Mumbai: The Kanchi Shankaracharya, Jagadguru Shankara Vijayendra Saraswathi, who is on a 10-day visit to the city, graced Dharmam Chara 2026, a gathering on the role of ethics, governance and responsible leadership in shaping a Viksit Bharat, at the Bombay Stock Exchange on Tuesday evening.
Event Organised by Sri Pratyaksha Charitable Trust
The event, organised by the Sri Pratyaksha Charitable Trust under the auspices of Shri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, brought together distinguished voices from India’s corporate, financial and policy ecosystem to reflect on the role of Dharma in the journey towards a Viksit Bharat, envisioned to be realised by 2047, the centenary year of the country’s independence.
SALMAN ANSARI
The Shankaracharya said it was significant that the Bombay Stock Exchange, where company shares are traded, was hosting an exchange of ideas. Speaking about the activities of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, he said the organisation would support the restoration of temples across the country as well as the construction of new ones. He added that though the institution is headquartered in Tamil Nadu, its vision is national.
Independence Meaningful Only If Dharma Is Safeguarded
Speaking about dharma, the Shankaracharya said that independence would be meaningful only if dharma is safeguarded. He said that India was experiencing a stability that should be used to develop its industry and services.
SALMAN ANSARI
M Damodaran, former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), spoke about the path India should take to achieve this goal. Emphasising the importance of strengthening the principles of dharma and culture, he said that his understanding of Viksit Bharat was not limited to better roads, larger infrastructure and taller buildings. “Of course, we need these. But far more important is social infrastructure — better education, healthcare and all that improves the quality of life,” he said.
Arundhati Bhattacharya on Dharma as Doing Good
Arundhati Bhattacharya, president and chief executive officer of Salesforce South Asia, said she viewed dharma not as a philosophical concept but as an idea centred on doing good for others. She spoke about acts of empowerment, recalling the support she received on her journey from a home in small industrial towns to leading major corporations.
R Shankar Raman, president, whole-time director and chief financial officer of Larsen and Toubro Limited, said India now has an opportunity to regain the eminent position it enjoyed before colonisation. However, he cautioned about challenges in education and healthcare. “If we want India to become a confident and prosperous nation, we must pay attention to rural India,” he said.
Dr V Shankar, chairman of the South Indian Education Society (SIES), Mumbai, spoke about the role played by the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam in the framing of the Indian Constitution, as well as its contributions to the Ram temple in Ayodhya and India’s foreign policy. “If the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, it is because of the advice of the then Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Peetam,” he said.
The programme concluded with an Anugraha Bhashanam by the Shankaracharya.
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