The three day International Conference on "Leadership and Management through Spiritual Wisdom" started on Friday on a spiritual note at the Khushipur campus of School of Management Sciences (SMS), Varanasi. The Conference was inaugurated by Padmshri Prof. Geshe N Samten (Vice Chancellor-Central University of Tibetan Studies) who emphasised on the training of minds in our educational system which could ignite the core element of having transformation within ourselves. He said that entire source of management comes from innerselves and our educational system should focus on social and emotional learning so as to achieve spirituality.

The programme started with Vedic Chanting by specialised scholars followed by a skit by the Ganga Action Pariwar on the conference theme depicting how the materialism has spoiled our basic necessities of life over the different eras. Prof. Luqman Khan (Vice Chancellor-Mohd. Ali Jauhar University) talked about the necessity of having ecological balance while Prof. B. P. Singh (Former Prof.-Delhi School of Economics) emphasised on having spirituality as a part of curriculum. He further said that elevated soul is the best capital of human society. Later he talked about "Managing from Left, Leading from Right and Connecting through Top" in one of the plenary sessions. He also added that leadership should have a magnetic force to create followership.

Mr. Pragyan Mishra (Retd. IAS ) opined about connecting preaching and practicing to obtain the spiritual path. Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh) started his discourses focussing on the pathetic condition of our ganges. He said Ganga is on Dialysis and we are busy in Dialogues. He said we love the creater but forget the creation. Spirituality is not a weekend business, we have to start with selves. Life is to 'be' more, not 'have' more. He asked the modern society to link internet to innernet. Be the change and don't wait for anyone else, was his basic idea. Renowned Film Director, Producer and Writer, Mr. Mahesh Bhatt said that Spirituality is essential fuel of life. The ecological disaster is because of arrogance of man. He cited several examples from his professional life to illustrate the above fact.

More than 300 delegates were present on the first day of the three day long event. International delegates have come from the USA, Australia, England, Hong Kong, China, Slovenia, Cambodia, Mauritius, Botswana, Oman, Morocco, Sweden, Spain and Brazil. The Indian delegates have arrived at SMS Campus from far away places like Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Warangal, Chennai, Ludhiana, Pathankot, Kochi, Patna, Mumbai, Nashik, Dharwad, Thanjavur, Bhabaneshwar, Guntur, Ranchi, Chitrakoot, Jaipur, Kashmir etc. The entire three day event has been divided into seven plenary and seven technical sessions spread over the three days.

Earlier the Conference Director and the Director of SMS Varanasi, Prof. P. N. Jha welcomed the dignitaries and delegates to SMS Varanasi. In his welcome address, he presented a briefing about the strides which the Institution has made in the recent past to emerge as one of the frontline B-Schools of the country. Discussing the framework of this International Conference, he said that it is an extension of the decadal journey of our Spiritual Centre, whose objective is creation of dyadic relationship between spiritual paradigm and managerial tenets. However, the practice of the proposed model necessarily requires the inculcation of a sense of abnegation within the practitioners. Later on the latest issues of all the three journals of SMS( Management Insight, Purushartha, Computing Trendz ) were released by the dignitaries alongwith the conference proceedings book and the Souvenir.

The organizing secretary Mr. Sandeep Singh (Associate Prof.) gave the theme presentation and the Vote of Thanks. The inaugural session was coordinated by Dr. Meenakshi Singh. The Director, SMS Varanasi, Prof. P. N. Jha felicitated the Chief Guest and other Guests of Honour by presenting a shawl and mememto.

A spiritual tour of Varanasi is also on the Conference schedule. A souvenir has also been published covering more than 200 paper abstracts which are being presented in the Conference. Corporate bodies and financial institutions like Union Bank of India, Kashi Gomti Samyut Gramin Bank, Galaxy Hospitals, Career Launcher, IMS Learning Resources, Ganga Saran & Grandsons, Prentice Hall of India and Souvenier De Banaras were the sponsors of the events.