Director's Message

Dr. Anita Patankar is a distinguished academic and administrator with a proven track record of leadership in higher education. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Symbiosis International University, Dubai and also holds the positions of the Director of the Symbiosis Centre for International Education.

A pioneer in the field of liberal arts education in India, Prof. Patankar is Founding Director of the Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, India's first 4-year liberal arts college. She continues to serve as an Advisor to the school, guiding its growth and development. With over 39 years of experience in Indian higher education, Prof. Patankar has been instrumental in shaping the landscape of liberal arts education in the country.

Dr. Anita Patankar is passionate about internationalisation of higher education. She has been actively involved in developing innovative learning processes, fostering a culture of inclusivity, and promoting internationalization@home. Prof. Patankar is committed to creating 'fair, just and inclusive' learning ecosystems that empower students to become engaged citizens and global leaders.

Beyond her academic and administrative roles, Prof. Patankar is actively involved in various initiatives. She serves on the board of trustees of ECONET, an NGO dedicated to the welfare of tribal and disadvantaged populations. She is also a member of the Indian Members Council of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, the CII Africa Committee, and the Alliance of Asian Liberal Arts Universities. Additionally, she is a founding member of Samvedana, Symbiosis International University's gender advisory committee.

Director's Message

The Director, Prof. (Dr.) Seema Singh of SCCE, Pune has about 32 years of rich experience and has worked in the corporate before joining Symbiosis in 2001. She holds a Ph.D. degree in the Faculty of Management, and is also a double post graduate from Pune University. She has completed her M.Sc. (Electronics Science) and her MBA (Systems & OR) from Pune University.

She has completed her graduation degree B.Sc (Physics) and was the topper of her batch at Fergusson College, Pune. She joined SIBM, Pune in 2001 and has been instrumental in handling all the Corporate Education Batches during her ten-year stint with SIBM, Pune.

She then moved on to head the Symbiosis Centre for Corporate Education, Pune in 2010 under the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) and is working in the capacity of Professor and Director, SCCE, Pune for more than a decade. She has extensive knowledge of business and has been involved in developing strategic learning interventions for the corporate clients for more than two decades.

She is in charge of the corporate students across many sectors pursuing their higher education through SCCE, Pune which is the arm of the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) for Industry – Academia tie-ups. She has a unique connect with the alumni of these corporate programs and is like a mentor to them.

She is a strong believer of compassion and humanitarian work and under her guidance SCCE, Pune is conscious of the importance of social projects. She is an acknowledged Teacher as well as a true professional and expert in the Learning and Development space which helps the corporate to enhance their employee engagement through the Work Integrated Learning Programs.

Director's Message

Prof. (Dr.) Shrirang Altekar holds a Ph.D. in Consumer Behaviour. He is also an alumnus of the Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune itself, from where he obtained his Master’s in Business Administration, with Marketing as his area of specialization. He has extensive knowledge of technical and non-technical areas of business and has run businesses at the strategic level.

He comes with a total experience of more than 41 years, with industry experience of 23 years, and academic experience of 18 years, with over 13 years’ experience as a Director. He is a member of the Academic Council as well as the Board of Studies of the University. He was also a member of the Board of University Development, SIU.

He Chairs the Board of Studies Sub – Committees on General Management and Strategy of the Faculty of Management of SIU. He has headed SCMS Noida, SCMS Nagpur, SIBM Nagpur etc earlier. He has worked in a consulting, advisory and learning and development capacity with several corporates in multiple sectors. He also holds a degree in Law. He is acknowledged as an authority on Learning and Development initiatives and is frequently invited to speak at various forums at the national level.

Director's Message

Dr. Abhijit Chirputkar is presently the Director at Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management (SIDTM), which is a constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) (SIU).  He is a Rank holder in M.Com. in the University of Pune. He is a Chartered Accountant, and before joining Symbiosis, he was a practicing Chartered Accountant and Certified Information Systems Auditor.

He furthered his education in finance and completed a program of Masters in Business Finance from ICAI. He has consulting experience of more than ten years in the areas of Finance, Audit and Assurance, and Taxation. He has more than 22 years of teaching experience, including corporate training.

He has written more than 35 articles, papers, case studies and chapters in books and more than 9 patents to his credit. He has presented papers at national and International Conferences, including IIM-A. He has received service marks in the area of telecom assurance from the Government of India.

Director's Message

Dr. Alka Maurya is a Computer Science Graduate and has done her Master's in International Business from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi, India, and her Ph.D in International Business from Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India. She has over 28 years of experience in teaching, research and consulting. She has worked with Amity International Business School (AIBS), Amity University, Uttar Pradesh, where she was engaged in teaching, research, and consulting in the area of International Business. Dr. Alka was working in the industry before joining AIBS. She worked with The Plastics Export Promotion Council (Plexconcil) as Deputy Director where she worked on several projects for promoting exports of plastic products from India. She led many delegations of plastic exporters to explore opportunities in the foreign market. Before Plexconcil, she was working with NCTI (National Centre for Trade Information), a UN-designated Trade Point in India, where she was associated with various projects of the Department of Commerce, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, etc. She worked with a few Export Houses as well to have hands-on experience in international trade processes and procedures. Dr. Alka has been recognized with multiple national and international accolades for her contributions in research and teaching. She is invited as a keynote speaker for various international/national conferences and seminars in the area of international Business. She has published several books and research papers/ case studies in her area of specialization. Teaching and research are her passion, and she also likes to spend her time shaping young minds to take up the challenges in this dynamic and competitive environment.

Director's Message

Prof. Dr. Netra Ganesh Neelam is the Director of Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD). Dr. Netra Neelam has more than 2 decades of experience in the field of higher education. She has done her PhD in HR along with Masters in Commerce, M.Phil. and a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management. She is also a recognized Ph.D. research guide at Symbiosis International (Deemed University).

Dr. Netra Neelam is passionate about the field of psychometry and is certified in internationally recognized psychometric instruments like MBTI®, FIRO-B®, Strong Interest Inventory® and Belbin®. She is also a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach Practitioner along with being certified in NLP, Hypnosis & Coaching. She is actively involved in Management Development and Faculty Development Programmes.

She is a member of the Asia Pacific Advisory Council (APAC) and Indian Business School Directors Leadership Group (IBSDLG) at Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). She was invited to take part as a guest researcher in the DAAD-sponsored Centre for Modern Indian Studies at the University of Cologne (Germany) and published various papers in National and International Journals indexed in Scopus and ABDC journal lists. Her research interests are in the area of organizational culture, commitment, learning strategy, collaborative learning, enhancing team effectiveness etc.

Symbiosis International (Deemed University) is based on the principles of the Vedic thought of “World as One Family” and Dr. Netra Neelam firmly believes in contributing toward this principle through various activities and initiatives at SCMHRD.

Director's Message

Dr. Adya Sharma is a dedicated professional with over 25 years of experience. Her extensive practical experience in the corporate world seamlessly integrates with theoretical knowledge, enhancing academic pursuits. She has also been connected to the industry as a corporate trainer in many companies. An avid researcher, she has also written research papers in reputed journals, including Scopus indexed journals. She is also the editor of the book titled ‘Marketing Techniques for Financial Inclusion and Development’ by IGI Global.

Dr. Sharma has actively participated in international academic collaborations and mobility programs. She has visited universities in the A4+ Consortium in Spain through the University of Pompeu Fabra (UPF) mobility program under the Erasmus grant. Under her leadership, SCMS Pune has been awarded the Shastri Conference and Lecture Series Grant (SCLSG). She has introduced Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) to provide students with international exposure.

In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Dr. Sharma successfully implemented a four-year BBA programme from AY 2023-24. She has also been the second supervisor for Master thesis of students conducted under Berlin School of Economics and Law, Germany. She is PhD, NET qualified, double Post Graduate and an alumnus of St Stephens College.

Director's Message

Brig ( Dr. ) Rajiv Divekar, is a veteran soldier and an academician. He had a very distinguished career in the Army which included service with the United Nations in Somalia and Lebanon. He was a Faculty at Indian Military Academy, College of Engineering, Defence Services Staff College and Army War College. He has also done the Staff Course at Camberley, UK. He is B. E. Civil (Gold Medallist) and was Head of Faculty 'Strategic and Operational Studies' at Army War College and a faculty member in Defence Strategic Studies at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington.

He has done M.Phil. from D. A. V. V. University and M.Sc. from Madras University. He has done his MBA specializing in Human Resource Management. He is recipient of the "Rajiv Gandhi Education Excellence Award", "RashtriyaVidya Gaurav Gold Medal Award" and "Education Leadership Award". Brig Rajiv Divekar (Retd) now holds the position of Director, SIMS. A testament to his dedication, in 2023, he ascended to the prestigious position of Dean, Faculty of Management, at Symbiosis International University (SIU), opening new avenues to shape future leaders. He has rich experience of strategy, planning, logistics and human resource management based on his service with multinational team as United Nations Forces in Somalia and Lebanon.

He has served in Kargil and Leh on the Line of Control where he was responsible for the Logistics and Supply Chain Management of soldiers located on posts at 17000- 22000 feet in the Siachen Glacier. He is a Paratrooper having done jumps from varied military aircraft. He has done sky diving, para sailing, water skiing, hot air ballooning and rappelling. He won the National Silver medal in 1981 in Coxed Fours Rowing event.

He is an expert in construction of military bridges, demolitions, mine warfare, and bunkers and fortifications. After 34 years of service in the Army, he left voluntarily and joined Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies as Director. SIMS is now ranked among the top 25 B Schools in India. Under his visionary leadership and appointment as the Dean, Faculty of Management, SIU, the Symbiosis community continues to scale new heights, nurturing future leaders and driving excellence in management education. He is a charter Member of the All-India Management Association.

Director's Message

Dr. Madhvi Sethi completed her post-doctoral fellowship from Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad after doing her Doctorate in the area of financial markets. Her research interests lie in the area of financial markets, financial economics, mergers and acquisitions and capital structure decisions.

She has presented papers in several international and national conferences. Her research papers have been published in various peer-reviewed journals in India and abroad. She has co-authored a book titled “Indian Business Groups: Strategy and Performance” which has been published by Cambridge University Press, India. Her co-authored cases are available on Harvard Business Publishing and Ivey Publishing.

Dr. Sethi has been appointed as the Research Mentor for SIBM-Bengaluru by Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune. She has been involved in corporate programmes conducted at Wipro and Infosys where she has been teaching executives at different management levels. Dr. Madhvi Sethi has been invited to deliver guest sessions at Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University (UK) and Gabelli School of Business, Fordham University (NY). She is also an adjunct Faculty with School of International Business and Entrepreneurship, Steinbeis University, Germany.

Director's Message

Dr. Aarti Mehta Sharma is a passionate academician who believes that quality education enriches lives immensely. Having worked in Industry and Academia at various levels, she brings forth a motivated attitude and a variety of powerful skills. With a strong background in Analytics, she believes that the “future-ready” student is one who has domain knowledge and is strong at Analytics.

She has more than 15 years of teaching experience at the Doctorate, Post-Graduate and Graduate levels and has worked for more than 8 years in the domain of research, which includes working with MODE Market Research, and FORE. Her areas of interest are the applications of decision sciences to management and she is adept at various analytics software such as R, Python, Power BI, Tableau etc.

She believes in continuous learning and has participated in various Faculty Development Programmes as both, an instructor and a participant. She has been involved as a senior faculty in corporate programmes conducted for Wipro, Infosys and John Distillers where she has conducted workshops for different management levels on topics as wide ranging as Market Research, Visualization and Statistics. She has published papers in journals of renown and has attended and presented papers at various national and international conferences.

Director's Message

Dr. Nidhi Phutela is working as the Director and Associate Professor in the area of Marketing with Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, NOIDA, a constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune where she facilitates overall administration.

She has been playing a key role in the domain of research, training and teaching in the discipline of Marketing for more than two decades. Here, she has also contributed to designing and implementing innovative teaching pedagogies.

conducted several corporate training programs and workshops in universities of repute. Apart from her academic and administrative responsibilities, Dr. Phutela is also passionately working in the domain of sensitizing social responsibility amongst students by designing and implementing empowerment projects for the underprivileged.

She has spearheaded ‘Project Sahyog’ – For Women Empowerment, ‘Project Utthan’ – Financial Literary Project; ‘Project Parivartan’- Soft Skills Education Project, to name amongst a few. Her research interest areas include: E-learning adoption, Service Quality, Internationalization of Higher Education, Digital Marketing, Martech and consumer behaviour, Sustainability, Consumer Trust & Customer Experience (CX).

Director's Message

Dr. Vandana Ahuja is the Director at Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Noida. She has over 26 years of work experience and is a Professor of Marketing. She is the author of the book on Digital Marketing – published by Oxford University Press and is the proud recipient of the ILDC-AMP women achiever’s award for excellence in Management Teaching. Additionally, she has received the Woman Excellence Award 2023, in recognition of outstanding professional achievement & contribution towards Academics and Research.

She has also published several edited books and several manuscripts in International and National journals and also serves on the Editorial Board of several International Journals. She has organised and chaired several National and International conferences and has guided PhD. students in the domain of Management.

Prior to working at Symbiosis, she has worked with Jaipuria Institute of Management as Dean-Academics, Amity Business School as Professor, IILM Graduate School of Management as Dean-Research and faculty at Jaypee Business School. Her strengths include Teaching, Research, Academic Administration and Institution Building.

Along with her scholars she has received several awards and accolades for her research contributions in the field of Digital Marketing, CRM and Branding. She has convened several Doctoral Research Conclaves and guest edited several special issues with International Journals.

She has been instrumental in signing several MoUs with International educational institutions and corporate houses. She has conducted several Management Development Programs for organisations across the Hospitality and Retail sectors.

Director's Message

Dr. Vandana Sonwaney, Director, Symbiosis Institute of Operations Management, shifted to academics 27 years back after 12 years of corporate experience in the Electronic, FMCG, and Services sector with profiles in brand liquidation, logistics service enhancement, S&OP, and SCM and Consulting. Her exemplary work in curriculum development focused on continually evolving competency requirements of the industry, culminating in shaping a niche Institute in the field of Operations Management that SIOM stands conceitedly today and speedily evolving into a center of operations excellence. Under her leadership, SIOM bagged “Best Industry Interface” and “Best Industry oriented curriculum” every year since 2009.

SIOM also received the “Prestigious Education Excellence Award 2018” from the “Confederation of International Accreditation Commission forum” in Delhi. Dr. Vandana is a recipient of the” Distinguished Service Award” for her contribution to fostering Management Research, she received the “Indian Leadership Award” for Education Excellence by All India Achievers Foundation New Delhi and the " Outstanding B School Director Award" in 2019. Dr. Vandana has worked on the CII Maharashtra task force for Manufacturing and Innovation and also as a Co-Convener of Industry -Institute collaboration at CII North West Maharashtra Zone.

She is on the National Advisory Board of the Small and Medium Enterprises Chamber of India. She awarded the Prof. Indira Parikh 50 Women in Education Leaders award on July 7, 2022. She was awarded the Prof. Indira Parikh 50 Women in Education Leaders award on July 7, 2022 Dr. Vandana is also an Independent Director on the Company Boards. She is a member of the Board of Symbiosis International Deemed University. Her keen drive for competency-building, technology-oriented, and corporate-linked learning systems has been the game changer. With the vision of empowering & leading Operations Excellence for industry & community at large, she pledges to fuel transformation & leadership competencies to medium & small firms in a constructive way.

Director's Message

K. P. Venugopala Rao is the Director and Professor of Finance at Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Hyderabad, at Symbiosis International Deemed University. He served as the Director at Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, NOIDA, during 2020-2022 and as Deputy Director at SIBM Hyderabad earlier.

An alumnus of Osmania University, he also holds a degree in Law and Education. With over two decades of experience in teaching and academic administration, he has held various academic and administrative positions in reputed academic institutions.

His teaching and research engagements in Accounting, Taxation, Capital Markets, and Banking were at prestigious universities like Osmania University and Kakatiya University. His research focuses on the commodity markets, stock markets, and Accounting Standards. Dr Rao has authored research articles published in peer-reviewed international journals. Currently, he is guiding six research scholars at SIU and is a part of the doctoral committee at CESS, Hyderabad. Presently he is a member of the BOS & Academic Council at SIU.

He has conducted several training programmes for corporate executives and leaders at Cogent Ltd, Indian Railways, Keolis, Bayer Ltd, IICT, and L&T. He is active in conducting Faculty Development workshops, Management Development Programs and various academic workshops.

Director's Message

While pursuing professional education, especially during the formative phase of etching a career, every learner yearns for a serene environment blended with rich learning resources. Making it possible, Symbiosis International Deemed University, a leader in the education space, commenced Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, an undergraduate Business School on a world-class campus in Hyderabad, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The global economies are on a roll with a positive outlook, and the pipeline is replete with opportunities for enterprising minds. The need of the hour is the penchant for innovation to provide solutions to new challenges; with India being home to 25% of the world's young population, the power to make it possible is right here.

SCMS Hyderabad has designed a Business Management program for undergraduates emphasising experiential learning to provide a fitting start for prospective decision makers in the VUCA world. A thorough understanding of the business environment provides rich dividends. Apart from the conventional courses offered, family business as a specialisation brings a fresh perspective to learners from business families, and it also encourages first-generation entrepreneurship. The experienced faculty and the practitioners during the coursework expose the learners to this through innovative pedagogy that includes case studies, simulation, cross-over learning, hands-on experience, and immersion. The Choice Based Credit system helps the learners cut across the disciplines to curate the program to cater to their learning needs and interest.

The student clubs facilitate applying theoretical knowledge while demonstrating much-needed skills like conflict resolution, negotiation, communication, etc., making the youngsters appreciate diverse thoughts and work in teams. The semester exchange program and the immersion programs with partner universities abroad add to the students' learning of culture and business practices across national borders.

I wish the youngsters excellent learning to lead successful global businesses as we advance.

Director's Message

With a PhD in Management (Finance) from MJP Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, Dr. Rastogi is a seasoned researcher with over 150 papers published in reputed national and international journals.

He has supervised more than 11 research scholars and contributed significantly to fields such as firm and bank performance, inclusive growth, sustainability, market integration, circular economy, intangible assets, and leadership. Beyond his professional achievements, Dr. Rastogi is actively involved in social and spiritual causes, adding a distinctive dimension to his commitment to education.

Director's Message

Dr. Sameer Pingle has over two decades of experience in corporate and management education. He has worked with institutes of repute, like NMIMS, Indore campus, and Nirma University, Ahmedabad, in the past. He has been a visiting professor to IIT- Gandhinagar, IIM- Nagpur, Ahmedabad Management Association, and many others.

He visited the Hof University of Applied Sciences, Hof, Germany, thrice and received the ERASMUS Fellowship in 2017 as part of International Teaching Week. There are many awards to his credit from reputed associations like AIMS, ISTD, HEF, NIPM, KRDWG, ULektz, Jagranjosh, B-School Affairs, Lexicon Group of Institutes, MTC Global, DKRF, Nirma University for research, teaching and administration and also an International award from Hof university for teaching excellence.

He has guided six doctoral scholars and conducted management development programmes for reputed organizations from India and abroad. He has done consulting assignments with organizations like Shriram Group, the Government of Gujarat, Kalupur Commercial Co-operative Bank Ltd, Nirlife, and others. Dr. Pingle has conducted training programmes for executives from organizations of repute like ONGC, HPCL, IOCL, GSFC, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Kalpataru Power Transmission, Ultratech, VANAMATI, GVK-EMRI, Ford India, Bank of Baroda and many others. He has conducted many Faculty Development Programmes on Case Teaching Pedagogy and Innovative Pedagogy. Dr. Pingle is a certified POSH trainer and certified Yoga teacher.

His research interests are employer branding, HR practices in MSMEs, employee engagement, and management education. His teaching interests are performance management, International HRM, talent acquisition, and others

Director's Message

Dr. Jaiprakash M. Paliwal is an esteemed academician and administrator, currently serving as the Director of the Symbiosis Centre for Skill Development (SCSD) in Nagpur. With a robust background in education and skill development, Dr. Paliwal has made significant contributions to the field through his innovative approach and dedication to excellence.

Dr. Paliwal earned his Ph.D. and MBA from RTM Nagpur University. He holds dual degrees in LLB degree and B.Pharm. This, further demonstrates his diverse educational qualifications. In addition to his academic credentials, he has cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) in the first attempt, conducted by the University Grant Commission (UGC), which is a testament to his scholarly aptitude.

Professionally, Dr. Paliwal has been associated with Symbiosis International University since 2021, where he has significantly contributed to the Symbiosis Centre For Skill Development. He is also an active member of the All India Management Association (AIMA) and ex-member of Skill Development Council of CII Maharashtra State. Under his leadership, SCSD has launched various skill development programs aimed at enhancing vocational skills among students. His dedication to education and skill development has been evident through his efforts in organizing events and programs that cater to diverse fields like Data Analytics, Digital Marketing, Photography & filmmaking, Beauty Therapy, among others.

Dr. Paliwal believes in the transformative power of education and skill development. His vision for SCSD Nagpur is to create a dynamic learning environment that not only imparts knowledge but also equips students with the practical skills necessary for success in today’s competitive world. He advocates for a holistic approach to education, integrating academic rigor with real-world applications.

Director's Message

Dr. Neha Parashar completed her doctorate degree in the area of behavioural finance (2008) and is a gold medallist (University topper) during her MBA and M.Com. She has 20 years of rich teaching experience across several universities and colleges in India. She has also participated in 5 months long Faculty Development Programme organized at IIM, Ahmedabad.

Her research interests lie in the area of financial markets, financial services, behavioural finance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, wealth management, and financial planning. She has presented papers in several international and national conferences. Her research papers have been published in various peer-reviewed journals across.

She has been awarded India’s Best Finance Teacher by the Association of International Wealth Management of India (AIWMI), Best Young Teacher Award in Management Category by Academisthan Foundation, Awarded with Most Influential Women in Academics 2020 by Education Ninja and Academy of Management Professionals (AMP), Awarded with Indira Parikh 50 Women in Education Leaders by World Education Congress and Awarded with 100 Most Dedicated Professor by World Education Congress. She has authored a book named “Mutual Fund and Investors" published by Classical Publishing House, New Delhi.