of purpose.”
Mary C. Gentile, PhD
Creator/Director, Giving Voice To Values
Richard M. Waitzer Bicentennial Professor of Business Ethics,
Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, USA
“Prof Mukherjee’s works offer a unique collection of Indian wisdom that has been brought to life in a 21st century context to provide insight and inspiration to managers and educators on how human relations and organizations can learn operate with equanimity when turmoil of social and environmental crises seem to be closing in. Prof Mukherjee’s expensive experience combines Spirituality, Human Values and Sustainability drawn from the Upanishads and Indian spiritual wisdom. The work has universal significance, beyond India as it increasingly comes with the realization by investors and managers that capitalism needs to be operated by moral agents and interventions for the common good. Traditionally the lack of liberal arts education in management education has created a gap in managerial and organizational learning. Prof Mukherjee’s collection can contribute to the rising voices for new paths in management education such as the Responsible Research for Business and Management (RRBM) network. Having been inspired by a number of refreshing and enlightening works by Prof Mukherjee, I look forward to the publication of his collection.”
Mike Thomspon
Leader of People Services, Antithesis Group, Londonn
Adjunct Professor, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria, Canadan
Visiting Professor, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
"Professor Sanjoy Mukherjee trained with the illustrious professor of business ethics and human values, the late Professor Shitangshu Kumar Chakraborty of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta. He has now for a long time drawn on classical and modern Indian thought and cognate ethical traditions of the West to develop approaches to leadership and that uphold and promote principles organization of sustainability and spirituality in business. Anyone interested in these themes will find in these thoughtful essays much to ponder."
Dipesh Chakraborty
Lawrence A Kimpton Distinguished Service Professor of History, The University of Chicago
“Professor Sanjoy Mukherjee presents a much awaited message for management students and teachers as well as business leaders and corporate executives that will allow us to empower ourselves to avail the precious gift of taking delight in the world and start the journey of enlightenment and live an illumined life. The book is infused with the wisdom of ancient sages of India as well as modern seers Vivekananda and Tagore both of whom lived deeply spiritual lives dedicated to the service of humanity. Weaving through their words and life stories, Professor Mukherjee presents alternative models of learning and living a creative life with mindfulness. The book will show the readers how to pursue spirituality while living a dynamic life of enlightened actions here and now.”
Dharm P S Bhawuk,
Professor of Management andCulture and Community Psychology,
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
This book will be a bridge between the past and the future for a transition from effective leadership through ethical leadership towards enlightened leadership. It will spread the light of the East to the world which has presently become a common platform for sharing of knowledge and wisdom through internet. I thank Dr. Mukherjee and the Publisher for this great offering and wish the book the very best.”
G Narayana (Guruji), former Executive Chairman, Excel Industries
“Professor Sanjoy Mukherjee’s book is an insightful guide on how traditional practices can provide a roadmap to reorient management practices in addressing modern challenges and will certainly inspire tomorrow’s leaders.”
T V Narendran
Managing Director, Tata Steel
“Time and again, we hear about how people delve into the rich Indian heritage to find solutions in our scriptures to various managerial issues. This is an important book that provides a bridge between Indian spiritual wisdom and modern management concepts. Well written and should be an essential part of management studies curriculum and corporate training and organizational development programmes.”
Satish Pai
Vice Chairman and Managing Director Hindalco Industries
"Sanjoy Mukherjee's intense exploration of the relevance of living from within is of extreme relevance in the current pandemic scenario where nature has driven humanity indoors, laying waste to corporate profiteering and frenetic socializing. To seek out a new way of meaningful living Sanjoy harnesses the wisdom not only of India but also of the Middle-East and Europe. This book is a pathfinder through the murky morass of confusion spanning the world today, especially corporate life."
Pradip Bhattacharya, PhD, IAS (Retd.)
International HRD Fellow (Manchester)
former Additional Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal
former Member, Board of Governors, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta
“I find that the major theme of the book is highlighting the relevance of Indian spiritual wisdom in reorienting modern management principles and practices. Especially, the discussion on Values, Indian Ethos in Management, Spirituality and Creativity are very important in providing new insights to the business leaders.
I am sure, the book is very relevant, especially now and would be of great interest to academics, business leaders and management professionals.”
Shishir Bajoria, Chairman, Board of Governors Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong
“It's a matter of delight for me to write a few lines about Prof. Sanjoy Mukherjee’s book ‘Looking East: Indian Wisdom for Modern Managers’. He explained the very practical way of implementing spirituality in life, organization and the society at large as prescribed in Indian philosophy and connected the modern Management concept to that. Prof. Mukherjee boldly proclaims, when the business or enterprise is based on ‘spiritual motivations’, it will have a "fundamental role in creative, vibrant yet sustainable and value oriented management". This is a completely different paradigm of strengthening the root of the plant which will be able to grow in a healthy way even in a harsh ambience.
The new National Education Policy has put emphasis on “Large, well-resourced, multi-disciplinary Institutions --” with “broad-based liberal arts - - flexible curricular structure.” It emphasizes the study of Indian “languages, art and culture.” Prof. Mukherjee’s book can play a very significant role in this direction.
In essence, I appreciate the difficult yet necessary endeavour that Prof. Sanjoy Mukherjee has taken in his entire academic journey. He should be congratulated for publishing a few gems from his wide range of writings which will go a long way in creating a new generation of not just ‘managers’ but ‘thinkers’ who will be able to create enterprises not only to bring about ‘profit’ but ‘happiness’ to the society.”
Sarit Kumar Das
Institute Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras
Former Director, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar
“Professor Sanjoy Mukherjee book, Looking East: Indian Wisdom for Modern Management is best described as an adventure of ideas. Contemporary management thought rooted in reckless competition and exploitation of nature and society to serve the templates of narrow stakeholders have reached a dead end. Myopic management theories emerging from the market economies and knowledge societies of the western world have given rise to dysfunctional management practices. The ideas reflected in the book have their origins in the perennial wisdom of poets, philosophers, leaders, and seekers whose pursuit was that of truth, not convenience.
Prof. Mukherjee’s work will stir the reader’s imagination and kindle a radically different perspective of looking at life and enterprise.”
Professor (Dr.) Debashis Chatterjee
Director, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode
Author of ‘Timeless Leadership’
“The book on the title 'Looking East: Indian Wisdom for Modern Management' is very relevant especially in the present context. All the main themes covered in the book would be of interest to students of business, academics and corporates. Indian Ethos and Management, Spirituality and Leadership, and Alternative Forms of Learning are very important to understand and apply. I wish the readers happy reading.”
Professor (Dr.) D P Goyal
Director, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong
“My own experience of many decades as an academic, manager and consultant shows me that Western management concepts and practices – whilst very useful – seem to leave out the deeper needs of people. This leaves even very “successful” people lonely, empty and meaning-less.
Sanjoy has been searching for answers to this phenomenon for many years. Based on his own cultural moorings in the East – and his extensive reading of Eastern and Western sources – he has continued to publish articles and chapters over the years. This book is a collection of material from his treasure trove.
It is well organized and allows the reader to gain insights which can be applied in practice. It has come at a time when the world is struggling to find answers to help people manage their lives during and after Covid times.”
Dr. Zahid Gangjee
Founder and Proprietor, Zahid Gangjee Associates
Former Faculty Member, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta
Former Chief, Manpower Development Group, ITC Limited
“The real meaning and content of development and management are questions that have resurfaced in the rudely shaken and profoundly agitated collective human conscience, clamouring for an urgent revisit, revaluation and reorientation. In present volume Looking East: Indian Wisdom for Modern Management comprising a collection of 15 thoughtful essays, Prof Sanjoy Mukherjee tries to explore these questions in the light of Indian spiritual wisdom cultivated over millennia by the Indian Rishis and philosophers, updating them with insights from some of the modern thinkers and seers like Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Shri Aurobindo, setting the stage for the emergence of a new weltanchuuang (world view) wherein Harmony and Peace will reign supreme.”
Swami Atmapriyananda
Pro Chancellor,
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Kolkata
“Spirituality must be made dynamic and living in our personal and organizational lives. In this book Prof. Sanjoy Mukherjee brings to bear a lifetime of experience in teaching and praxis of integrating Indic spiritual wisdom and modern management theory. I have no doubt this volume will be a beacon of light to academicians and managers in the decades to come.
Swami Sarvapriyananda
Minister and Spiritual Leader,
Vedanta Society of New York
Prof. Sanjoy Mukherjee’s new book titled “Looking East: Indian Wisdom for Modern Managers” is a collection of lively essays illuminating the relevance of civilisational wisdom in the modern managerial contexts. What makes this book unique? The unique resonance of this finely written book centres on its powerful exploration beyond analytical understanding, rational explanations and empirical logic through its impactful reminder and rediscovery of the ancient wisdom of Indian heritage. Given the uncertainties surrounding the work organizations and their management around the world triggered by an unprecedented disruptive pandemic, the idea and ideals espoused in this book bring a special appeal to reflective managers. The author deserves a special commendation as the book could not have been timelier. I am confident in recommending this book as an essential reading for management students, scholars, practitioners, and policy makers around the world.”
Samir Ranjan Chatterjee
Emeritus Professor, Curtin Business School
Perth, Australia
“The book titled “LOOKING EAST: INDIAN WISDOM FOR MODERN MANAGEMENT” by Prof. Sanjoy Mukherjee is a very timely intervention in a world facing turbulent challenges due to the mindless search for happiness in materialistic accomplishments. The author offers solutions by delving deep into the Yoga Vedanta Philosophy of India. The book presents a brilliant platform for discussion on Value based Sustainable Management which is an urgent need of the hour. Mankind today needs an alternative to the modern market driven capitalism that has ignored the true human virtues and this book provides that by highlighting the Indian Classical Wisdom with a strong focus on Creativity, Joy and Meaning in Work. I strongly believe that this book is extremely relevant in the management area of Spirituality, Human Values and Sustainability.”
Professor (Dr.) Madhumita Chatterji
Director- ABBS School of Management, Bengaluru
“This is an important book. There is a pressing need for thinkers to move beyond the western notion of an 'enlightened self-interest' to an interest in 'Enlightenment of the Self'. Drawing on insights from sources as diverse as Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Antoine De Saint Exupery, Sanjoy builds a case for an alternative, holistic inner-directed view of management and leadership. There is much to think about here.”
Prof. (Dr.) Ranjan Banerjee
Founder Dean and Professor of Marketing
BITS School of Management, Mumbai
Former Dean, S P Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai
“Sanjoy has written an exceptional book that takes us through an inspiring journey with insights from the genius of Tagore to the heart of Swami Vivekananda and the wisdom of the Bhagwad Geeta and the Upanishads. His reflections on appreciating leadership through this lens has created a wonderful book that will enable the readers to embark on ‘their own quest’ towards more wholesome lives and serving the well-being of all!!”
Anil Sachdev
Founder and Chairman, School of Inspired Leadership (SOIL), Gurgaon
“A thought-provoking exploration of the eastern spiritual teachings and their relevance in responding to the most important questions of life and leadership – questions about values, deeper purpose and holistic growth. Well researched, insightful and crucial messages for contemporary leaders.”
Rajiv Vij
Leadership Coach and author of ‘Discovering Your Sweet Spot: A soul-searching guide for creating the life you really want’