Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 25 : For the students Jammu region, a Bandhan Cultural Immersion Program organized by the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) was held here today.
The programme was held under the visionary leadership of Prof B S Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, on 25th-26th Oct 2025.
Designed around the ethos of Bond with Jammu, the initiative brought together people, traditions and values by connecting IIM Jammu students with 85 Dogra families of Jammu for a single day community immersion.
The programme, aims to provide students with real-life exposure to grassroots culture, local wisdom and the social fabric of Jammu by transforming society into a living classroom.
Four students from IIM Jammu were hosted by each family, where they experienced Dogra traditions, hospitality, cultural pride and community values firsthand.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Sahay described today’s Bandhan cultural immersion program as a soulful bridge that connects people, not just places and a step toward nation-building through empathy and tradition.
He said, “IIM Jammu stands as a Mini India with a Global Vision rooted in Dogra heritage and aligned with the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat mission. The students are visiting local households across Jammu to experience Dogri culture, values, cuisine and traditions, with local Jammu families participating in the initiative.”
“Bandhan is where hearts meet, stories unfold and the soul of India is reflected through cultural harmony. Education goes beyond the classroom and leadership begins with understanding people. This unique and first of its kind initiative, aims to nurture socially responsible leaders through cultural immersion, social sensitivity, grassroots exposure, community engagement, emotional and value-based learning and nation-building through cultural unity,” he said and thanked the local families for their warmth and support in strengthening IIM Jammu’s community connect.
The students were engaged with a diverse cross-section of society including, Army veterans and gallantry awardees; Local artists and cultural custodians; Entrepreneurs and business owners; Social activists and community leaders; Educationists and sports personalities and Government servants and administrators.
The host families expressed that the program enabled them to share the pride of Dogra heritage with the new generation of India’s future leaders.
The event was coordinated by Ankush Varma, Chief Innovation Officer, Srinagar, Campus.
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