IIM Jammu Students Connect with Local Jammu Families Under Bandhan Cultural Immersion Initiative

25th Oct 2025, Jammu: The Indian Institute of Management Jammu, under the visionary leadership of Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, organized its flagship Bandhan Cultural Immersion Program across the Jammu region 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 program, a unique social outreach initiative of IIM Jammu, 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.

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Prof. B. S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, 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. He shared that IIM Jammu students are visiting local households across Jammu to experience Dogri culture, values, cuisine, and traditions, with local Jammu families participating in the initiative. He added that Bandhan is where hearts meet, stories unfold, and the soul of India is reflected through cultural harmony. He emphasized that education goes beyond the classroom and leadership begins with understanding people. This unique and first of its kind initiative, he noted, 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 thanked the local families for their warmth and support in strengthening IIM Jammu’s community connect.

The students 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.

Each interaction served as a live case study in resilience, service, leadership, entrepreneurship, and cultural pride. Families shared local stories, Dogri folk traditions, heritage values, and celebrations that define Dogra identity. Students participated in household traditions, tasted authentic Dogra cuisine, interacted with family elders, and shared their own academic journeys, resulting in deep emotional and cultural connections. Each student group was accompanied by an IIM Jammu staff member to ensure cultural sensitivity, coordination, and safety. The program enriched students with Cultural Understanding, Social Integration, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Exposure.

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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. Students acknowledged the warmth and deep-rooted values of Jammu society, noting that the experience left a lasting impact on their personal and leadership perspectives. The program was

The institute reiterated that the Bandhan Cultural Immersion Program reflects IIM Jammu’s commitment to holistic learning rooted in Indian values. It aligns with the institute’s motto Knowledge for the Welfare of All by building bridges between academia and society and fostering national unity through cultural harmony. The event was coordinated by Shri Ankush Varma, Chief Innovation Officer, Srinagar, Campus.

The Bandhan Cultural Immersion Program remains an important part of IIM Jammu’s endeavour to uphold its motto of Knowledge for the Welfare of All by building bridges between academia and society and strengthening national unity through cultural exchange.

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